The sanctuary is a destination for sick and disabled pilgrims, as the Lourdes water, which has flowed from the grotto since the apparitions, is reputed for miraculous healings.
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There is so much for you to see and do. Begin the afternoon in the city center and grab some local cuisine for lunch at one of the many restaurants, relax and take in the ambiance! Afterward, hop on the Petit Train Touristique (Little Train of Lourdes) to see some of the city`s highlights.
It is this very water that fills the Baths or Piscines in which pilgrims bathe on pilgrimage. This water is also available at taps throughout the Sanctuary for pilgrims to drink, wash, and bottle at will, above which it reads: “Wash your face and ask God to purify your heart.”
A: Some 70 have “miraculously” been healed, according to the Catholic church. That sounds like a lot, but next consider that an estimated 200 million people have visited the shrine at Lourdes since it opened. That's 0.000,035%. Even considering the 7000-ish cases that are not recognised, it's still 0.003,5%.
Like many pilgrimage sites, a chief lure of Lourdes is what many consider the healing power of its waters. Those waters come from a spring where Bernadette said she encountered the Virgin Mary.
Spiritually, in the Bible, the Rock symbolises trust in God, the stone on which the Church is built, the solid word on which we lean. Although the current health crisis does currently allow us to touch the Rock, you can make this gesture in your heart at the feet of the Virgin Mary.
Lourdes is a place of the journey from sickness to health, spiritual as well as physical; a journey from darkness to light; a journey from the suffering of this earth to the peace of heaven.
With 6 million pilgrims visiting Lourdes each year, there is no doubt that it is a place of enormous attraction for those seeking enlightenment through the footsteps of St. Bernadette. The itinerary can be either 3, 4, 5 or 7 nights.
Grotto in Lourdes, FranceThe Lourdes Grotto is the spot where Saint Bernadette experienced 18 apparitions in 1858. Today, it is open to the public for candle lighting and, at specific times, to bathe in the healing water. What is this? There are two queues, one for men, the other for women.
The best time to visit Lourdes runs from June to September, since it is the warmest and driest period of the year. May and October, though rainier, may be fine too, although it can sometimes get cold, especially in the first half of May and in the second half of October.