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Lourdes & Shrines of France - Faith - Based Travel (TB) - 2013

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11 days from Paris to Paris


 Lourdes & Shrines of France - Faith - Based Travel
Basilica of Sacre Coeur
Basilica of Sacre Coeur
Palace of the Popes
Lisieux
Carcassonne
Notre Dame Cathedral at Night
Palace of the Popes
Basilica of Sacre Coer
Avignon Palace of Popes
Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine

Vacation Overview

This wonderful vacation through Lourdes and the shrines of France starts in Paris with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and guided sightseeing featuring all the major sights. In Paris, also visit the Basilica of Sacre Coeur on Montmartre; Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Shrine, where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830; St. Vincent de Paul Shrine; and Notre Dame Cathedral, where the relics of the Passion of the Christ can be seen on the first Fridays of the month. Explore the life of St. Therese—known as “The Little Flower”—during an excursion to Lisieux, where you will visit Les Buissonnets, family home of St. Therese; St. Peter’s Cathedral, where her family attended Mass; and the Carmelite Convent, where she lived as a nun.

Back in Paris, board the high-speed TGV train to Lourdes, one of the world’s most famous places of pilgrimage. Visit the grotto where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858; Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine; and St. Bernadette’s birthplace and family home. You may wish to bathe in the healing waters, attend the “Blessing of the Sick,” or join the evening’s rosary and candlelight procession. A full day at leisure allows you to join an optional excursion to the nearby Pyrenees.

Admire medieval Carcassonne on your way to Avignon, where a walking tour features the Palace of the Popes, residence of the papacy in the 14th century. Stop in Paray-le-Monial to visit the Chapel of the Apparitions and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and arrive in Nevers. Here, visit St. Gildard, where St. Bernadette spent her life as a nun. In Chartres, visit the magnificent cathedral, one of Europe’s most celebrated shrines. Return to Paris for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant—a marvelous way to end this vacation through the shrines of France.


PARIS
Welcome and farewell dinners at a local restaurant; guided sightseeing, visit the Basilica of Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame Cathedral, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Shrine, and the St. Vincent de Paul Shrine

LISIEUX
Visit Les Buissonnets, family home of St. Therese; the basilica; St. Peter’s Cathedral; and the Carmelite Convent

PARIS-LOURDES
By high-speed TGV train

LOURDES
Guided walking tour, visit the grotto, the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, and St. Bernadette’s birthplace and family home; celebrate Mass

CARCASSONNE
Walk through the medieval town

AVIGNON
Walk to the Palace of the Popes

PARAY-LE-MONIAL
Visit the Chapel of the Apparitions and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart

NEVERS
Visit St. Gildard

CHARTRES
Visit the cathedral

Headsets throughout the tour

NOTES:

  • September 28 Departure starts on Saturday in Paris
  • September 28 Departure - Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux in Lisieux (October 1)


DAY 1Arrive in Paris, France

Welcome to Paris! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director, then enjoy this evening’s welcome dinner at a local restaurant with your traveling companions. (Dinner)

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DAY 2Paris

Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Champs-Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower. Visit the BASILICA OF SACRE COEUR on Montmartre Hill. Later, the architectural wonders of NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, where the relics of the Passion of the Christ can be seen on the first Fridays of the month. (Breakfast)

The Arc de Triomphe standing in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle The Eiffel Tower in Paris Basilica of Sacre Coeur 
Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral


Europe’s most famous cathedral, whose twin Gothic towers loom above France’s most beloved river, the Seine, actually owes a lot of its international success to the author Victor Hugo. Back in 1831, when Hugo wrote his classic novel about a hunchbacked bell-ringer at Notre Dame who falls in love with a beautiful gypsy, the medieval cathedral had fallen on hard times. During the Revolution in 1789, it had been seized, looted of its treasures and converted into an atheistic “Temple of Reason.” Even worse, after the monarchy was restored in 1815, Notre Dame was used as riverside warehouse – its once-splendid glass windows now dimmed and its facades decaying pathetically above the Île de la Cité. But Parisian’s indifference to their landmark ended suddenly in 1831, when Victor Hugo published his romantic novel the “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” (called “Notre-Dame de Paris” in French). The book was an international bestseller and lured armies of tourists to Paris in search of its Gothic cathedral setting. Hugo used this groundswell of public interest to lobby the French government for renovations of his beloved Notre Dame. From 1845 to 1864, repairs were indeed carried out – the clogged medieval streets nearby were cleared, revealing the marvelous edifice we see today.
Louvre

Louvre


Today, a thick pane of bullet-proof security glass keeps artlovers a safe distance from the most famous painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, Wife of Francesco Giacondo,” known in French as “La Joconde” and English as the “Mona Lisa.” But back in 1911, it was simply hung on the walls of the Musée du Louvre like any other canvas. That was until a former museum employee named Vincenzo Perrugia strolled into the gallery before opening hours on August 21, noticed the room was empty, took down the Mona Lisa and walked out of the Louvre with it under a painting smock. When the loss was finally noticed, the police were mystified. For two years, the whereabouts of the masterpiece was unknown, while French detectives made various wild guesses. (It had been stolen by the Germans. By anarchists. By evil geniuses. By lunatics.) They actually arrested the country’s top art critic, Guillame Apollinaire, then let him free. Then, out of the blue in 1913, an Italian art dealer in Florence was contacted by a man calling himself “Leonardo” who claimed to have the Mona Lisa and wanted to see it hang in the Uffizi, Italy’s top art museum. Although he found it hard to believe that the thief could be so reckless, the dealer tipped off the police and agreed to meet the strange Leonardo in a Milan hotel room. There, the nondescript fellow opened his suitcase, emptied out his socks and underwear, opened up a false bottom in the case to reveal the Mona Lisa – and was immediately arrested.
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DAY 3Paris

A special visit has been included to OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL SHRINE, where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830. Then, visit the ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SHRINE, where you can see the reliquary of the saint who has inspired thousands of charities and volunteers. (Breakfast)

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DAY 4Paris. Lisieux Excursion

Travel to Lisieux and visit LES BUISSONNETS, family home of St. Therese. Afterwards, visit the BASILICA. St. Therese was known as “The Little Flower” and for her charming autobiography The Story of a Soul. Next, visit ST. PETER’S CATHEDRAL, where her family attended Mass, and the CARMELITE CONVENT, where she lived as a nun. Return to Paris. (Breakfast)

[PHOTOS]
[STORIES]
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DAY 5Paris–Lourdes

Journey aboard the high-speed TGV TRAIN to Lourdes, one of the world’s most famous places of pilgrimage. Visit the GROTTO where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. Join this evening’s memorable rosary and candlelight procession, held every night. (Breakfast, Dinner)

[PHOTOS]
[STORIES]
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DAY 6Lourdes

Your walking tour with a Local Guide includes visits to OUR LADY OF LOURDES SHRINE and ST. BERNADETTE’S BIRTHPLACE and FAMILY HOME. You may wish to experience the powerful healing baths, attend the “Blessing of the Sick” or maybe Mass at the Crux Gloriosa Chapel. (Breakfast)

[PHOTOS]
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DAY 7At Leisure In Lourdes

Full day at leisure to further explore Lourdes on your own or join an optional excursion to the nearby Pyrenees. You can attend the International Mass held in St. Pius X Basilica (Breakfast)

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DAY 8Lourdes–Carcassonne–Avignon

First stop is Carcassonne, a medieval town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, continue to Avignon. Enjoy a walk to the Palace of the Popes, residence of the papacy in the 14th century. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Palace of the Popes Avignon Palace of Popes 
[STORIES]
The World Heritage List includes over 800 properties with cultural and/or natural heritage of global significance.

DAY 9Avignon–Paray-Le-Monial–Nevers

Arrive in Paray-le-Monial, home to the CHAPEL OF THE APPARITIONS and where Jesus revealed his Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Also visit the BASILICA OF THE SACRED HEART. Continue to Nevers. (Breakfast, Dinner)

[PHOTOS]
[STORIES]
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DAY 10Nevers–Chartres–Paris

Visit ST. GILDARD in Nevers, where St. Bernadette spent her life as a nun. See the beautiful and miraculously incorrupt body of St. Bernadette. Continue to Chartres and visit the CATHEDRAL, one of Europe’s most celebrated shrines and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return to Paris and enjoy this evening’s farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (Breakfast, Dinner)

[PHOTOS]
[STORIES]
The World Heritage List includes over 800 properties with cultural and/or natural heritage of global significance.

DAY 11Paris

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

[PHOTOS]
[STORIES]
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PARIS Le Méridien Etoile (SF) or Concorde La Fayette (SF)
LOURDES Grand Hotel Moderne (F)
AVIGNON Mercure Cité des Papes (F)
NEVERS Mercure Pont de Loire (F)

Full buffet breakfast; 5 three-course dinners, including special welcome and farewell dinners in Paris

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UNESCO World Heritage Sites


The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on the Lourdes & Shrines of France - Faith - Based Travel:

  • Chartres Cathedral
  • Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge
  • Historic fortified City of Carcassonne
  • Paris Banks of the Seine

 
 

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