Lourdes In France: 5 Things To Know About This Pilgrimage Site

Nestled at the foot of the Pyrenees, Lourdes has been a Catholic pilgrimage site since 1858. We invite you to explore this city that welcomes 6 million pilgrims and visitors from around the globe each year.

Lourdes has been welcoming pilgrims since 1858.

Lourdes is a city in France located in the historical region of Bigorre. It is situated in the Hautes-Pyrénées department and the Occitanie region, on the Gave de Pau river, southwest of Tarbes.

A place of pilgrimage since 1858, this small town at the foot of the Pyrenees welcomes over 6 million pilgrims and visitors from around the world each year. It is, in fact, the largest center of Catholic pilgrimage in France.

2- The city owes its fame to Bernadette Soubirous.

In 1858, a fourteen-year-old girl named Bernadette Soubirous claimed that the Virgin had appeared to her several times in the small Massabielle grotto, not far from Lourdes, on the banks of the Gave de Pau.

Locals began to gather at the grotto, which gradually took on the appearance of a chapel. In 1862, the "apparitions" were officially recognized by the Bishop of Tarbes. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, topped by a second church called the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, was built above the grotto. A part of the town was declared a "Marian city" by the Church.

Bernadette Soubirous, who had joined the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, died in 1879 and was canonized in 1933.

Today, Lourdes is one of the largest Catholic pilgrimages in the world and the most important in France. From December 8, 2007, to December 8, 2008, over 9 million pilgrims came to celebrate the "150th Anniversary of the Apparitions".

3- A route is dedicated to pilgrims.

In the city of Lourdes, several sites trace the life of Saint Bernadette. A pilgrimage route allows pilgrims to follow in the footsteps of Bernadette Soubirous while discovering the significant places in the city.

This route includes:
• The Sainte Bernadette Museum, which depicts the life of the saint, the Message of Lourdes, and the construction of the Sanctuaries.
• The Boly Mill, which is the birthplace of Saint Bernadette.
• The Cachot.
• The Parish Church.
• The Old Presbytery.
• The Hospice Sainte Bernadette.
• The Sanctuaries.

The Notre Dame de Lourdes Sanctuaries are open free of charge 24/7 throughout the year.
The heart of the sanctuary site is the Massabielle grotto and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, which is overshadowed by the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. It also includes the impressive Basilica of St. Pius X.

Lourdes offers other places to discover.

Even though Lourdes is known worldwide as a pilgrimage site, this city nestled in the heart of the Pyrenees has other facets.

Visitors can also discover:
• The Lourdes Castle, a Historic Monument. This monument houses the Pyrenean Museum, labeled Museum of France. It has served as the residence of the Count of Bigorre, a medieval fortress, a royal prison, and a garrison.
• The old Lourdes between Rue Saint-Pierre and the castle.
• The Garnavie tower, which is the last remnant of the fortifications dating from the 14th century.
• The Nativity Museum with its animated nativity scenes.
• The Lourdes Museum recounting the history of the city from 1858 to the present day.
• The Wax Museum.
• The Petit Lourdes Museum.

The Pic du Jer, recognizable by its large cross illuminated at night, offers a magnificent panorama over Lourdes, Tarbes, Pau, the Argelès Gazost valley, and the Pyrenean peaks. It is accessible by a funicular that takes visitors directly to the summit, at over 900 meters above sea level, in just a few minutes.

The city aims to diversify.

After experiencing an 80% drop in attendance in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic, the world's third-largest Catholic pilgrimage site has welcomed back its pilgrims.

However, the Covid crisis has prompted the city of Lourdes to diversify its tourist offerings. Now, this city in the Hautes-Pyrénées is also focusing on sports, nature, and cycling to attract visitors.

Not only will the Tour de France cycling race pass through the city this summer, but it will also host the International Women's Tour of the Pyrenees and the Gran Fondo New York Lourdes-Tourmalet cycling event. This will help solidify its reputation as a premier cycling tourism destination in the Pyrenees! The city will also see the Olympic flame pass through on May 19, 2024, and the Paralympic flame on August 25.

In terms of urban development, this destination is undergoing a facelift. The city center squares have been renovated and pedestrianized, and the facades are being refurbished. In terms of tourism, this destination has adopted the slogan "Lourdes, Heart of the Pyrenees" to change its outdated image and overemphasis on religious tourism.