Pilgrimage to France and Lourdes, Paris, & Mont St. Michel
France Pilgrimage – Best Shrines of France Tour explores some of the country’s most significant shrines, churches, basilicas, and religious monuments. Beginning in Lourdes, the renowned shrine famed for physical and spiritual healing, this pilgrimage allows ample time for prayer at the Grotto, where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette under the designation of “the Immaculate Conception” in 1858, as well as for bathing in the Miraculous Water if available. We will also visit the Boly Mill and the Cachot, the prison where Bernadette’s family once resided, and we may take part in the nightly Candlelight Processions. In Toulouse, we will tour the Eglise des Jacobins, where St. Thomas Aquinas is buried, before proceeding to the clifftop shrine of Rocamadour, home to an early Christian hermit named Zaccheus, the tax collector of Jericho. He came to the region known as Gaul with St. Veronica and St. Mary Magdalen to spread the good news. Here, we will attend Mass and visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Rocamadour, which houses a miraculous Virgin Mary statue and St. Zaccheus’s tomb. In Paray-le-Monial, we will explore the Chapel of the Visitation, where Jesus revealed His Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. In Nevers, we will visit the convent where St. Bernadette lived until she died in 1879 and see her incorrupt body, which is miraculously preserved.
As you pilgrimage to France, you will visit le Mont St. Michel, built on the site where St. Michael the Archangel appeared three times. Originally founded as a sanctuary and consecrated in 709, it is now classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and it is said to be the most photographed monument in all of France. It is in Lisieux that the Very Best Shrines of France Pilgrimage Tour will visit the Shrine dedicated to St. Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Often referred to as “the Little Flower,” St. Therese showed us how to become a saint by “doing small things with great love.” We will visit the Basilica dedicated to the Saint Pope Pius X called “the greatest saint of modern times.” We will visit “the Carmel,” the Convent where she lived, “Les Buissonets,” her family home, and the Ancient Cathedral of St. Peter. In Paris, we will celebrate Mass at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, where the incorrupt body of St. Catherine Laboure and the incorrupt heart of St. Vincent de Paul are located. We will also visit the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul nearby, which houses a magnificent reliquary with his remains. Her guardian angel led her to the chapel where the Blessed Virgin revealed the miraculous medal and the green scapular. The France Pilgrimage Tour would not be complete without a panoramic sightseeing tour of the City of Lights to see the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, L’Arc de Triomphe, and Champs Elysees. Why don’t you make your Pilgrimage to France by booking a France Pilgrimage – Best Shrines of France for 2025 or 2026 today?
Upon your arrival in Europe, you will connect to your flight to Toulouse, Pau, or Lourdes airport. After landing, you will collect your luggage and exit the baggage claim into the arrivals hall, where a tour guide and/or driver will greet you. You will be escorted to the vehicle, which will take you on a scenic drive to Lourdes. Once you arrive, you will check in to your hotel and have time to relax or explore before dinner. After dinner, you may choose to take part in the candlelight procession before settling in for the night.
During the next two days in Lourdes, you will have time to pray with fellow pilgrims from around the world. Throughout your pilgrimage tour, you will have the chance to attend Mass at the Grotto, watch a video presentation that tells the story of Lourdes, and walk in the footsteps of St. Bernadette. Visit Boly Mill, where St. Bernadette was born, and the “Cachot,” an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverished family lived. Unite your prayers with those of pilgrims from across the globe as you pray for the sick, drink from the miraculous spring, or immerse yourself in the healing baths if available. Experience Christ’s love as you journey along the life-sized Stations of the Cross overlooking the holy Grotto. Kneel in the chapel built on the very rock of the Grotto, in obedience to the request of the “Immaculate Conception.” Evenings are free for an optional Blessed Sacrament Procession before dinner. Your role in the universal Church will take on new meaning as you participate in the candlelight procession and group rosary.
After an early breakfast, we head to Toulouse. Once an important Roman colony, Toulouse is filled with religious and historical treasures. The Basilica of St. Sernin is one of the finest Romanesque churches in France. St. Thomas Aquinas is buried in the Eglise des Jacobins in Toulouse. The city is also proud to host 20 historical pipe organs, more than any other city in France. After our tour, we will continue on to Rocamadour, situated atop a rocky plateau overlooking the Alzou Valley. Rocamadour was home to an early Christian hermit named Zaccheus of Jericho. He died in 70 A.D. and conversed with Jesus himself. Zaccheus was the husband of St. Veronica, who wiped the face of Jesus as he climbed to Calvary. Once we arrive, we will visit one of its most significant sites: the Shrine of Our Lady of Rocamadour, a complex of religious structures centered around a miraculous Virgin Mary statue and an ancient saint’s tomb. We will enjoy a lovely dinner before returning to our hotel.
After an early breakfast, we will start our journey to Paray-le-Monial, where we will visit the 
After an early breakfast, we make our way to Lisieux, where we will enjoy a tour of the home of St. Therese, whom Pope Pius X called “the greatest saint of modern times.” Her extraordinary love for God and service to humanity comes alive as you visit the Basilica of Saint Therese, one of the largest and most magnificent religious structures built in the 20th century. While in Lisieux, we will celebrate Mass. We will stop at Les Buissonets, St. Therese’s family home, where relics, clothing, and personal objects belonging to the “little flower” are displayed. Before leaving, we will tour the ancient 
