Notre-Dame de la Galline, Marseille

Take the 7km walk to the small chapel of Notre-Dame de la Nerthe, re-named Notre-Dame de la Galline from the Provençal word for "hen". The Chemin de la Nerthe, set amid an enchanting pine grove at the foot of the hill, leads you up to a captivating view of Marseilles' roadways and islands. The chapel is still a site of pilgrimage where, on 8th September, worshippers come to venerate the Madone à la poule - a sculpture of the Virgin and Child belonging to the 14th Century, depicting the baby Jesus sitting on Mary's lap and carrying a white hen. Built in the 11th century, the chapel was restored in 1985 and houses a collection of thanksgiving offerings going back to the 17th Century.

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