Legend tells of shepherds who found a statue of the Madonna up here and carried it down to Lignan: the statue returned by itself, so a sanctuary was decided upon. The first was consecrated on 26 July 1659; the present building on 25 August 1869.
What to see
The sanctuary, also known as Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, stands at 2,656 metres at the foot of the Becca du Merlo, in the Combe de Cunéy above the village of Lignan. Next to it is the Cunéy oratory refuge. It is a plain building, as buildings at this altitude are, and what counts is where it stands: at the head of the Saint-Barthélemy valley, with high-mountain silence all around.
Visiting
You can only get here on foot and the climb is long: allow a full day, with proper footwear. The pilgrimage takes place every year on 5 August, for the Madonna of the Snows.
Our editors' tip
If you go up, do it in settled weather and start early: at this height the afternoon turns quickly. The refuge next door lets you break the day rather than rush back down.