Le Lourdou

About

Le Lourdou is a Catholic site in the commune of Belcastel in Aveyron, France. It is located on the edge of the Aveyron, below the rock of Anglers and the ruins of its fort of the fifth century (which took the name of Fort Lourdu). It consists of a cave with an altar and a statue of Notre-Dame de Lourdes, and a path of Cross, the latter's stations being represented by wooden crosses. The name occitan Lourdu must be understood as "little Lourdes". It was created at the initiative of Abbé Gély, the parish priest of Belcastel, at the end of the 19th century, who had considered the place to resemble the cave of Massabielle. He had a statue of Notre-Dame de Lourdes installed there. The first Mass was celebrated in 1889. A wooden pedestrian walkway was built to access it, which leads to the entrance to the Cross Road. Formerly, it was necessary to either cross the Aveyron or descend a steep road from the road between Belcastel and Le-Pont-Neuf, on the left bank.

Portal of the Aveyron and the Rouergue Portal of Catholicism