Mary Magdalene, Isis and the Black Virgins from Provence to Massif Central

A Sacred Journey into the Heart of the Great Mother

September 15–24, 2026

Black Virgins, witnesses of forgotten spirituality

In very remote times, the black color referred to positive and favorable symbols, beneficial and regenerating, as we can see with the iconography of the dark-tinted Gallo-Roman goddesses. People venerated them in underground crypts for their specific powers related to fertility and childbirth. Furthermore, people think that Christians are at the origin of Black Virgins, but the truth is quite different. Indeed, the worship of the Black Virgins is much older, since it descends from the worship of mother goddesses.

A black stone represented the Great Mother, which confirms the ritual and symbolic values of this color. That is why, in the Druidic shrines, this black-faced female figure was a gift giver. Indeed, they represented the different aspects of nature and its destinies: storms, shortages, drought, but also the great harvest and abundance of Earth. Her half-white, half-black face represented her duality. Thus, her cycles encompassed all phases, all states of mind.

Their location

We can find them on intersections of telluric currents, sacred and divine, which are often symbolized by a snake. To renew their fruitful relationship with the land, the Celts used to make pilgrimages to these vital points. They soaked up its beneficial impulses and filled up with new energies.

In addition, the Virgins of the pagan and druidic tradition are also assimilated to the Egyptian goddess Isis, emblem of Mother Earth. At the beginning of the Christian era, the statues of Isis were in caves. They represented both Virgin goddess and mother goddess, holding her son Horus in his arms; these effigies became the Romanesque Black Virgins.

Provence and Massif Central shelter an impressive number of places with Black Madonnas.

As we walk in Mary Magdalene’s footsteps, we will also find beautiful Black Virgins on our way. We will evoke the history of each through the legends attached to them and the particular devotions to which they are the subject.
With this journey, you will better understand how the cult of the Black Virgins developed from the Mediterranean Basin and ancient rites dedicated to Isis, Cybele or Artemis.

The highlights of this journey

Each day unfolds as a sacred step along the path of remembrance and rebirth:

Magdalene statue at the grotto — Mary Magdalene grotto

Notre Dame du Romigier Manosque — Mary Magdalene grotto

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer – Land where Mary Magdalene first arrived, home to Sara la Noire, Patron Saint of the Gypsies.
Marseille – Explore early Christian sites and the Black Madonna Our Lady of Confession.
St. Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume – Visit the Basilica of Mary Magdalene and create your own anointing oil.
Aix-en-Provence & Manosque – Discover Provence’s markets and one of the oldest Black Madonnas, Notre-Dame du Romigier.
La Sainte-Baume – Hike the sacred mountain and meditate in Magdalene’s grotto.
Le Puy-en-Velay – Center of the ancient pilgrimage routes, home to two miraculous Black Madonnas.
La Chaise-Dieu Abbey – Admire medieval art celebrating Magdalene and the Divine Feminine.

By going to these high places of energy, to meditate, pray or recharge, one can rise spiritually towards the higher vibratory planes and worlds, where there reign subtle forces full of light and stimulating forces of a high energy quality. Use the energies of Mary Magdalene and the Black Madonnas to heal your soul and your body.

Practical details

Dates :

September 15–24, 2026
Arrival: Marseille Airport (pickup 2:00 PM)
Departure: Lyon Airport (arrive by 11:00 AM)

Contribution

From: €3,980
Early-bird blessing: €150 off for the first 5 registrations before December 31, 2025

✅ Included

9 nights in 3★ hotels (private bath)
Daily breakfast + select lunches and dinners
All transportation and excursions
Entrance fees to monuments and sanctuaries
Anointing workshop & materials
Boat ride on the Rhône River
Guidance and spiritual facilitation by Véronique Flayol

❌ Not Included

Tips, insurance, personal expenses
Airfare to/from France
Meals not listed in the program

Feel the Call?

If your heart is stirring but you wish to know more, you’re warmly invited to a private Zoom conversation with Véronique.
This gentle, no-pressure space allows you to ask questions and feel what resonates most deeply.

To reserve your place or schedule a call:
👉 vflayol@gmail.com