The construction of the church began in 1356 and was completed in the 16th century. A fire in the 18th century led to the reconstruction of the choir, the transept and the bell tower.
Edifice of elongated plan, with bell tower surmounted by a dome, located at the crossing of the transept.
The Church of Our Lady, because of the importance of the pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and her parents, Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin (who became saints in October 2015), was raised to the rank of basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in August 2009. Located in the heart of the city of Alençon, this church-basilica surprises by the richness of the message of its glass canopies, by the harmony of its Gothic nave as well as by the delicacy of the flamboyant decoration of its porch.
The chapel was built towards the end of the 14th century or at the very beginning of the 15th on the site where Saint Céneri is said to have built his shelter. In Gothic style, it blends perfectly into the landscape.
Modestly sized church, once a place of pilgrimage known throughout France for several centuries, but which was devastated at the time of the Norman invasions. Inside, the church conceals several elements that are worth a visit: a 17th century polychrome terracotta sculpture of the "Dormition of the Virgin", a stained glass window depicting a miracle by Saint Leonard, and particularly well-preserved stained glass windows and wall frescoes.
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