I was not far heard about it and gave it a go in my road warrior trails, glad stop by, and even more in finding these pictures hidden in my cd rom vaults that should be in my blog for you and me, This is off the beaten path Hérouville-Saint Clair, and we like it. Therefore, here is my take on this is Hérouville-Saint Clair !!!Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The city of Hérouville-Saint-Clair is located in the Calvados department no 14 in the Normandie region of my belle France. It was a village on the outskirts of Caen, and was called Hérouville until 1957. The town is situated in the Orne River basin, within the Seine-Normandie basin. It is drained by the Orne river, the Dan river, the Caen Canal, and the Petit Dan stream.
The city is served by the Caen ring road. It has quick access to the A13 autoroute de Normandie via the Calix viaduct. To the east begins the D515, a four-lane road, which leads to the port city of Ouistreham. The city is only 4 km from city center Caen, 12 km from Ouistreham, 31 km from Bayeux, 58 km from Honfleur, 224 km from Versailles, and 312 km from my current home, I came here in my road warrior trails from Honfleur on our way back home along the D513 road bordering the Seine out to sea continue on this road dir Trouville sur Mer then bear left onto the D62 dir Deauville but go thru city center Touques connecting with the D288 road to roundabout bear right onto the D27 road dir Caen then bear left passing Varaville to connect again with the D513 road dir Caen here Route de Caen continue to roundabout bearing left onto the D513A or rue de la Métallurgie which same road becomes Route de Cabourg at next roundabout bear right onto Rue Jean Jaurés passing thru Colombelles continue on D226 road to the rocade or ring road crossing the Orne river on next roundabout bear right onto Route de Colombelles and continue crossing the Canal de Caen à la Mer over the pont de Colombelles bridge quickly bear left onto the Rue Verte continue on rue de Belle Vue all along with the canal on your left hand side continue same road becomes the Rue des Sources continue to the petit Lourdes on your right hand side parking just on your left.
The Petit Lourdes,located at 708 rue des Sources is a reconstruction of the basilica and site of Lourdes, a place of devotion to the Virgin Mary. Unique in the world! Facing the Caen Canal stands a two-thirds scale replica of the Basilica of Lourdes and its grotto. Built in 1879 , the location of Petit Lourdes allows Normans to easily make the pilgrimage. Petit Lourdes is a Marian shrine built between 1879 and 1885. It is the only site to feature a replica, two-thirds scaled down, of the Pyrenean Basilica, accompanied by a grotto with its spring, also two-thirds scaled down, and a sacred spring. A winding path completes this unique site. Beyond its imposing size, it abounds with curiosities and treasures (statues, furnishings, bells, tabernacle) that connect the history of the Catholic Church to the Caen region. The Little Lourdes consists of a church built over a crypt, overlooking a rocky outcrop that houses a replica of the Massabielle grotto. A rock-lined path links the basilica to the consecrated grotto.
The chapel’s forecourt offers an unparalleled view of the Caen Canal and its popular walking path. Below, it opens onto a heart-shaped lawn surrounded by boxwood hedges forming a six-decade rosary, a reference to the one used by Saint Bernadette during the apparitions at Lourdes. The 170-meter-long winding path forms an “M” in homage to the Virgin Mary. It leads from the chapel to the grotto and the spring. The artificial grotto was carved into the quarry that had provided the stone for the chapel’s construction and was modeled after the grotto of Lourdes. Taking advantage of a favorable geological setting, a spring, whose benefits and magnetic power are often extolled, was conveniently discovered at the back of the grotto.
A bit of history of the little Lourdes tell us that the Brothers of the Christian Schools, present in Caen since 1817, established their novitiate in Hérouville-Saint-Clair in June 1870 and wished to build a chapel there. They invoked “Divine Providence”… In 1878, Mr. Jules Dubosq, then a merchant in Rouen, sought to fulfill the vow he had made “to build a church where it is needed,” in gratitude for the miraculous healing of his wife. It was the providential meeting between the Provincial Father and Mr. Jules Dubosc that allowed their wishes to come true. This new Notre-Dame de Lourdes, a two-thirds scale replica of the basilica of the Pyrenean pilgrimage, was consecrated on July 23, 1882. We mustn’t forget the new stained-glass windows created and installed in 1952 following the chapel’s restoration after the damage caused during the liberation of Caen in June 1944 (WWII). The Novitiate buildings, which also housed the regional Scholasticate from 1935 to 1980, became the Charles Péguy School and the regional Catholic Education Teacher Training Center (CFP) in 1972, which became the Higher Institute for Catholic Education Training (ISFEC) in 2008. The Brothers finally left the premises in 1999. After 15 years of relative neglect, the Friends of Little Lourdes association was created to save the site. They became the owner in 2018 and has since been tirelessly working to preserve the site. Founded in 2015, the association Les Amis du Petit Lourdes brings together committed and passionate individuals dedicated to preserving the site and welcoming the public.
Other things to see here are the Church of Saint-Clair in the center of the village (11C). The park and the Château de Beauregard, which belonged to Colbert’s fiefdom. The château, in the Troubadour style, typical of 19C architecture in Normandy, was completed in 1864. Purchased by the city in 1977, it has gradually become a place for cultural and sporting activities. The citadelle douce with a fountain, and now housing the new City/Town hall. The Chapel of Saint-Vincent, a 13C vestige of a dependency of the Abbey of Ardenne.
A bit of history tell us that the Reformation saw the site devastated, particularly the religious buildings. Similarly, in the 17C, epidemics struck. The lordship passed from a certain Pierre, Marquis d’Hérouville et de la Rivière, to Jean-Baptiste Colbert. It, then , passed from the Colbert family to the very old Montmorency family through marriage. The city was created in 1793 from the merger of three parishes: Saint-Clair-d’Érouville, Saint-Pierre-d’Érouville, and Saint-Ursin d’Éperon. A simple village at the beginning of the 1960s, the city has since become the largest suburb of Caen and the second most populated city in Calvados.
The city of Hérouville-Saint Clair on its heritage: https://www.herouville.net/mairie/presentation-de-la-ville/histoire-et-particularites
The official Le Petit Lourdes: https://www.lepetitlourdes.com/
The local Caen !a Mer tourist office on Hérouville-Saint Clair: https://www.caenlamer-tourisme.com/the-essentials-of-herouville-saint-clair/
The Calvados dept 14 tourist office search Hérouville-Saint Clair: https://www.explore-calvados.com/en/
There you go folks, this was a road warrior trail that made me come to this wonderful spot in off the beaten path Hérouville-Saint Clair. It was a pleasant surprice and glad stop by, worth the detour me think.Again, hope you enjoy this post on this is Hérouville-Saint Clair !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 