Pontmain is a quiet little village in Northern France. In 1871, it was the place where Our Lady of Hope appeared to 6 children during the Franco-Prussian war.
The nearest port is St Malo but if driving down from Calais, Pontmain is between the cathedral cities of Rouen, Normandy and Rennes, Brittany (in fact closer to Rennes). But it is a diversion that will add an hour to your journey as driving will be on small roads rather than the motorway.
Unlike other places of pilgrimage, it has none of the trappings of a tourist destination (religious or otherwise): free parking, no hotels or restaurants though there is Gite accommodation a few miles away and Fougères is about 20 minutes away.
The main destinations here are the beautiful Basilica of Notre Dame de Pontmain, the barn of the Barbedette family from where the children saw the apparition of Our Lady, and a small museum.
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