Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Surrounded by beautiful landscapes at the foothills of the Pyrenees, the French town of Lourdes welcomes thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. With over five million people going on pilgrimage to Lourdes each year, it is the most visited pilgrimage site in the Christian world.

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 Ireland and 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.

Pilgrimage to Lourdes sanctuary religious studies Joe Walsh Tours Pilgrimages Our Lady Statue pilgrimage to Lourdes grotto Joe Walsh Tours Pilgrimages candles Lourdes sanctuary Joe Walsh Tours Pilgrimages travel Candles procession Lourdes Pilgrimage Joe Walsh Tours Pilgrimages travel Lourdes Team Joe Walsh Tours Caroline and Fionnuala

Tours & Departures

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.

Our Lady Statue pilgrimage to Lourdes grotto Joe Walsh Tours Pilgrimages

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.

Candles procession Lourdes Pilgrimage Joe Walsh Tours Pilgrimages travel

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.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR HOTELS IN LOURDES

Room with a view hotel Gallia Lourdes hotels Joe Walsh Tours Pilgrimages

LOURDES TRAVEL PACKAGES

Our classic Pilgrimage to Lourdes travel packages include:

  • Direct return flights from Ireland and 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.
prayer Grotto Lourdes pilgrimage France Joe Walsh Tours travel

OUR TEAM IN LOURDES

Our team in Lourdes is led by experts Fionnuala Brua and Caroline Trainor.

Lourdes Team Joe Walsh Tours Caroline and Fionnuala

Contact Us

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