Lourdes

Also known as Lorda, Lurda

Lourdes (, also , ; ) is a market town situated in the Pyrenees. It is part of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Prior to the mid-19th century, the town was best known for its Château fort, a fortified castle that rises up from a rocky escarpment at its center.

AI overview

Lourdes is a market town located in the Pyrenees mountains in southwestern France, historically known for its fortified castle. Before the mid-19th century, the town's primary claim to fame was this château fort that stands prominently on a rocky escarpment at its center.

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Place details

Locality: Lourdes
Region: Occitanie
Country: France
Population: 15,786
Timezone

Travel guide

Get in

There are several trains and buses connecting Lourdes to other French cities. It is also easily accessible by car, and close to the border with Spain.

Get around

Due to the small area of the town, most destinations can be reached on foot. Some buses do seasonal runs between the train station and some of the biggest or furthest hotels.

See

thumb|300px|The Massabielle grotto While tourists who come here will usually look for ways to immerse in the religiosity, those that need some time out can certainly seek the rich history of the town.

Do

Many of the activities in the city are only available from April to October, though visitors are of course welcomed all year round.

Don't miss the nightly candlelight procession (buy your candle beforehand from one of the souvenir shops or at the sanctuary) in front of the Basilica and around the main square, with singing, prayer and a rosary recitation in multiple languages. The procession of the sick to the Underground Basilica each afternoon is particularly moving, as well. Other religious activities available include confession (available in French, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch), adoration, stations of the cross, candle lighting near the Grotto, and rosary in front of the Grotto each afternoon (in French) and at other times/places in other languages.

If you have a car, spend a day in the wonderful Pyrenees. Roadtrips to Pont d'Espagne, Gavarnie or de Col de Tourmalet offer breathtaking mountain scenery and lots of opportunities for hiking. There is a historic chateau on a hill visible from the town, as well.

Buy

Lourdes has an enormous number of shops selling all sorts of kitsch and religious souvenirs like statuettes of saints, rosaries, candles, containers for storing the water from the source near the Grotto, mugs and fridge magnets. If items like these are your thing, the large Palais du Rosaire offers an enormous selection and will wrap items for you to take home. Rue de la Grotte is perhaps the most crowded street in Lourdes as that is where most of Lourdes' stores and restaurants are located.

Many shops will close for 1½ – 2 hours around lunch; be prepared to be shooed out of the store or hurried along with your purchases if you are shopping around 12:30. On Sundays, a few shops and supermarkets should remain open, though maybe with reduced hours and staffing, to take a chance on foot traffic to or from the churches.

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Article

23 sections

Contents

History
Antiquity
Middle Ages
Modern Age
Geography
Climate
Apparitions and pilgrimages
Marian apparitions
Messages
Religious sites
Sanctuary of Lourdes
Ukrainian Church
Population
International relations
Sport
In arts and fiction
Transport
Education
Museums
See also
References
Bibliography
External links

In 1858, Lourdes rose to prominence in France and abroad due to the Marian apparitions to the peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous (later canonized a saint by the Catholic Church for her virtuous life). Shortly thereafter, the city and its Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes became among the world's most important sites for pilgrimage and religious tourism.