First written entry 1505 (≈ 1505)
"Montana de la Fon-Sainte" (Terrier of Apchon)
vers 1740
Marian appearance
Marian appearance vers 1740 (≈ 1740)
To Mary Galvain, Origin of Worship
1744
Construction of the oratory
Construction of the oratory 1744 (≈ 1744)
Date engraved on the lintel
1834
Reconstruction decision
Reconstruction decision 1834 (≈ 1834)
Current chapel ordered
1837
Consecration of the chapel
Consecration of the chapel 1837 (≈ 1837)
Date on the vault key
1929
Table by Émile Rollier
Table by Émile Rollier 1929 (≈ 1929)
Representing the procession
2025
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 2025 (≈ 2025)
Total site protection
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The Marian sanctuary of the Font-Sainte in its entirety, comprising the chapel, the oratory, the fountain, the cross patée, the two walls of the enclosures and the plate, situated on plots Nos. 13, 14 and 15, shown in the cadastre section D, as delimited in red on the plan annexed to the decree: inscription by order of 23 May 2025
Key figures
Marie Galvain - Visionary
Witness of Marian apparition circa 1740
Émile Rollier - Painter
Author of the 1929 painting
Origin and history
The Marian shrine of La Font-Sainte stands at an altitude of 1230 metres, in the heart of the Cantalian mountains, near Saint-Hippolyte. It includes a Latin cross chapel, a 1744 stone oratory, and a sacred fountain surrounded by basalt blocks. The chapel, built of volcanic stone and tufa, features a pine arch and a floor decorated with religious inscriptions. Its architecture combines rural simplicity and Marian symbolism, with a zinc dome overlooking the transept.
The origin of the sanctuary dates back to a Marian apparition reported around 1740: the Virgin appeared to a young woman, Marie Galvain, inciting the construction of the oratory encompassing the source. In 1834, facing the crowd of pilgrims, the communes of Saint-Hippolyte and Selins decided to rebuild the chapel, completed in 1837 (date engraved on the key vault). The site, a place of transhumance and devotion, always houses an active pilgrimage, with an annual procession carrying the statue of the Virgin between the parish church and the chapel.
The sanctuary illustrates popular cantalian piety, linked to pastoral cycles and mountain Marian worship. Old postcards attest to its reputation in the early 20th century. Today, there remains a place of recollection and tradition, where the statue of Notre-Dame-de-la-Font-Sainte once stayed from June to September. Together, classified as a Historic Monument in 2025, it retains its spiritual and heritage role.
The square-planed, lauze-covered Loratorium houses the miraculous fountain, the water of which flows into a stone basin. This small building, prior to the chapel, carries on its lintel the date of 1744 and an arch in full hanger. Local materials (basalt, tuf, slate) emphasize the integration of the sanctuary into its volcanic environment, while the inscriptions on the ground ("Our Lady of the Holy Font pray for us") recall its devotional vocation.
The painting painted in 1929 by Émile Rollier, representing the procession of the Virgin, bears witness to the persistence of cult practices. The site, a communal and private property, also includes a patty cross and basalt enclosure walls, delimiting a sacred space in the middle of the estives. Its altitude and isolation make it a visual and spiritual landmark for shepherds and pilgrims for centuries.
