The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Cléry

Known to house the tomb of Louis XI, the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Cléry is a must-see in the Loire Valley. In the flamboyant Gothic style (15th century), it is the setting of an annual pilgrimage whose origin dates back to the discovery in 1280 of a statue of Our Lady. The first stone was laid in 1339… But during the Hundred Years' War, the English will have no pity for the building and will leave only the tower of the steeple. Jean de Dunois, lord of Beaugency and famous bastard of Orleans, will play a vital role in his reconstruction. In 1444, he initiated the rebuilding of it and installed a funeral chapel in which he was buried with his wife. King Louis XI proclaimed it “Royal Chapel” in 1467 and chose it as a burial place.

Did you know ? Son histoire remonte au XIIIe siècle, quand des laboureurs découvrirent une statue de la Vierge dans un champ. On s’empresse alors d’installer le précieux objet dans une petite chapelle. Très vite, le bruit se répand et de nombreux pèlerins affluent pour se recueillir devant Marie, investie de pouvoirs miraculeux… Le Roi Philippe Le Bel décide alors de construire une église plus ambitieuse.