Sainte-Clotilde Fountain (Fontaine Sainte-Clotilde)

The Fontaine Sainte-Clotilde is a historic spring connected to Queen Clotilde, wife of Merovingian King Clovis I, who founded the first abbey in Normandy here in 511 AD. According to legend, when construction workers complained of heat and thirst while building the monastery, the queen prayed and the spring's water miraculously gained the strength and taste of wine. The fountain became a major pilgrimage site, with people from surrounding regions immersing themselves in its basin seeking miraculous healing, particularly for skin conditions. Located at the intersection of Boulevard Néhou and Rue Sainte-Clotilde, this freely accessible site existed even before the abbey's foundation on ancient Gallo-Roman grounds. The annual pilgrimage on June 2nd (Saint Clotilde's feast day) features processions from the Notre-Dame Collegiate Church, keeping alive traditions that have continued for over 1,500 years.