BERNADETTE'S FATHER'S HOUSE (LACADE MILL): THE MAISON PATERNELLE

Lacade Mill - Bernadette's Father's House

I took the above photo the day before I left Lourdes. I was very sad that day - just walking around looking for things to buy wishing that I could stay there forever and visiting all my favourite places again for one more time. I did a lot of shopping that day and I kept asking myself what was it that I have forgotten to buy because I did not want to leave out anything. Then I thought of Lacade Mill and went there to take another look at this place.

Moulin Lacade or Lacade Mill, also known as Bernadette's father's house, is very similar to Boly Mill (the house where Bernadette was born). During the time of the apparitions, there were around ten such mills located along the banks of the fast-flowing Lapacca Stream. Lacade Mill is situated at 2 rue Bernadette Soubirous, 65100 Lourdes. At the time of the apparitions, Lacade Mill belonged to Anselme Lacade, the Mayor of Lourdes. In July 1858, Father Peyramale, the Parish Priest of Lourdes from 1854 to 1872, rented the mill for the Soubirous family. On 20 August 1867, Monsignor Laurence, the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, bought the mill and gave it to the Soubirous family to rescue them from poverty.

Bernadette rarely stayed at Lacade Mill. On 15 July 1860, she was admitted to the hospice of Lourdes where she received treatment following an attack of asthma. She stayed at the hospice and continued with her studies until her departure for the convent of Saint Gildard in Nevers. However, she often visited her family and spent time with them at the mill. On 4 July 1866, Bernadette left the hospice for the Saint Gildard Convent and never to return again. On 3 July 1866, one day before her departure, she dressed up secretly as a nun and went to the grotto to pray for the last time. She then visited her family at Lacade Mill and ate her farewell meal with them. That was the last evening she spent with her family.

The Lacade mill is a modest two-storey building. Inside this building, visitors will be able to see the pictures, furniture and objects which belonged to the Soubirous family. On the right of the ground floor, visitors can see the mill room where Francois Soubirous used to work until his death on 4 March 1871. In the adjacent room, some personal objects which belonged to Bernadette are displayed. On the left is the family kitchen where Bernadette said goodbye to her family before she left for the convent in Nevers. Going up the wooden staircase visitors will arrive at the upper floor where they can see the bedroom with a collection of memorabilia that belonged to Bernadette and her family.

Louise Soubirous passed away at Lacade Mill on 8th December 1866. Francois Soubirous died in this family home on 4 March 1871. One of Bernadette's brothers also died there. The Lacade Mill has remained the property of the descendants of Francois Soubirous and is still run by them.

Lacade Mill is one of the museums in Lourdes. You may also like to read The Museum of Lourdes if you want to know more about the numerous museums in Lourdes. To view the content page of this blog, please click here. There is a complete list of my articles about Lourdes on this page.


References:
1.  Lourdes. Andre Doucet Publications.
2.  Lourdes & Bernadette. Publisher "il Calamo".
3.  Lourdes: The Life of Bernadette, the Apparitions, the Shrines. Andre Doucet Publications