The Cachot The inside of the Cachot.

A prison cell until 1824, this room which is the most squalid of the whole house was given free of charge to the Soubirous family. They stayed there from winter 1857 to the autumn of 1858. It was from there that Bernadette went to the Grotto to meet the Virgin Mary on eighteen occasions.
At the time of Bernadette: "the room was dark and unhealthy. The furniture consisted of two rough beds to the right of the entrance and a single small trunk for the linen."
To day after the renovations during the winter of 95-96, one can see in all its bleakness this room of 3.72m by 4.40m. which served at the same time as a kitchen, dining room, bedroom and a place of prayer for six people.
This place reminds us that the Virgin Mary has chosen the poorest and the most ignorant to reveal to everyone that they have a special place in the sight of God. This paradox of Lourdes is nothing other than the paradox we see in the Gospels.
It is the property of the Sanctuary and visited by large crowds of pilgrims during the season. The Sisters of Charity of Nevers look after the building.