The Saint-Antoine Caves
At the southern exit of Brive-la-Gaillarde, the national pilgrimage to Saint Anthony of Padua offers walkers, as well as pilgrims its five hectares of green park.
You will be warmly welcomed by Franciscan friars in this peaceful and harmonious setting. Whether you are pilgrims or mere visitors, do not hesitate to go and meet them!
This site is one of our favorites and our top 14 visits.
The Saint-Antoine Caves: Gaillard and responsible destination!
- Take a walk in the 5 hectare wooded park a stone's throw from the city center of Brive and enjoy the calm and the environment to recharge your batteries or collect your thoughts.
- Admire the beautiful panorama offered over the city from the Calvary and discover the immense statue of the Saint. This statue was offered in recognition to Saint Antoine and the friars, for having protected the city during the Second World War.
- The yellow shell of the large entrance portal is not misleading: the caves are a stopover on the road to Saint-Jacques.
- If you are looking for accommodation, stop at Caves hotel. You will be welcomed in a spirit of simplicity and friendliness.
- Meet the Franciscan friars who take care of the place. Very welcoming, they always have anecdotes to tell.
The sanctuary of the Saint-Antoine caves
These cave-sanctuaries, partly dug by human hands in a sandstone escarpment, perpetuate the memory of Saint Antoine of Padua who often came to this place during the year 1226. Shortly after his death, the caves became a place of pilgrimage and a small hermitage is built there. In the last century, the hermitage was replaced by a chapel and a convent which has since become a reception house.
Saint Antoine protects the city of Brive. Pilgrims always come in large numbers to pray in the caves, at the places of prayer.
From the esplanade, surrounded by magnificent trees, you can follow a rough path in the middle of this peaceful enclosure to the calvary from where you discover a very beautiful panorama of the city.
How to get to the Saint-Antoine caves?
- Arrival by train: 13-minutes walk from the station to the caves.
- Arrival by car: once in the city center take the direction of Noailles.
- 20-minutes walk from the city center.
- By bus from the city center: Line B (Bahuet).
Pratical information
The services offered by the sanctuary of the Saint-Antoine caves
- 5-hectares wooded park.
- Monastic accommodation (closed in January) open to all.
- A pilgrimage souvenir shop.
What you need to know about the Sanctuary of the Caves of Saint-Antoine
The site is open every day with free access.
Our tip Pilgrimage to the caves of Saint-Antoine
We can imagine the work of the men who dug part of these cave-sanctuaries with their bare hands. In 1226, Saint Anthony of Padua retired here to do penance. Today, some visitors come there on pilgrimage, others choose to climb the steep paths. A single tip: if the climbs are not an ordeal for you, take the direction of the Stations of the Cross and once you arrive at the top, admire the panorama of Brive.
Caves of Saint-Antoine,
41 avenue Edmond Michelet,
19100 Brive
+05 55 24 10 60 XNUMX
Share this article
Or share the link
You will also like...
