The Door / Entrance of the Cachot
The Casterot family had been working at Boly Mill since 1786 and hoped to own it one day. However, on 1 July 1841, Justin Casterot died in a cart accident leaving behind his widow, Clare, four daughters and a son. Since Clare was unable to run the mill by herself, she decided to marry her eldest daughter (Bernarde) off to Francois Soubirous, a 34-year-old bachelor who was working at a mill nearby. However, Francois Soubirous was not interested in Bernarde but fell in love with her younger sister, Louise, who was then 16 years old. On 9 January 1843, when Louise was 17, they got married at the parish church. On 7 January 1844, Louise gave birth to their first daughter, Bernadette. On 17 September 1946, their second daughter, Antoinette, was born.
In 1848, Claire Casterot (Bernadette's grandmother), decided to leave Boly Mill with her other children and live with Bernarde who was already married by then. Because of the strained relationship between Francois Soubirous (Bernadette's father) and his in-laws as well as overcrowding at the mill, this was probably the best solution for them. But without Claire Casterot's help and being too generous with their customers, Francois and Louise soon began to encounter financial difficulties. To make matters worse, their livelihood was threatened by the new steam-powered mills due to the technological advances of the industrial revolution.
In 1849, Francois was blinded in the left eye in an accident while working on a millstone. On 4 January 1851, his young son, Jean-Marie died. On 13 May 1851, Louise bore him another son who was named after his death brother. The mill was sold to a new owner in 1852 as the Soubirous family could no longer afford to keep it but they were allowed to stay there on the condition that they had to pay rent. On 24 June 1854, the Soubirous family had to leave Boly Mill because they had no money to pay rent. After their brief stay in Laborde House, they leased Baudean Mill but they did not do any better at the mill. In 1855, when the cholera epidemic broke out in Lourdes and caused 38 deaths, Bernadette almost died from this potentially fatal disease. Although she recovered, she had to suffer from chronic asthma all her life. When Claire Casterot died in the same year, she left Francois and Louise 900 francs and they used the money to rent a mill at Arcizac-ez-Angles. But due to a series of poor harvests, Francois was out of work. In 1856, Lourdes was struck by famine and Francois was reduced to penury. Without a stable job but with a wife and four children to support, Francois could not afford to feed his family. Hopeless and destitute, the Soubirous family ended up at Rives House, a "miserable shack" but they still could not afford the rent. After being evicted from the shack and penniless, the Soubirous family moved into the Cachot.
Inside the Cachot
The Cachot is a humble dwelling located at 15 rue des Petits Fosses, 65100, Lourdes. It has been called the Cachot because it was formerly a prison cell. It's damp, filthy, and unhealthy condition rendered it unfit for human habitation. Jean Pierre Taillade, the builder who bought this building in 1824, left it to his grandson, Andre Sajous, in 1848. Sajous made some alterations to the Cachot - he added a second window and built a fireplace in it. In 1856, Sajous allowed his penniless and homeless cousin, Francois Soubirous, to stay in the Cachot rent-free out of sympathy. Thus the 4.4 metres by 3.72 metres single room became the family home for the six members of the Soubirous family, namely, Francois Soubirous and his wife Clare and their four children, Bernadette (13), Antoinette (10), Jean-Marie (6) and Justin (18 months). The Soubirous family stayed in the Cachot until July 1858 when Father Peyramale rented the Lacade Mill for them.
Inside the Cachot
It was in the Cachot that the Soubirous family went through the most difficult and darkest days of their lives. For the purposes of survival, everyone in the family had to work. Francois became a day-laborer while his wife, Louise, worked as a cleaner and farm hand in order to earn a meager income. Bernadette, who was no longer attending school, helped to look after her brothers and sister. To supplement her parents' income, she collected rags, bones and scrap iron which she sold for a meager sum and helped out at her aunt's tavern. However, despite their hard work, the family income was barely sufficiently to make ends meet during those difficult times when famine was threatening the country. To make matters worse, Francois was accused of stealing two sacks of flour from the baker on 27 March 1857. He was arrested and imprisoned but was released 8 days later due to lack of evidence. According to the plaintiff, "it is his extreme poverty that makes me think that he could be the thief." Although Francois was released from prison, his public disgrace made it even more difficult for him to find work. In September 1857, Bernadette was sent to Bartres to work as a farm girl so that her family would have one less mouth to feed. However, hardship, loneliness, and homesickness made her persuade her parents to let her return to Lourdes. On 21 January 1858, she was glad to be reunited with her family in the Cachot (To find out more about Bernadette's life in Bartres, you may also like to read Bartrès and Bernadette).
And after darkness, came light. It was from the Cachot that Bernadette went, on 11th February 1858. to collect firewood at Massabielle with her sister, Antoinette, and their friend, Jeanne Abadie. That day, at the Grotto of Massabielle, she saw a Lady dressed in white with a blue belt and a yellow rose on each foot. From 11th February 1858 to 16th July 1858, the Lady appeared to her 18 times and these apparitions changed her life forever. Please read Bernadette Recounts Her Apparitions for the most authentic and vivid account of the apparitions told by Bernadette herself.
Throughout the years, the Cachot has been preserved in its original condition. Next to it is a room that has been been turned into a little museum where the memorabilia of Saint Bernadette and the apparitions are displayed. You can also see the gilt-covered wooden statue of the Virgin Mary from the old parish church in this room. Bernadette used to pray in front of this statue in the old parish church.
Memorabilia of Saint Bernadette and the apparitions in the room next to the Cachot
The room / little museum next to the Cachot
Today, the Cachot and the little museum next to it belong to the Sanctuary and are looked after by the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, the religious order of Saint Bernadette Soubirous. Admission is free
You may also like to read The Passion of Bernadette and The Message of Lourdes. To read more about Lourdes, please click here to view the content page of this blog. There is a complete list of my articles about Lourdes on this page.
References:
1. Lourdes & Bernadette by Antonio Bernardo. Publisher "il Calamo".
2. Discover Lourdes. MSM.
3. Lourdes by Antonio Bernardo. A. Doucet Publications - Lourdes.
4. Lourdes: In Bernadette's Footsteps by Father Joseph Bordes. MSM.
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