Pilgrimage in Lourdes & Shrines of France

Pilgrimage in Lourdes & Shrines of France 

Itinerary

Day 1st
2:15 p.m. Meet at Air France counter, Chicago's airport , TERMINAL 5 , for check-in operation
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Depart by U.S.A. for Paris

Day 2nd
Arrival in Paris, France
Transfer to your Hotel
Balance of the day is at leisure

At 500 pm Holy Mass
Dnner in a local restaurant (D)

Day 3rd Paris
Buffet breakfast
At 09:00 am start your sightseeing with a Local Guide featuring a panoramic drive which will show you some of the highlights of the " Ville Lumiere " : Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées,the Eiffel Tower. Visit the architectural wonders of NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL and the BASILICA OF SACRE COEUR on Montmartre. At 2:35 p.m. Mass at OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL SHRINE, where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830. View the presentation on St. Catherine and finish with a tour of the Chapel of St. Vincent and the Vincentian Museum which is just around the corner from the Daughters' Mother House (BB)

Day 4th Paris Lisieux Excursion
Buffet breakfast
At 08:00 am depart for Lisieux - Time 3 hours - Distance 160 miles
In Lisiex lived St. Therese , known as "The Little Flower" and for her charming autobiography The Story of a Soul. .
Visit the CARMELITE CONVENT, where she lived as a nun. http://www.thereseoflisieux.org/
Continue with the visit of ST. PETER'S CATHEDRAL, where her family attended Mass .
Afterwards, visit the BASILICA OF ST. THERESE.
At 1430 Holy Mass at the Basilique Sainte-Thérèse
http://www.therese-de-lisieux.catholique.fr/-Therese,54-.html

Return to Paris. (BB)

Day 5th Paris-Lourdes
Day at leisure in Paris
Buffet breakfast
Check-out
Balance of the day at leisure
At 0800 am Holy Mass at the Paroisse Saint-Eugène - Sainte-Cécile
Balance of the day at leisure
At 9:30 p.m. departure for Montparnasse train station. At 11:10 p.m. depart for Lourdes, one of the world's most famous places of pilgrimage. Accommodation in Sleeping berth on board of the train

Day 6th Lourdes
At 7:49 a.m. arrival in Lourdes .Transfer from the railroad station to the Hotel by private bus
Breakfast served in the Hotel's restaurant
Your walking tour with a Local Guide starts at 0930 am and includes visits to OUR LADY OF LOURDES SHRINE and ST. BERNADETTE'S BIRTHPLACE and FAMILY HOME. Balance of the day is at leisure. You may wish to bathe in the healing waters or attend the "Blessing of the Sick." Also, you may wish to join this evening's rosary and candlelight procession. (BD)
At 1600 Holy Mass at the Saint Gabriel Chapel

Dinner at the Hotel

Day 7th
Breakfast
Full day at leisure in Lourdes
At 0945 Holy Mass at the Grotto where the Virgin appeared to St. Bernadette
Dinner at the Hotel

Day 8th Lourdes - Avignon - Lyon
Buffet breakfast
Departure for Carcassonne, a medieval town and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
http://www.carcassonne.org/carcassonne_EN.nsf/vueTitre/DocPatrimoineBasiliqueStNazaire5
Time: 3 hours
Time at leisure to visit Carcassonne
Continue to Avignon. Time: 3 hours
At 3.00 p.m. meet your local guide for the visit of the Palace of the Popes , where the papacy resided in the 14th century.
http://www.palais-des-papes.com/anglais/index.html
At 4:30 p.m. Holy Mass at Avignon's Cathedral of the Domes
Continue for Lyon. Time: 2 hours
Accommodation in Lyon
Dinner at the hotel restaurant

Day 9th Lyon-Ars-sur-Formans-Paray-le-Monial-Nevers
Buffet breakfast
Depart for Ars. 25 Miles , 45 minutes
Visit the ST. JOHN VIANNEY SHRINE. See the saint's incorrupt body, walk through his home, and explore the CHURCH where he preached and heard confessions
At 0920 a.m. Holy Mass at the Sanctuaire , 1000 visit of the sanctuary
Depart for Paray-le-Monial , 1h 30 minutes Distance: 70 miles
In Paray-le-Monial, we will visit the CHAPEL OF THE APPARITIONS , where Jesus revealed his Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Also, visit the BASILICA OF THE SACRED HEART.
www.sanctuaires-paray.com
http://www.villes-sanctuaires.com/anglais/paray_pelerinage.htm
Departure for Nevers 2 hours - Distance: 80 miles
Arrive in Nevers and accommodation . (BB,D)

Day 10th Nevers-Chartres-Paris
Buffet breakfast
Depart pour St.Gilard in Nevers
0900 am Messe
In Nevers lies the body of Bernadette Soubirous at the Espace Bernadette Soubirous, 34 rue St Gilard. Bernadette, a simple country girl from Lourdes, claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared to her 18 times resulting in several miracles from which Lourdes became one of the most important sites in the world for pilgrims. Bernadettes visions persuaded her of her calling and she became a nun  at St Gilard, a convent of the Sisters of Charity at Nevers.
Continue to Chartres and visit the CATHEDRAL, one of Europe's most celebrated shrines and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel to Paris and accommodation.
7:00 p.m. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant . (D)

Day 11th Paris
Breakfast in the Hotel
Transfer by bus for Paris airport
Departure for the U.S.A.
(BB)

Vacation Highlights

Pilgrimage in Lourdes & Shrines of France

INCLUDED FEATURES
PARIS:
Welcome and farewell dinners; guided sightseeing, visit Notre Dame Cathedral, the Basilica of Sacre Coeur, 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:
Train ticket

LOURDES:
Visit the grotto; guided sightseeing, visit the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine and St. Bernadette's birthplace and family home

AVIGNON:
Orientation

ARS-SUR-FORMANS:
Visit the St. John Vianney Shrine, his home, and church

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

NEVERS:
Visit St. Gildard

CHARTRES:
Visit the cathedral
INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.

STANDARD INCLUDED FEATURES
Transportation, hotels, and other standard included features offered.
Accommodations

MEALS
9 buffet breakfasts (BB); 5 three-course dinners (D)

SUPERIOR HOTELS
The cost includes : PLANE Economy class round trip airplane ticket , Air France direct flight Chicago Paris Chicago
TRAIN Coach class train tickets from Paris to Lourdes

QUALITY HOTELS
Accommodation for four nights In Paris , two nights in Lourdes, one night in Lyon and one night in Nevers
Each room has a private bath or shower, hotel taxes, porterage, tips, and service charges

TRANSPORTATION
Touring by private first-class air-conditioned motorcoach
MEALS 9 buffet breakfast (B); 6 dinners (D)

GUIDES

Guiding Services	City	Day	Guide Type	Service
	Paris	Day 1	Asistance on arrival	Airport - Hotel
	Paris	Day 2	Local guide – Eng	08 HOURS
	Paris	Day 3	Local guide – Eng	12hrs disposal for FD Loire, Normandy, Champagne
	Lourdes	Day 5	Local guide – Eng	03 HOURS
	Avignone	Day 6	Local guide – Eng	02 HOURS
	Paris	Day 10	Assistance on departure	Hotel – Airport

Services of a professional Tour Director while touring  Gratuities to the tour director ,local guides and drivers

OPTIONALS
Choice of optional excursions at reasonable prices to customize your own experience.

DOCUMENTS
Travel documents ; luggage tags , Name Badges

ITEMS NOT INCLUDED
Health, trip cancellation / interruption / baggage insurances
 

 Pilgrimage in Lourdes
&
Shrines of France