Bonne Fontaine

Near Danne et Quatre Vents, France

Located just north of village of Danne et Quatre Vents on the N4 between Phalsbourg and Saverne. Dept. Bas-Rhin, France

According to tradition, in 1714 soldiers stationed at Phalsbourg suffered an epidemic of dysentery. Hearing of the healthy and unpolluted waters of the Bonne Fontaine, they tried it and recovered their health. Later finding an image of the Virgin Mary in an oak tree, the soldiers made the connection between the Virgin Mary, the waters, and their recovery. The soldiers erected a wooden chapel, and the well soon became well known and much frequented.

A larger chapel was soon necessary and in 1741, the original wooden chapel was replaced. The chapel and well site were damaged during the French Revolution and it was not until 1835 that the pilgrimages began again under the auspices of the local parish priest. After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, the site came under the care of the Bishopric of Metz. A small Franciscan cloister was built and the well and chapel placed under the care of the monks.

Services are held regularly. Weekends, holidays, and special pilgrimage days are observed. We visited Bonne Fontaine on a Sunday afternoon in time to see a procession moving from a staging area to the outdoor seating in front of the altar and well. Huge plane trees in the seating area seemed like columns in a church. The Vesper and Benediction service lasted about a half-hour. When it ended, many of the congregation drank from the fountain and filled bottles with the fresh water.

Although the chapel and well are dedicated to the honor of the Virgin Mary, it seemed clear to us that the main attraction was the flowing well itself.

The well, chapel, and cloister are located in a small clearing in the forest. Near the well is a cemetery for the monks who have tended the well for over a hundred years. Also in the clearing are a forester’s house and a hotel-restaurant. There is a parking area with maps of the forest trails for walkers and hikers.