Welcome to France!  Upon arrival at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport,  proceed through Immigration, Customs, and the Arrivals Hall where outside of the hall, you will be greeted by our local Trinity Tours Travel guide and driver. Travel by bus to Lourdes, where our pilgrimage begins (2 hours).  Beautifully nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains stands the splendor of Lourdes, the birthplace of

St. Bernadette Soubirous, to whom The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in 1858 near the remote grotto of Massabielle.  Identifying herself as the “Immaculate Conception”, Our Lady appeared to 14-year-old Bernadette 18 times, and the majestic basilica here has become one of the world's leading Marian shrines.  Free time and Candlelight Procession this evening prior to dinner (as arrival time and schedule permits.)

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Lourdes, France.

After breakfast at the hotel, we embark on a full day exploring the spiritual and historic birthplace of the visionary child, Bernadette Soubirous.  Our first stop is the Grotto of Apparitions, where St. Bernadette experienced her initial encounters with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Despite her limited understanding of the Catholic faith, Bernadette's sincerity and innocence led her parish priest to believe in the authenticity of these divine visits. During one of the 18 apparitions, Our Lady instructed Bernadette to dig at a specific spot in the ground, where a spring miraculously emerged. From this spring flowed water that soon became associated with extraordinary healings, and to this day gallons of water continue to surge from the same source - offering pilgrims the opportunity to bathe in its healing waters at a nearby bath center. We continue our day with a walking tour which includes visits to the Basilica of St. Pius X, the Boly Mill (where Bernadette was born and her father worked), the Soubirous family home, and the stunning Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. Time permitting, a visit to Le Cachot (the prison dungeon where the Soubirous family was obliged to live) is highly encouraged.. Before dinner, we join fellow pilgrims in the Evening Rosary and Candlelight Procession.

Dinner & overnight in Lourdes.

Following an early breakfast at the hotel, we enjoy a panoramic drive through the heart and historic center of Toulouse, affectionately called “La Ville Rose” – the Pink City (2 hours). While in this city known for its distinctive terracotta brick architecture, we visit the 11th century Basilica of Saint-Sernin, one of the largest Romanesque churches in Europe and an important stop on the Camino of Santiago. We continue to the charming medieval town of Cahors, where we see the breathtaking 14th century Valentre Bridge (UNESCO listed) and walk the historic quarter to visit Cahors Cathedral: Saint-Etienne, dedicated to St. Stephen (1.5 hours).  Lunch on your own prior to our departure to the remarkable Rocamadour (one hour).  One of the most visually striking and spiritually moving destinations in France, Rocamadour is perched dramatically on the side of a limestone cliff and has inspired pilgrims since the Middle Ages.  Our visit centers on the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a revered site where the faithful venerate the Black Madonna of Rocamadour, a mysterious and miraculous wooden statue said to have been carved by St. Amadour himself.  We visit the Stations of the Cross, thoughtfully placed along the pathway up the cliffside.  This sacred village has long been associated with miracles, conversions, and healings.

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Brive-la_Gaillarde.

Following an early breakfast and check-out at the hotel, we travel to central France to the peaceful town of Nevers with lunch on your own and stops along the way (7 hours).  We visit the Convent of St. Gildard where St. Bernadette joined the Sisters of Charity following the apparitions. After her death at age 35 (1879) from tuberculosis, the saint was buried here having never returned to Lourdes and instead, devoting the rest of her life to prayer and service.  Here, St. Bernadette’s incorrupt body rests in a glass reliquary for veneration. She was canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI.  Mass is celebrated here this day.

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Nevers.

Picture from: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

After breakfast and check-out at the hotel, we depart to Paris, the City of Lights

(3 hours). Our full day begins with a visit to the magnificent Sacre Coeur on the summit of Montmartre.  Known as the site where St. Denis, first bishop of Paris, was martyred in the 3rd century, Montmartre means “Mount of Martyrs”. The 2nd most visited destination in Paris, the splendid Sacre Coeur Basilica has maintained uninterrupted Perpetual Adoration since  August 1, 1885, including during major events like the bombings of 1944 and throughout the Covid pandemic. Mass will be celebrated here this day with lunch on your own and a free afternoon for exploring.

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Paris

After breakfast at the hotel, a full day of sightseeing in Paris: Our day starts with a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral, which dates to the 12th century and is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the world. We visit The Sainte Chappelle, commissioned by King Louis XIV to house the most prestigious relics of Christ's Passion - The Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the True Cross. We journey to the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal on Rue de Bac, where Mass is celebrated (pending confirmation). Built in 1813, this Marian Shrine is the site of the 1830 apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to 24-year-old

St. Catherine Labouré, a novice of the Daughters of Charity. During these apparitions, Our Lady revealed the design and spiritual significance of what would become known as the Miraculous Medal, promising graces to those who wear it with faith. The medal quickly became a source of comfort and healing, especially during the Cholera Epidemic of 1832, when those who wore it were reported to be miraculously spared.  St. Catherine also experienced visions of St. Vincent de Paul at the chapel, in which he revealed his heart in three symbolic colors: white for peace, red for zeal and charity, and black as a sign of coming suffering in Paris. She was later granted a mystical vision of Christ in the Eucharist, appearing as a crucified king stripped of all earthly glory. Pilgrims today can venerate her incorrupt body displayed behind glass, visit the glass tomb of St. Louise de Marillac, co-founder of the Daughters of Charity, and see the reliquary which contains the incorrupt heart of St. Vincent de Paul.

Dinner & overnight in Paris.

Following an early breakfast and check-out, we depart Paris for Chartres (2 hours).      

Our day begins at the UNESCO World Heritage site and masterpiece of The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres.  Completed in the 13th century, the cathedral is an exquisite example of French Gothic architecture – her stained-glass windows and embedded floor labyrinth being among the best preserved in Europe. The crypt, considered to  be one of the most sacred places in France,  contains what is believed to be the Sacred Veil worn by The Blessed Virgin Mary during the Annunciation. This holy relic has drawn countless faithful over a millennium. Mass is celebrated here this day.  Lunch nearby on your own prior to departure to Mont Saint-Michel (3.5 hours).  Free time upon arrival as schedule permits.

Check-in, dinner & overnight on Mont Saint Michel.

Picture source: DOMINIC ARIZONA BONUCCELLI Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres

Following breakfast, we explore the extraordinary Mont-Saint-Michel. This tidal island, located off the northwestern coast of Normandy, is one of the earliest places inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its rich heritage and dramatic natural setting. Our visit centers around the majestic Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey. To reach the abbey, our group will first be dropped off by bus approximately 1.5 miles from the shuttle point. A shuttle will then take us to within 270 yards of the island entrance. From there, we continue on foot along the cobblestone streets through the medieval village, covering about 250 more yards to reach the base of the climb. PLEASE NOTE: The ascent to the abbey involves climbing 350 steps known as the “Grand Degré,” beginning near the parish church. There is no elevator access, so this day requires a good degree of mobility and a high degree of physical fitness. However, the effort is rewarded with both breathtaking views and a profound spiritual experience. Mont-Saint-Michel's religious significance dates to the year 708, when St. Michael the Archangel appeared to Bishop Aubert of Avranches in a vision, instructing him to build a sanctuary on the rocky mount. After two additional apparitions, the bishop carried out the heavenly command, and a chapel was built in honor of St. Michael. Nearly 300 years later, Benedictine monks settled on the island and began organizing the structures into a formal monastery to welcome pilgrims. The monks offered hospitality and spiritual formation to those who came seeking prayer and penance. Over the centuries, the abbey has endured wars, destruction, and secularization—particularly during the French Revolution, when it was converted into a prison. In the 20th century, efforts were made to restore the sacred character of the site. Today, the Monastic Fraternity of Jerusalem resides at Mont-Saint-Michel, carrying on the tradition of prayer and community life. Lunch on your own with Mass time to be confirmed. Free time to explore the charming village below, with its narrow lanes, stone houses, cafés, and local shops. Mont-Saint-Michel is also famed for its

dramatic tides, which can advance with astonishing speed, tide that “comes in with the speed of a galloping horse”!

Dinner & overnight in Lisieux.

A very early breakfast at the hotel before a special day following in the footsteps of St. Therese and of St. Joan of Arc. Our day begins visiting  key sites in the life of The Little Flower, Therese of Lisieux.  Born in 1873, she is known as the patron saint of those suffering with terminal illness, orphaned children and the homeless.  Having overcome various obstacles, St. Therese joined her older sisters in the cloistered Carmelite Community of Lisieux at age 15. This day we visit: Les Buissonnets (her childhood home), The Basilica of St. Therese of Lisieux (where Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, and their daughter, St. Therese, are buried), Carmel of Lisieux (the monastery where St. Therese lived as a Carmelite nun until her death in 1897), and the 12th century Cathedral of St. Pierre de Lisieux (where the young Therese often attended Mass before entering religious life. After lunch, we then journey to the historic city of Rouen, located along the River Seine in the Normandy region of France (one hour). Once one of the most prominent cities in medieval Europe, Rouen played a pivotal role in the life and martyrdom of St. Joan of Arc.  At just 19 years old, Joan of Arc was imprisoned, tried, and condemned to death in Rouen. On May 30, 1431, she was burned at the stake in the Old Market Square, after being accused of heresy and witchcraft by a politically motivated tribunal under English control. Her only "crime" was her steadfast faith, devotion to God, and loyalty to the rightful king of France, Charles VII, whom she had helped to crown in Reims after a series of divinely inspired military victories. Her trial and execution took place in a city caught in the bitter strife of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. Our tour includes the historic city center, the Abbey of Saint-Ouen, and the Old Market Place where Joan was martyred. We also visit the Joan of Arc Historical Exhibition, which uses multimedia displays and documents to retrace the events of her trial and legacy.  We continue to the Church of St. Joan of Arc. This modern church was completed in 1979 and is located on the exact spot of her execution. Its dramatic roofline, resembling flames, symbolizes the fire that ended her earthly life but ignited a legacy of holiness and courage that continues to inspire the Church.  We visit the Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Rouen, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Inside, we find a chapel dedicated to St. Joan of Arc, a reminder of her vindication and canonization. Though condemned in her lifetime, the Church formally declared her innocent in 1456, and she was canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV, becoming one of the patron saints of France and a symbol of courage, purity, and divine mission. Return to Lisieux this evening.

Dinner & overnight in Lisieux.

Breakfast at the hotel followed by a free morning of prayer and reflection in Lisieux. This afternoon, we depart to Paris to check into our hotel near the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris (2.5 hours).  Leisure afternoon.

Dinner & overnight in Paris.

Our final breakfast at the hotel prior to our departure to Charles de Gaulle Airport for return flight to the US.  We carry home the grace of Our Lady and the strengths of her saints from this sacred pilgrimage. Vive la France!

A note from Trinity Tour Travels:

We are honored to have you travel with us and appreciate your trust in

Trinity Tour Travels for your pilgrimage! Though every effort will sincerely be made to follow the above itinerary, it should be considered as a template of the journey rather than a “contract” of sites to be visited. There are times when local religious or national holidays, weather, traffic challenges, etc., may cause us to make changes in our schedule. This MAY result in a change in the sequence of sites visited or, on rare occasions, the missing of some certain site visits entirely.

As with all in life, we encourage the acceptance of possible change with a cheerful heart; after all, it is sometimes the unexpected that often makes the most beautiful memories! Enjoy your trip to the fullest and relish every moment!