After our arrival at Charles de Gaulle Airport we are met by our guide.
Check-in at the hotel.

Overnight in Paris.

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, we enjoy a panoramic tour of Paris to see famous landmarks as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysées, Notre-Dame Cathedral and so on.

In the afternoon we go to Montmartre, the mount upon which the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Sacré-Coeur) presides over the city. We visit also the Miraculous Medal Chapel in Rue de Bac, where Our Lady appeared to St Catherine Labouré and mass here.

Overnight in Paris.

After breakfast, we transfer to Montparnasse Station to take the express train to Lourdes, observing the beautiful countryside as we cross France from the country’s centre to the south.

On arrival in Lourdes we check into our hotel, which is near the sanctuary, and then have Mass.
In the evening we have an opportunity to take part in the candlelight procession through the sanctuary. We can do so again tomorrow night.

Overnight in Lourdes.

Today is our Lourdes day: we have a guided tour of the sanctuary as well as sites connected to St Bernadette, such as Boly Mill (where she was born), the Cachot (the converted jail where her family lived) and so on.

In the afternoon we do the magnificent Stations of the Cross, and have ample time at leisure to explore the sanctuary.
Overnight in Lourdes.

After breakfast we leave Lourdes to visit to Carcassone, a hilltop town which is famous for its medieval citadel and its ancient cathedral.

We then drive on to Avignon.

Overnight in Avignon.

After breakfast, we have an expertly guided tour of the papal palaces in Avignon.
The popes resided there from 1309-77.

We then proceed to Aix-en-Provence, known as the “city of the fountains”, it is a lovely place to experience authentic French life.

We visit Aix’s Cathedral of St Saviour, a Romanesque/Gothic church built on the site of an ancient Greek temple to Apollo. We’ll also see the town hall (known locally as the Hotel de Ville), which dates to the 14th century and sits on a charming old plaza.

We’ll have time to enjoy a walk along the Cours Mirabeau, a busy thoroughfare lined with plane trees and abounding with markets and cafés—perfect for people watching!

Overnight in Aix-en-Provence.

Breakfast at the hotel. We have still time to enjoy the Provencal atmosphere before leaving Aix for Marseilles, the oldest city in France!

Marseille is rich in sacred places, religious sights and buildings. Most of them represent Roman-Byzantine style and wouldn’t leave us indifferent!

Overnight in Marseilles.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Today we see Marseilles’ historic port. The natural inlet where the ancient Greeks landed, today is the most important meeting place in Marseille, full of life and people, as well as fishing boats that dock in the morning and yachts arriving from all over the world.

We will visit the Cathedral of St Mary Major at the port, the ancient Abbey of St Victor, one of the oldest places of Christian worship in Europe whose roots go back to the 5th century, Le Panier one of the most famous and oldest districts of the French town and the beautiful Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica which overlooks the city.

In the afternoon, we make our way to Marseilles’ airport to begin our journey home.

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