Born in Lourdes in 1844, Bernadette Soubirous was 14 when the Virgin Mary appeared to her in the cave of Massabielle.

On the evening of the 7th July 1866, Bernadette then aged 22, crossed the threshold of St. Gildard, Mother House of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, in order to fulfil her desire for a religious life. Bernadette had come to know the Sisters while living at the Hospice in Lourdes immediately after the Apparitions.

Bernadette stayed here for 13 years and during her short life, would never return to Lourdes or the Grotto at Massabielle. Her simple and ordinary life was completely given to God and others.

On her death in 1879, her body was entombed in a chapel in the garden. Found intact, it has rested since 1925 in a golden & glass shrine in the convent chapel.

Many pilgrims and visitors alike comment that ‘after a visit to her, one comes away stronger and more confident than before’.

What will I see when I visit:

• The mortal remains of St Bernadette resting in her golden & glass reliquary.
• The infirmary where Bernadette worked and spent her final days.
• A guided tour of the Convent grounds including the garden & the grotto of ‘Our Lady of the Waters’; a special place for Bernadette whilst residing in Nevers.
• A small museum documenting Bernadette’s life in Nevers.

For more information please visit our friends – www.sainte-bernadette-nevers.com