The city of Saint Thérèse
Pleasantly situated in the Toques Valley, the capital of the Auge region is the main economic and commercial centre. Since the Middle Ages, Lisieux is the seat of one of the 7 dioceses of Nomandy. Its most famous bishop remains, most probably, Pierre Cauchon, who had decisive influence on the outcome of the trial of Joan of Arc. However, Lisieux gets its notoriety from Saint Therese. Her family's house, the Carmelite convent where she lived as well as the basilica that carries her name, can all be visited. The fervour and devotion in the style of the "Little Therese", as she liked to be called, makes Lisieux the most important town for religious pilgrimage in France after Lourdes.
Did you know?
The Buissonnets House, located near the centre of Lisieux, is the childhood house of Thérèse where she grew up. This impressive bourgeois residence in a garden setting is filled with furniture and personal objects. A recorded vocal guide tells you about all the significant events of this period and the visit allows you to discover the room where the Virgin Mary smiled down upon her, thus curing her of her unidentified illness.
