The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Apt, France

On Easter Sunday in the year 792, according to ancient tradition, Charlemagne himself stood in this Provençal town as workers excavating beneath the cathedral floor uncovered a sealed tomb. Inside lay the body of a woman, and beside her, an inscription: "Here lies the body of Saint Anne, mother of the glorious Virgin Mary." A young boy, deaf and mute from birth, was brought forward to touch the relics. He spoke his first words: Sancta Anna—Holy Anne. The emperor had witnessed a miracle, and Apt had found its treasure. Today, pilgrims descend into two superimposed crypts beneath the Cathédrale Sainte-Anne—the lower dating perhaps to the first century, the upper to 1056—to venerate relics that tradition holds are the most complete remains of Christ's grandmother in Christendom. Whether the discovery story is history or pious legend, Apt's claim shaped the devotion to St. Anne across medieval Europe. From here, relics were distributed to daughter shrines including Sainte-Anne-d'Auray in Brittany. The cathedral treasury guards another mystery: the Veil of St. Anne, an eleventh-century Fatimid textile of extraordinary beauty whose connection to the saint remains unexplained.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The tradition of St. Anne's relics at Apt reaches back to the first generation of Christianity. According to the legend, Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, and their companions fled persecution in the Holy Land around 47 AD and landed on the coast of Provence near present-day Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. With them, they brought the body of St. Anne. Lazarus became the first bishop of Marseille, and the precious relics were eventually interred at Apt, then a thriving Roman town called Apta Julia. For seven centuries, the tradition holds, the location of the tomb was forgotten. The rediscovery on Easter 792 in the presence of Charlemagne—if historical—would make it one of the great medieval relic discoveries. Charlemagne reportedly ordered the construction of a shrine and established an annual pilgrimage. The miracle of the deaf-mute boy who spoke upon touching the relics became the founding legend of Apt's cult of St. Anne. The present cathedral rises on the site of earlier churches, its structure a palimpsest of Provençal sacred architecture. The lower crypt may incorporate Roman walls and possibly elements of an early Christian baptistery. The upper crypt, consecrated in 1056, displays elegant Romanesque vaulting. Above them, the nave preserves Romanesque elements alongside later Gothic and Baroque additions. Apt's shrine achieved new prominence in 1660 when Anne of Austria, Queen Mother of France, made a pilgrimage to thank St. Anne for the birth of her son Louis XIV after twenty-three years of childless marriage. The queen attributed the miraculous conception to the intercession of her patron saint. Her visit brought royal attention and generous donations, including the construction of the Baroque chapel that now houses the reliquary. The Diocese of Apt was suppressed during the Revolutionary reorganization of 1801, and the cathedral became a parish church under the Archdiocese of Avignon. But its status as a pilgrimage destination persisted. In 1867, Pope Pius IX elevated the church to the rank of Minor Basilica, and in 1880 it received the additional title of "Basilica of the Prince of the Apostles" in reference to St. Peter. The Veil of St. Anne, preserved in the cathedral treasury, presents its own mystery. Scientific analysis has identified it as an eleventh-century Egyptian textile of exceptional quality—a Fatimid silk, likely produced for the Islamic court at Cairo. How such an object came to be associated with St. Anne and deposited in a Provençal cathedral remains unknown. Some scholars suggest it arrived as a Crusader trophy; others that it was a diplomatic gift. The veil's beauty is undeniable, whatever its origins.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Apt

Cathédrale Sainte-Anne

Cathedral of Saint Anne The former cathedral dominates Apt's old town, its Romanesque bell tower rising above the surrounding rooftops. The exterior presents the characteristic honey-colored stone of Provence. Inside, the single nave leads to a raised choir above the crypts. The seventeenth-century Baroque chapel of St. Anne, commissioned after Anne of Austria's visit, displays the principal reliquary containing bones attributed to the saint. The original Romanesque façade was replaced in the seventeenth century, but the interior preserves the severe beauty of Provençal Romanesque architecture alongside later additions. Address 36 Place de la Cathédrale, 84400 Apt GPS 43.876266, 5.397056 Map Google Maps Web apt-cathedrale.com

Crypte Inférieure

Lower Crypt The lower crypt represents the oldest surviving structure beneath the cathedral, possibly incorporating first-century Roman masonry. Tradition identifies it as the original burial site of St. Anne's relics before their elevation to the upper crypt. The rough-hewn walls and low ceiling create an atmosphere of profound antiquity. Access is limited and by appointment only.

Crypte Supérieure

Upper Crypt Consecrated in 1056, the upper crypt displays mature Romanesque architecture with elegant groin vaulting supported on sturdy columns. This crypt housed the relics after their formal elevation and remained the primary site of veneration until the Baroque chapel was constructed above. The space retains an atmosphere of medieval devotion.

Chapelle Sainte-Anne

Chapel of Saint Anne Anne of Austria's pilgrimage in 1660 prompted the construction of this Baroque chapel between 1643 and 1660, designed to provide a worthy setting for the relics. The chapel occupies the north transept and houses the principal reliquary in an ornate architectural framework. Gilded decorations, painted panels, and sculptural elements create a setting of Counter-Reformation splendor.

Trésor de la Cathédrale

Cathedral Treasury The treasury preserves the Veil of St. Anne, an eleventh-century silk textile of Fatimid Egyptian origin—one of the finest examples of Islamic textile art in France. Additional treasures include medieval reliquaries, liturgical vessels, and manuscripts documenting the history of the shrine. The treasury is accessible by guided visit.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

Feast of St. Anne — July 26

The principal feast draws pilgrims from across Provence and beyond. Solemn Mass is celebrated in the cathedral, and the relics are exposed for veneration. The crypts are opened for visits, and the treasury displays the Veil of St. Anne. Local traditions include processions through the streets of the old town.

Journées du Patrimoine — September

During the annual French Heritage Days (third weekend of September), the cathedral offers special access to areas normally closed, including guided visits to both crypts and the treasury. This provides an exceptional opportunity to explore the full depth of the building's history.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Hôtel Sainte Anne ⭐⭐⭐ — Aptly named hotel in a nineteenth-century family house, located in the old town opposite Place Faubourg du Ballet, steps from the cathedral. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Suite Home Apt Luberon ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Modern apart-hotel with spacious suites, located at the entrance to Apt with views toward the Luberon. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Hôtel Castel Luberon ⭐⭐⭐ — Family-friendly hotel set in three hectares of parkland with swimming pool, ten minutes walk from the cathedral. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Le Couvent (guesthouse) — Atmospheric accommodation in a former seventeenth-century convent in the heart of the Luberon. Reserve this hotel

🚗 Getting There

By Bus: Apt has no train station. The ZOU! Provence bus service connects Apt to Avignon, with buses departing from Avignon TGV station approximately every 3-4 hours. The journey takes 1 hour 20-40 minutes and costs around €3. Buses stop at La Bouquerie in central Apt, a short walk from the cathedral. By Train + Bus: The nearest major station is Avignon TGV, with high-speed connections to Paris (2 hours 40 minutes), Lyon (1 hour), Marseille (35 minutes), and Montpellier (1 hour). From Avignon TGV, take the ZOU! bus to Apt. Alternatively, Avignon Centre station offers regional connections. By Car: From Avignon, take the D900 east through Cavaillon (approximately 52 km, 50 minutes). From Aix-en-Provence, take the A51 north then the D900 west (65 km, 1 hour). Apt lies in the heart of the Luberon, with scenic driving routes through lavender fields and perched villages. By Air: Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), 90 kilometers south, offers the widest selection of flights. Avignon Airport (AVN) handles limited seasonal routes. Car rental is recommended for exploring the Luberon region.

📚 Further Reading

Books: Jason, Ronald. The Life of St. Anne - A comprehensive biography of the grandmother of Jesus, exploring her life, virtues, and enduring devotion. Online Resources: St. Anne, Mother of Mary — Comprehensive article on St. Anne's life, relics, and veneration from the Catholic Encyclopedia. (New Advent) Cathédrale Sainte-Anne d'Apt — Official cathedral website with history, visitor information, and details on the crypts and treasury. (Cathédrale Sainte-Anne, French) Apt Tourism — Regional tourism office with practical visitor information. (Luberon Cœur de Provence, French)

🔗 Useful Links

Cathédrale Sainte-Anne — Official website with Mass times, visit information, and history of the relics. Luberon Cœur de Provence Tourism — Regional tourism portal with accommodation, activities, and practical information. Archdiocese of Avignon — Diocesan website with parish information and resources. ZOU! Provence Transport — Regional bus network for connections to Avignon.

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume (75 km) — The Gothic basilica houses the relics of St. Mary Magdalene in France's finest medieval church south of the Loire. Plan-d'Aups-Sainte-Baume (80 km) — The mountain grotto where Mary Magdalene tradition holds she spent her final years in penance and contemplation. Avignon (50 km) — The Palais des Papes recalls the seven decades when the papal court resided here, with remarkable Gothic architecture and frescoes. Cotignac (90 km) — Site of apparitions of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with a sanctuary carved into the cliff face.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"The history of the relics of the saints forms one of the most interesting chapters in the history of Christian devotion."

— Herbert Thurston, S.J., The Physical Phenomena of Mysticism (1952)