In what used to be the pastures of Bedous, a bull regularly disappeared and appeared fatter. One day, the cowherd followed it and was amazed to find it crossing the river and kneeling before a rock that represented the Virgin. This is how the legend of stone and water arose. Visitors can discover the origins of this legend by visiting the Aspe Valley Ecomuseum “Notre Dame de la Pierre” (Our Lady of the Stone). This legend gave rise to a popular pilgrimage. Louis XI himself went to Sarrance to express his devotion.

The success of the pilgrimage called for the installation of a community of monks, the Prémontrés, who built a magnificent cloister in the 17th century that can still be visited today. Sarrance, a main stopping point on the Santiago Pilgrimage Route, welcomes visitors and tells them the story of “stone and water”.