Basilique Notre-Dame de l'Épine

The Basilica of Notre-Dame de l'Épine is a Flamboyant Gothic pilgrimage church standing in the village of L'Épine, around 30 kilometres east of Reims in the flat champagne plains — a village that quite literally grew up around the church and takes its name from it. According to tradition, shepherds in the early 15th century discovered a statue of the Virgin Mary in a burning thornbush (épine meaning thorn), prompting construction of the church as a pilgrimage site. Its elaborately carved twin-tower facade, intricate tracery and gargoyle-studded exterior make it one of France's finest examples of late Gothic ecclesiastical architecture. Listed as a Monument historique as early as 1840 and recognised as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it draws pilgrims and architectural historians in equal measure.