The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Trois-Épis, France
Alsace's only Marian apparition site, where the Virgin Mary appeared to blacksmith Thierry Schoeré in 1491 holding three wheat ears—a symbol of blessing and warning.
On the morning of May 3, 1491, Thierry Schoeré, a blacksmith from the village of Orbey, was making his way through the forested slopes above the Rhîne Valley when the Virgin Mary appeared before him. In one hand she held three golden wheat ears—trois épis—promising abundance to those who honored God; in the other, a piece of ice, warning of divine punishment for those who refused to repent. The terrified craftsman watched as she pointed to where a chapel should be built, then vanished into the mountain air. This singular vision—the only Church-approved Marian apparition in Alsace—transformed an obscure woodland clearing into one of eastern France's most beloved pilgrimage sites. Today the sanctuary of Notre-Dame des Trois-Épis rises amid the Vosges Mountains, its triple spire visible for miles across the vineyard-covered foothills, drawing pilgrims who come to honor the Virgin's message of mercy and conversion.
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📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The apparition's authenticity was swiftly recognized. In 1495, just four years after the vision, the Bishop of Basel granted official approval. Pope Alexander VI confirmed the site's significance in 1500 with papal recognition, establishing Trois-Épis among the Church's acknowledged Marian shrines. Construction began almost immediately. A small chapel rose at the apparition site in 1493, funded by grateful pilgrims whose offerings testified to favors received. As devotion spread throughout the Rhîne Valley and beyond, the chapel proved insufficient for the growing crowds. Successive expansions transformed the modest oratory into a proper pilgrimage church. The sanctuary weathered the turbulence of subsequent centuries—the Reformation's challenges, the French Revolution's upheavals, the devastation of two World Wars that swept through Alsace. Each trial seemed only to deepen local attachment to the site. In 1912, the Redemptorist Fathers assumed care of the sanctuary, establishing a monastery and guest house that continue to serve pilgrims today. The most significant modern addition came in 1968 with the construction of the Church of the Annunciation (Église de l'Annonciation), a modernist structure designed to accommodate large pilgrimages while preserving the intimate character of the original chapel. In 1991, on the 500th anniversary of the apparition, a distinctive triple spire was erected—its three points echoing the three wheat ears of Mary's original sign.
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☩ Sanctuary of Notre-Dame des Trois-Épis
Local Name: Sanctuaire Notre-Dame des Trois-Épis Address: 18 rue Thierry Schoeré, 68410 Trois-Épis, France GPS: 48.0998700, 7.2310700 Google Maps: Open Map Website: ndtroisepis.fr Dedication: Our Lady of Trois-Épis Historical Note: The sanctuary complex has grown organically since the first chapel of 1493. The Redemptorist Fathers have served here since 1912, maintaining a rhythm of prayer that shapes each day. The community offers spiritual direction, confession, and organized retreats throughout the year. Spiritual Importance: This is where Thierry Schoeré received his vision—where Mary's wheat ears promised abundance to the faithful and her ice warned of judgment for the unrepentant. The sanctuary preserves this dual message of divine mercy and the call to conversion. Pilgrims come not merely to see a historic site but to encounter the same invitation Mary extended five centuries ago.
Chapel of the Apparition (1493)
The original pilgrimage chapel stands at the precise location where Thierry Schoeré encountered the Virgin. Though modest in size, this stone oratory remains the spiritual heart of the sanctuary. Its dim interior, lit by votive candles, preserves the atmosphere of intimate devotion that has drawn pilgrims for over five hundred years. A statue of Our Lady holding three wheat ears marks the spot of the apparition.
Church of the Annunciation (1968)
The modern pilgrimage church accommodates large gatherings while its design—sweeping lines rising toward heaven—evokes both the surrounding mountains and the ascending movement of prayer. Natural light floods the sanctuary through contemporary stained glass depicting Marian themes. The main altar serves as the focal point for Sunday Masses and major feast day celebrations.
The Triple Spire (1991)
Erected for the 500th anniversary of the apparition, this distinctive monument rises above the sanctuary complex. Its three ascending points represent the three wheat ears Mary held in her hand—a visible sign of her presence that can be seen from valleys throughout the region. The spire has become the identifying symbol of Trois-Épis, appearing on pilgrimage materials and local signage.
The Three Rosary Meditation Paths
Three woodland trails wind through the forested slopes surrounding the sanctuary, each dedicated to meditation on the Rosary's mysteries. Stations along the paths invite pilgrims to walk and pray amid the same forest landscape where Thierry Schoeré encountered the Virgin. The paths range from gentle strolls to more demanding climbs, allowing pilgrims of varying abilities to participate.
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🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Pilgrimages
May 3 – Feast of the Apparition The principal celebration of the year marks the anniversary of the 1491 vision. Pilgrims from throughout Alsace and neighboring regions gather for solemn Mass, Eucharistic procession, and veneration at the Chapel of the Apparition. The day concludes with evening Vespers and Benediction. August (Pre-Assumption Pilgrimage) The Sunday before the Assumption of Mary (August 15) brings the largest annual gathering to Trois-Épis. Families, parish groups, and individuals converge on the sanctuary for a day of prayer that prepares hearts for the great Marian solemnity to follow. December 27 – Winemakers' Pilgrimage Alsace's vignerons have maintained a special devotion to Notre-Dame des Trois-Épis, whose three wheat ears resonate with their own agricultural vocation. This winter pilgrimage gives thanks for the harvest completed and asks Mary's blessing on the vines for the year ahead.
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🛏️ Where to Stay
Monastic & Pilgrim Hospitality
Maison d'accueil Notre-Dame des Trois-Épis The Redemptorist Fathers operate a pilgrim guest house adjacent to the sanctuary, offering simple accommodations for individuals and groups seeking a prayerful atmosphere. Meals are available, and guests may join the community's daily prayer schedule. Reservations through the sanctuary website: ndtroisepis.fr
Hotels
Alexain Hôtel ★★★ Comfortable 3-star hotel in the village center with views of the Vosges Mountains. The property offers an ideal base for pilgrims wishing to combine sanctuary visits with exploration of the surrounding wine villages. Hotel Website • Book on Booking.com
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🚗 Getting There
By Air: The nearest international airport is EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (90 km), serving destinations across Europe. Strasbourg Airport (80 km) offers additional connections. By Train: Colmar station (15 km) provides TGV connections to Paris, Strasbourg, and Basel. From Colmar, local buses or taxi service reach Trois-Épis. By Car: From Colmar, follow signs toward Turckheim then continue climbing into the Vosges foothills. The sanctuary is well-signposted. Parking is available at the site.
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🔗 Useful Links
- Tourisme Alsace – Regional tourism with pilgrimage site listings
- Colmar Tourism Office – Information on the nearest major town
- Visit Alsace Wine Route – Combining pilgrimage with the famous Route des Vins
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🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Colmar (15 km) – The picturesque Alsatian capital houses the Matthias Grünewald's Isenheim Altarpiece at the Musée Unterlinden, one of Christianity's most profound artistic meditations on Christ's Passion. Strasbourg (80 km) – The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, with its single soaring spire and astronomical clock, has been a pilgrimage destination since the Middle Ages. Thierenbach (35 km) – Another Alsatian Marian shrine, dedicated to Our Lady of Thierenbach, with baroque pilgrimage church and centuries of devotion. Marienthal (90 km) – Alsace's oldest Marian shrine, founded in the 12th century.
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🪶 Closing Reflection
"One could perhaps speak of a specific 'geography' of faith and Marian devotion, which includes all these special places of pilgrimage where the People of God seek to meet the Mother of God in order to find, within the radius of the maternal presence of her 'who believed,' a strengthening of their own faith."
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— Pope St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, §28