Lourdes
・Fountain where Mary appeared many times
・Fortress on a rocky mountain
【City description】
There is a legend that the Virgin Mary appeared in this town 18 times and presented a miracle spring that cures the illness. So, it is the famous catholic pilgrimage spot and about 6 million people visit every year. The parade of candles takes place every night between April and October. We can see the Pyrenees Mountains from the station and find the beautiful town view from the castle on a rock.
【Overall rating】
★★★★☆
【Time required】
4h30
【Budget】
10.50 euros
【Fatigue】
★★★☆☆
【Map and access to Occitanie】
①Lourdes: The miraculous town where the Virgin Mary descended
②Toulouse: The central city famous as the pink town
③Albi: A huge cathedral and a medieval town
④Carcassonne: A popular medieval fortified city that is a World Heritage site
⑤Perpignan: A town where Catalan culture remains
⑥Montpellier: A city famous as an academic city since ancient times
Lourdes can be reached by train in approximately 2 hours from Toulouse.
Check here for area information around Lourdes ! !
【Contents】
★=Must-see spots
◎=Recommended spots
Itinerary Map
Navigation
【Start】①Lourdes Station
★Go to Gare Avenue in front of the station and go through a roundabout to go to Pau St. Go down the street with an elevator and stairs. At end, you arrive at Grotte Boulevard. It takes 15 minutes by walk.
②Parent’s House of Sainte-Bernadette★Continue to walk on the boulevard and enter the sanctuary area. It takes 10 minutes.
③Saint Pie X Basilic④Notre Dame of Rosaire Basilic
★Go to a path on the right of the basilic. It takes 5 minutes.
⑤Cave of Massabielle★Leave the area from the gate of Saint-Joseph and go to Bernadette Soubirous Avenue. Pass a bridge and go to Grotte St. turn left at a crossroad and turn left at the first crossroad. It takes 20 minutes by walk.
⑥Fortress Castle and Pyrenees Museum★Go to Baron Dupart St when you leave the castle. When you arrive at a square, go to Eglise St.
⑦Proissiale Church★Return to the square and turn right to go to Saint-Pierre St. When you arrive at a roundabout, turn right. It takes 15 minutes.
【Goal】Lourdes Station
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【Start】
①Lourdes Station
Gare de Lourdes
★Go to Gare Avenue in front of the station and go through a roundabout to go to Pau St. Go down the street with an elevator and stairs. At end, you arrive at Grotte Boulevard. It takes 15 minutes by walk.
②Parent’s House of Sainte-Bernadette◎
Maison Paternelle Sainte-Bernadette
Time required: 40 min
Admission fee: 2.50 euros
Opening hour: 9h30 am – 12h15 pm / 2h15 pm – 6h30 pm between April and October, February
Close: other months
This is a house on the corner of an intersection at the bottom of a hill. St. Bernadette was the person who encountered the Virgin Mary many times in this town and found a spring that cured her illness. Her house is now a museum, and you can see her life. If you go a little further down the narrow street next to the house, you will find the watermill where she was born.
★Continue to walk on the boulevard and enter the sanctuary area. It takes 10 minutes.
③Saint Pie X Basilic
Basilique Saint Pie X
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 8 am – 6 pm
Close: No
It’s a huge underground cathedral. The exterior of the building is covered with grass, so it’s hard to find. When you go down the stairs, you will find many chairs lined up in a wide open space. Its shape resembles the bottom of a ship, and it has a capacity of 25,000 people, making it the third largest capacity building in the world.
④Notre Dame of Rosaire Basilic★
Basilique Notre Dame du Rosaire
Time required: 40 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 8 am – 6 pm
Close: No
It is the largest Catholic pilgrimage site with beautiful symmetry. It consists of two parts: the Basilica of the Rosary, decorated with mosaic murals on the lower floor, and the Basilique de l’Immaculée-Conception, which is located at the top of a long slope. Although they all have different styles, their luxury overwhelms the viewer.
★Go to a path on the right of the basilic. It takes 5 minutes.
⑤Cave of Massabielle★
Grotte de Massabielle
Time required: 15 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
This is the spring that Bernadette found after hearing the message from the Virgin Mary. There is a legend that drinking this water can cure diseases. If you line up in line, you can touch the spring water. You can also drink from nearby drinking fountains.
★Leave the area from the gate of Saint-Joseph and go to Bernadette Soubirous Avenue. Pass a bridge and go to Grotte St. turn left at a crossroad and turn left at the first crossroad. It takes 20 minutes by walk.
⑥Fortress Castle and Pyrenees Museum★
Château Fort Musée Pyrénéen
Time required: 60 min
Admission fee: 8 euros
Opening hour: 10 am – 1 pm / 2 pm – 6 pm
(until 7 pm in summer)
Close: Monday, 1/1, 11/1, 11/11, 12/25
The fort is built on top of a rock wall and can be accessed by elevator. The view from above offers views of the town and sanctuary. The building is now a museum, where you can learn about the lives of the Pyrenean people.
★Go to Baron Dupart St when you leave the castle. When you arrive at a square, go to Eglise St.
⑦Proissiale Church
Église Proissiale
Time required: 15 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm
Close: No
This church was completed in 1936 and features a distinctive bell tower in the center. The chandelier with warm light and blue stained glass are impressive.
★Return to the square and turn right to go to Saint-Pierre St. When you arrive at a roundabout, turn right. It takes 15 minutes.
【Goal】
Lourdes Station
Useful Links for Travel
【Hotel Reservations】
ExpediaThere is a lot of great hotel deals listed, and you can read comments from people from all over the world. You can also book these together with your flight.
Hotels.comThere is also a lot of hotel information here. Another great thing is that many of them offer no cancellation fees.
This world-famous hotel booking site has a huge number of listings, so you can find the hotel you like. If you become a member and stay many times, you can get discounts and get even better deals.
【Flight Reservations】
ExpediaIt is a world-famous travel site. It is convenient because you can also purchase domestic air tickets.
【Attractions and Tours】
klookThis is a convenient site where you can book tickets and tours to tourist spots around the world. Be sure to check it out as they sometimes offer discounts.
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