Lourdes vacation to Europe

Since I was a kid, I have heard several people mention the name of Lourdes (pronounced Lourdz). I knew practically nothing about it apart from hearing that it was a very religious place. That impression changed drastically after visiting Lourdes, France during my family vacation to Europe. The visit was part of swing through Europe with stops in Paris and London. My vacation to Europe was a tremendous success as it gave me an opportunity to farmilarize myself with many of the products that I am selling.

Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is located in the Southwestern end of France or 497 miles south of Paris and is very close to the Spanish boarder. There are several ways of getting there during a vacation to Europe. You can get there by rail, car or get an airline ticket for the local airport. The nearest airport was approximately 20 minutes from the town center for persons who wish to get there by air. I choose to travel by rail during my visit as it was inexpensive and it gave me the opportunity to see the French countryside. It was very picturesque and was littered with numerous huge farms of sunflowers, corn, and vegetables among other crops. The sunflower farms were extremely beautiful with acres of yellow and green.

The population is in the region of 15,000 but that number swells drastically due to the large influx of tourists and pilgrims throughout the year. It is estimated that a total of 5 million visitors travel to Lourdes annually. The best time to go on vacation is from March to October as the rest of the year is rather cold.

Interestingly Lourdes has 2 sections which vastly differ from each other. The international section by the river consists of the spiritual area containing the grotto and churches. The second area is the French portion centered around the marketplace and the Hotel de Ville.

On arrival at the train station several taxis were available for the transfer to my hotel. I was fortunate to have booked a hotel within walking distance from the grotto and was able to walk there without any difficulty. It is important to get a hotel near the grotto if you are physically challenged as there is a small hill from the train station to the grotto. Please note that the town is friendly to walkers and it is easy to get around the town center. I observed that numerous hotels were available to visitors. It is estimated that Lourdes has about 270 hotels and is second only to Paris in hotel density per square mile.

It is famous for the apparitions of our lady of Lourdes that occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Salubrious. Since, it has developed into a major place for Roman Catholic pilgrimages and miraculous healing. Bernadette saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in the hollow of a rock. No one saw the vision although other people were present with her during some of the lady’s appearance. One day she was told to drink water from a mysterious spring in the grotto area. At the time there was no sign or existence of a spring but to everyone amazement water gushed out after she dug a hole in the ground.

Lourdes is the largest Catholic pilgrimage destination in France and one of the most popular catholic shrines in the world. The sacred grotto and site of the spring that Bernadette discovered, is now one of the major pilgrimage sites in Lourdes, as millions come to drink its waters, which are believed to have healing powers. A statue of the Virgin Mary was erected in the grotto in 1864, where it can still be seen today.

I attended the evening procession which takes place every day from 5:00 pm. The procession began in the grotto with the sick and disabled at the front followed by several different groups and ends in the underground Basilica. The Basilica of St. Pius was constructed almost entirely underground. It is a sight to behold because it is a unique type of architecture and was built to accommodate the large crowds that visit the shrine. The sanctuary is situated on a raised platform and the ceiling is low and is supported by pre-stressed concrete pillars which meet 29 concrete beams which cross the ceiling, giving it the impression of an upside down ship. This design creates a very large open space for maximum visibility from any part of the nave. When full it can accommodate up to 25,000 worshippers.

It is understood that international masses are held in 6 languages including English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Dutch. The masses are held simultaneously on Sunday mornings and the choir is open to anyone who arrives early. You can rehearse with the choir and sing with people of all 6 languages. You also have an excellent view of the mass from the choir.

There are nightly candle light processions in front of the Basilica and around the main square. People sing and pray the rosary in many languages. The procession of the sick to the underground basilica each afternoon is particular moving.

I was not only captivated by the beautiful and unique structures but experienced the presence of holiness. During my stay I felt at peace with myself and my God and bathed in the spirit. I would recommend a visit to Lourdes during a vacation to Europe because it is a spiritual experience more than words can ever describe.