Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Our travel experts at Joe Walsh Tours are here to support you and your group every step of this special journey. Our pilgrimage to Lourdes tours are coordinated by our experienced team of representatives in Lourdes, led by experts Fionnuala Brua and Caroline Trainor.
Pilgrims can choose from short breaks to week-long pilgrimages, with weekly departures from the UK from February to October. Our Lourdes tours include a detailed religious programme led by a Spiritual Director and accommodation in some of the best hotels in Lourdes, adapted to host people with reduced mobility in comfort.
We also offer travel packages combining your pilgrimage to Lourdes with a few days relaxing by the coast, in the elegant seaside town of Biarritz or the city of San Sebastian; as well as our Great Pilgrimages of Europe escorted tours visiting the continent’s greatest shrines such as Lourdes, Santiago de Compostela and Fatima.
See all departures below and join our upcoming trips. For additional information about pilgrimage to Lourdes tours or to book your place, please contact our Pilgrimage travel specialists.
THE STORY OF BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS
Pilgrims visit Lourdes for its curative powers and to bathe in what is known as ‘Bernadette’s Spring’; today Lourdes is a place of hope for those in need of healing and peace.
It is here where Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to 14-year old Bernadette Soubirous back in 1858, instructing her to dig in the ground until a puddle of water appeared; a puddle that would later become a pool and a sacred spring.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, with its sacred grotto and two Basilicas, includes 22 places of worship and numerous facilities for pilgrims and the sick, as well as Bernadette’s spring.
Initially, the site was a regional pilgrimage destination but since 1873, Lourdes’ therapeutic reputation began to grow across France and internationally, when healings and miracles were reported.
THINGS TO DO ON A PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES
There are many wonderful things to do and see in Lourdes, these are our top suggestions:
- Say a prayer at the Grotto
- Take part in the captivating candlelit evening procession
- Visit the village where Saint Bernadette was born
- Admire the natural beauty of the Pyrenees and Lourdes Lake
- Walk the peaceful Chemin de Croix
- Taste the local delicacies at Lourdes Halles food market
Find more travel inspiration, read our latest articles about the Pilgrimage to Lourdes on our PILGRIMAGES TRAVEL BLOG.
OUR HOTELS IN LOURDES
The Joe Walsh Tours team works with some of the best hotels in Lourdes and our tours include a choice of accommodation options in 3-star and 4-star hotels.
Most of our hotels are wheelchair accessible and adapted to host pilgrims with reduced mobility.
GRAND HOTEL GALLIA & LONDRES
The elegant Grand Hotel Gallia & Londres is renowned for its cuisine served in exquisite surroundings. This charming Belle Epoque style hotel was built in the 19th century by Bernadette’s niece.
This magnificent historic hotel is owned and managed by the Vinuales family, the same owners as the Hotel Solitude, and offers the highest standards of service.
LOURDES TRAVEL PACKAGES
Our classic Pilgrimage to Lourdes travel packages include:
- Direct return flights from the UK to Lourdes
- Airport transfers in Lourdes
- Full support from our knowledgeable local guides and representatives in Lourdes
- Hotel accommodation in our selected properties
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- A detailed programme of religious ceremonies, events and special masses led by the tour’s spiritual director
- Guided tours and visits
- Social evenings
- Day trips such as Saint Bernadette’s Village, Cirque de Garvanie, the Basque Country, Pont d’Espagne and the Shrine of Betharram in Pau.
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