Entering the Viron studio means diving into the history of the sanctuaries of Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées).
On the walls of the shop, located a stone's throw from the sanctuaries, group photos of pilgrimages from recent decades are displayed alongside papal visits to the Marian City or the grotto at different times.
But it is above all the huge black and white photo in a corner of the studio, created in 1865, which catches the eye of customers.
That of Bernadette Soubirous, taken in 1865 by Philippe Viron, great-great-grandfather of Françoise, the current owner, the only one to have obtained authorization from the bishop to photograph the little girl to whom the Virgin Mary is appeared 18 times.
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“Philippe Viron was a gendarme and it was he who accompanied Bernadette to the cave, they knew each other well and created a bond,” says Françoise Steff Viron.
He was also cited as a witness to the miracle of the candle for the beatification process of Bernadette.
He was passionate about photography so he asked permission to photograph her before he left for the convent of Nevers.
The session lasted four to five hours.
» These will be the only photos ever taken of the teenager.
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