Pilgrimage to Northern France

May 13 - 22, 2025

Reclaiming the Divine Feminine in the Western Spiritual Tradition: Rediscovering and Honoring our Feminine Spiritual Legacy

Join us for our Third Annual Journey to Northern France exploring Chartres Cathedral, The Basilica of Mary Magdalene in the lovely hillside village of Vézelay, and the Black Madonna sites of the Burgundy Region.

Led by Marilyn Strong. Marilyn has pursued a personal interest in and study of The Black Madonna for forty years. She has made three personal pilgrimages to Chartres Cathedral and to Black Madonna sites throughout Northern and Southern France since the fall of 2017.

Since then she has taught preparatory "on-line courses on “The Art of Pilgrimage”, “Return of the Goddess”, “Mary Magdalene, and The Black Madonna", and in October of 2022 and 2023 led a women’s pilgrimage to the Black Madonna sites in and around Chartres, The Basilica of Mary Magdalene in Vézelay, and in the Burgundy Region.

THE CALL

Join sister pilgrims on a journey of renewal, of recovering what has been lost, helping us understand the abiding wisdom of the feminine - not in reaction to the patriarchy, but because the sacred feminine has always been with us and is needed now more than ever in this difficult time. Align yourself to a path that has been hidden, but present, and is currently in resurgence. Journey to a new land and return home with a deepened understanding and a renewed sense of meaning for the sacred in your life.

Leading up to the trip, participants will have an opportunity to meet in several 10-week on-line group sessions led by Marilyn, to establish a sense of community and connection through facilitated group conversations, including the sharing of personal stories, meditation, journal writing, sacred chanting, and ritual.

“All the classes were so important for me. To bring my awareness and learning of the divine feminine and black madonna and so much more forward for this trip. I would not have wanted to have done the pilgrimage without doing the classes. “ ~Toni

We will together create a safe and nurturing environment in which to explore the following themes:

The Art of Pilgrimage

Tracking our inner experiences as we explore the outer adventure. Bringing intention and consciousness to the phases of our journey - from Crossing the Threshold to Making the Way by Walking, to The Practice of Being Uncomfortable and Bringing Back The Boon - A journey outward and inward to the heart of our own inner Sanctum/Sanctorum.

The Zeitgeist of the Time we are Living in

The Return of the Divine Feminine/ Sophia - what Jungian analyst Marion Woodman called “the Second Coming of Christ.” The re-empowering of women and the feminine in men, the balancing of the Patriarchy and protection of our imperiled planet.

Chartres Cathedral

Chartres Cathedral and its’ relationship to the Divine Feminine.

The Black Madonna

New insight and understanding of the Black Madonna phenomenon and its connection to the Dark Goddesses of earlier Near Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures.

Mary Magdalene

An exploration of the meaning of Mary Magdalene as the Dark aspect of the Goddess in Christianity, and a re-visioning of Mother Mary in her Earthly/Cosmic aspect.

The Labyrinth

The meaning and significance of the Labyrinth. Preparing for prayerful walking of the labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral, asking for Inspiration and Guidance.

If you are looking for deep interaction with meaningful content, an opening to the inner realms of Spirit, meeting and exploring with a small group of like-minded pilgrims and the opportunity to travel to the land of the Black Madonnas with them, this experience is for you!

THE TRIP

While experiencing the beauty of traveling the back roads of Northern rural France, we will visit and explore the following… Our days will be a blend of travel, facilitated group conversations, meditation, chanting, group ritual and joyful exploration.

Chartres Cathedral and Crypt, and walking its exquisite Labyrinth

Our Lady of Miracles in Orleans

Our home base near Vézelay, Le Repose Coquelicot, and our fabulous hosts AnneMarie Van de Velde and Luc de Decker

The Basilica of Mary Magdalene in the lovely hillside village of Vézelay

Abbaye de Fontenay

Day trips to additional Black Madonna sites at Chatillon-sur-Seine, Beaune, and Dijon

REGISTRATION

Will be by application, if you have not participated in one of the on-line classes.

Dates: May 13 - 22, 2025

Price: $2,750

Group size is limited to 7 participants

Please email Marilyn if you would like more information: lapis@whidbey.com

INCLUDED

All Lodging in northern France
Single accommodation in Chartres - 5 nights
Shared accommodation in Vézelay - 5 nights
All breakfasts, 3 dinners, one picnic lunch
Travel by Minivan from Chartres to Orleans and back, from Chartres to Vézelay, from Vézelay to the Black Madonna sites, and back to Chartres.
Sacred Chant Booklet

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Tuition and books for the on-line courses
Your own health and travel insurance
Airfare to & from Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France
Bus & Train fare from Charles de Gaulle Airport to & from Chartres
Lunches and dinners in Chartres, lunches and two dinners in Vézelay
Traveling light. Remember: Carry with you only what is necessary for your soul’s nourishment! Luggage space is very limited in the minivan, and you must be able to carry your own luggage, often up and down many flights of stairs.

“The trip was a gift and the perfect time for me. Feels like it is just the beginning of a new chapter. Also - one of the strongest gifts of the journey was coming home and having to reset my 'life pattern' and having a real sense and awareness of a process of assimilation. Bumping into my old, typical life pattern of living and (not) being with a deep listening and what feels good now. Time-out-of-time is the only way to describe this and it is a process. I have l-o-o-o-o-v-e-d it. The BOON. 🙏”

~Toni

Outside of Chartres - walking toward the Southern Portal

Chartres - The West Stained-Glass Window

Basilica at Vezeley (photo thanks to AnneMarie Van de Velde)