Lourdes Pilgrimage & Holiday

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Lourdes Pilgrimage & Holiday Join the Diocesan Pilgrimage as part of a longer break (great for families!

2015 Perhaps you may like to consider joining in with this, but would rather have the freedom of enjoying it as part of a longer holiday, with considerable cost savings too!

Clearly there are many ways that this holiday/pilgrimage can be done but these are some of our suggestions.

co.uk Travel to France Portsmouth to Caan with Brittany Ferries. www.brittany-ferries.co.uk The approx cost for a car and family (depending when you travel) c. 360 return.

1 Lourdes Pilgrimage & Holiday Join the Diocesan Pilgrimage as part of a longer break (great for families!) Our Diocesan Pilgrimage with the Catholic Association travels from 21-28th Aug Perhaps you may like to consider joining in with this, but would rather have the freedom of enjoying it as part of a longer holiday, with considerable cost savings too! Fr. Peter Codd does this ever year and would like to share his top tips and suggestions for doing just that. Clearly there are many ways that this holiday/pilgrimage can be done but these are some of our suggestions. He is more than happy to talk to anyone interested in finding out more after reading this leaflet. Fr. Peter can be contacted on or pcodd@sacredhearthook.co.uk Travel to France Portsmouth to Caan with Brittany Ferries. The approx cost for a car and family (depending when you travel) c. 360 return. Driving down through France toward Lourdes:Whatever route you take down the west coast of France, please be aware of toll roads. The whole journey is possible without using them, but this will take a little more time, but will keep costs down. Fr Peter s route suggestions:to go from Caan to Lourdes (via the A10) and pay tolls takes approx. 7.5 hours (c. 530 miles). To go from Caan to Lourdes (via the N10) and avoid tolls takes approx hours. (c. 560 miles)

Stop - overs to break the long drive:- Many places are available en route to stop over and break the journey. You could stay in a campsite or even a Premier Class inn (like a travel lodge). www.

com Other stop over points or places of interest: Lisieux. Chartres. Bordeaux. Nevers (where St Bernadette is laid to rest) Where to camp in Lourdes? www.campsite-lourdes.campingdelaforet.fr/index.

2 Stop - overs to break the long drive:- Many places are available en route to stop over and break the journey. You could stay in a campsite or even a Premier Class inn (like a travel lodge). Fr Peter s top tips! Stop over at Poitiers which is more or less half way between Caan and Lourdes. Their tourism website is very helpful:- Other stop over points or places of interest: Lisieux. Chartres. Bordeaux. Nevers (where St Bernadette is laid to rest) Where to camp in Lourdes? You can hire a tent pitch or a chalet / mobile home. The site has great facilities and an easy to use website! For an example of cost, a chalet for a family of 2-6 costs c 250 a week. A tent pitch for 4 people with electricity supply per night is c. 24. This means you can use a cool box or fridge on site. Recreational and other activities for families:- There is a lot to see in Lourdes, aside from joining with Pilgrimage activities. The Pilgrimage diary itself is very full (from Saturday to Friday), but families may want to spend some time in recreation too, especially if you spend more time in Lourdes than the Pilgrimage week. And there is something for everyone! See the Lourdes tourism website for more details: Fr. Peter s top tips! The Land Train to see the town You can get on and off and see the historical sites on route. It leaves from just outside St Joseph s Gate of the Lourdes Sanctuary. 2

Lac de Lourdes A glacial lake 3 km from the town centre (towards Pau via Soumoulou). You can go walking or mountain biking, fish and play golf (18 holes).

Château Fort de Lourdes This thousand-year-old fortress, which has never been conquered, is a listed historical monument and a museum of France.

Within its walls there is also a botanical garden at the foot of the 14th-century keep, and the Pyrenean Museum.

Musée Sainte-Bernadette A few metres from the Sanctuaries, this museum tells the story of the Saint s life, the Message of Lourdes and the construction of the Sanctuaries, in particular

3 Lac de Lourdes A glacial lake 3 km from the town centre (towards Pau via Soumoulou). You can go walking or mountain biking, fish and play golf (18 holes). It is in a natural environment, with a restaurant, an adventure playground for children, pedalos and a picnic area are at your disposal. Château Fort de Lourdes This thousand-year-old fortress, which has never been conquered, is a listed historical monument and a museum of France. This site offers exceptional views of the city, the Sanctuaries and the Pyrenees. Within its walls there is also a botanical garden at the foot of the 14th-century keep, and the Pyrenean Museum. Visit the most important collections about the history of the French and Spanish Pyrenees: ceramics and furniture from the 18th century, a shepherd s hut, traditional costumes and lots more. Musée Sainte-Bernadette A few metres from the Sanctuaries, this museum tells the story of the Saint s life, the Message of Lourdes and the construction of the Sanctuaries, in particular through a wealth of iconography and objects that belonged to the most famous child of Bigorre. The Jubilee Walk "In the footsteps of Bernadette" is an interpretation trail that invites pilgrims and visitors to discover the most important places and events in the life of Bernadette Soubirous: Bernadette's birthplace (the Boly Mill - her happy years ), the Sacred Heart Parish church, the village of Bartres (where she stayed as a child), the Cachot (her home during the apparitions), the Presbytery and the St Bernadette Hospice... 3

Cirque de Gavarnie - World Heritage Site Great for walkers! In the heart of the Pyrenees National Park on the French-Spanish border, is the massif of Mont-Perdu that rises over 3,000m in altitude.

See Europe s greatest waterfall with its 413 m vertical drop! Access to Gavarnie is simple. On arrival at the village and within 1.5 hours of easy walking, you will be at the foot of the cirque.

Less well known but equally impressive, are the Estaube and Troumouse cirques which are accessible to all. From the family walk to a quest for sensation, there is something for everyone here.

The Pic du Midi is renowned for the beauty of its landscape and also for its astronomy observatory.

4 Cirque de Gavarnie - World Heritage Site Great for walkers! In the heart of the Pyrenees National Park on the French-Spanish border, is the massif of Mont-Perdu that rises over 3,000m in altitude. To the south are the extraordinary canyons of Ordesa, Aniscle and Pineta. To their north, the land of cirques with the majestic Troumouse and Gavarnie the greatest of all. See Europe s greatest waterfall with its 413 m vertical drop! Access to Gavarnie is simple. On arrival at the village and within 1.5 hours of easy walking, you will be at the foot of the cirque. The walk may be done on foot or horseback: it gives a truly theatrical dimension to the appearance of Gavarnie. Less well known but equally impressive, are the Estaube and Troumouse cirques which are accessible to all. From the family walk to a quest for sensation, there is something for everyone here. Pic du Midi Vessel of stars Or the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, one of the most majestic summits in the Hautes-Pyrénées, at 2,877 metres. The Pic du Midi is renowned for the beauty of its landscape and also for its astronomy observatory. Pic du Jer Locally the Pic du Jer that overlooks the Lourdes can be recognised by its big cross, which is lit up at night. It is reached by taking a hundred-year-old funicular, which will take you to the top at an altitude of 1,000 metres in a few minutes; a very scenic journey At the top, a walking trail will take you to the observatory, where you will find a unique panoramic viewpoint offering a 360 view of Lourdes, Tarbes, Pau, the Argelès Gazost valley and the peaks of the Pyrenees. 4

To be included with the Diocesan Pilgrimage you must register as a Pilgrim with the Catholic Association (C.

5 Getting active Lourdes and its surrounding area offer an impressive playground for lovers of outdoor sports and leisure activities. Take a bike along the legendary roads of the Tour de France or on the many mountain bike trails; tame the wild waters of the Pyrenean rivers or just go swimming at one of the public swimming baths. To be included with the Diocesan Pilgrimage you must register as a Pilgrim with the Catholic Association (C.A) This registration cost is 30 per adult to cover; the administration charge (thereby getting your pilgrimage badge & booklet), a Diocesan charge, a Lourdes Authorities charge and supports the C.A. charitable activities. Please contact Fr. John Cooke or Msgr. Vincent Harvey to register as an independent traveller and let us know where you are staying, so we can make contact with you and ensure your booklet & badge gets to you. These are only available when in Lourdes so can t be sent out prior to travel. You could still volunteer as a registered helper (see the Diocesan website for full details) and your children could take part in the Helpers Children s Pilgrimage while you are on duty. Please contact... Director: Mgr. Vincent Harvey St Edmund s Presbytery, 14 Rockstone Place, Southampton. SO15 2EQ Tel: vharvey@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk 5 Assistant Director: Fr. John Cooke St Margaret Mary Presbytery, Middle Road, Park Gate. SO31 7GH Tel: jcooke@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

TAB 1. Impacts of Religious Tourism Lourdes

TAB 1. Impacts of Religious Tourism Lourdes Impacts of Religious Tourism Lourdes Sections: 1. Why is Lourdes so appealing to its visitors? 2. How are visitor trends changing? 3. What are the impacts of tourism on Lourdes? 4. Activities 5. Evidence