Grotte de la Garenne

Initially envisaged at Les Guillemots, near the cemetery, the project was launched on a site donated by the Alexandre family of the La Perrière farm. The site is just above the ruins of the Château de La Perrière, below the hamlet of La Garenne, with an uninterrupted view over the village.
It would take a host of volunteers around two years to finally build on this wasteland. At the time, there was very little machinery available, and the gigantic works were carried out by hand during the summer months. The large
were extracted from La Roche Mouron, in Montoy, and transported by ox and horse teams.
The building was inaugurated on 26 July 1936, an event that attracted a huge crowd. From the village of Etang sur Arroux, the statue of the Virgin was taken to La Garenne on a cart pulled by four oxen.
This shrine covers an area of around 30 ares and is owned by the Syndicat des ministres du culte, 1 place Cardinal-Perraud in Autun.
It features a grotto, a replica of the grotto at Lourdes, a Calvary and a Way of the Cross.
The sale of the trees raised around €3,500. The purchase of stones to create the new crosses amounted to €2,600. The balance of €900 will balance out with the remaining expenditure.
Thanks to the enormous amount of work carried out by volunteers, this operation should not involve the finances of either the Syndicate or the parish.
The inauguration, following renovation and refurbishment work, will take place on Tuesday 15 August with mass at 10.45am, followed by a picnic. Benediction of the renovated Way of the Cross will take place at 3pm.
NOTE A booklet containing around twenty photographs taken during the inauguration in 1936 has been published. It is available for €10 from the photographer, Michelle Perault, 2 bis rue d'Autun, Etang sur Arroux.