Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s). Your meals will be served on board.

Upon arriving at Pau or Toulouse Airport, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival hall, where your tour guide and/or driver will greet you. Embark on the scenic drive to Lourdes. Check into your hotel, and then relax or explore before dinner. Following dinner, you will have free time to attend the candlelight procession and pray the Rosary (April – October only). Following this prayerful experience, you will return to your hotel for a restful overnight.

Over the next two days, you will stay in a small town in the Pyrenees Mountains. During your time in Lourdes, you will pray and meditate at the site of Our Lady’s apparitions. Our Lady first appeared to Bernadette in 1858 and announced herself as “The Immaculate Conception” near the Grotto of Massabielle. Little Bernadette prayed the Rosary with Our Lady during the first two apparitions and left without exchanging words. During the following apparitions, Our Lady emphasized God’s love for us and the necessity of performing acts of penance for sinners. Throughout your time in Lourdes, you will have the opportunity to attend Mass at the Grotto, where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette. Watch a video presentation that explains the story of Lourdes in detail. Participate in the gesture of the miraculous spring. Wash your hands and face, and drink the water. Finish with a short prayer: “Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. St. Bernadette, pray for us. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” Additionally, you will have the opportunity to experience Christ’s unconditional love as you meditate upon the “life-size” Stations of the Cross that overlook the Grotto of Massabielle. In Lourdes, you will walk in and meditate upon the footsteps of St. Bernadette. Your group will have the opportunity to see Boly Mill, the birthplace of St. Bernadette, and the “Cachot,” an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverished family lived. Following dinner, you may attend the candlelight procession and pray the Rosary before a restful overnight.

Today, you will enjoy breakfast before departing for Pau or Lourdes Airport for your short flight to Paris. Upon arrival in Paris, attend Mass at the magnificent Sacre Coeur Basilica atop Montmartre Hill. The Basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was originally built in 1914 as an act of penance for infidelity that France experienced during that time. See the beautiful mosaic of the Risen Christ and the remarkable Grand Organ. Celebrate Mass at the Crypt, which contains the Tombs of many notable Cardinals. Time permitting, you may have the opportunity to ascend a staircase to the Dome, where you will take in a breathtaking panoramic view of Paris. Following this visit, you will enjoy lunch on your own and then depart for Lisieux. According to Pope Pius X, St. Therese of Lisieux was the “greatest saint of modern times.” Her extraordinary love for God and service to humanity will come alive as you walk in the great Saint’s footsteps. During your visit, you will see the beautiful Basilica of St. Therese and its magnificent mosaics and stained glass windows. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Lisieux.

Upon waking up in Lisieux, enjoy breakfast, and then your group will celebrate Mass. After Mass and following a visit to the Basilica, you will have the opportunity to view relics, clothing, and personal objects that belonged to St. Therese when you visit her family home, Les Buissonnets. Additionally, you will tour the Carmelite Convent, which she entered in 1888 and where she is now buried. This afternoon, you will transfer to the Normandy Landing beaches. The Normandy landings were the landing operations, which took place on Tuesday, June 6, 1944 (termed D-Day) by the Allies of Normandy during World War II. As the largest seaborne invasion in history, the operation began the liberation of German-occupied northwestern Europe from Nazi control and contributed to the Allies’ victory on the Western Front. Continue to visit The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, a World War II cemetery and memorial in Colleville-Sur-Mer, Normandy, France, honoring the American troops that died in Europe during World War II. Many of the brave American soldiers of World War II are buried here, and it is encouraged to say a prayer in thanksgiving for their courage. Return to Lisieux for dinner and overnight.

This morning, your day begins with an early breakfast before we depart for Chartres, known worldwide for its massive Cathedral Notre Dame and incredible stained-glass windows from the 12th and 13th centuries. The Cathedral is a World Heritage site that UNESCO calls “the high point of French Gothic art” and a “masterpiece”. You will have some free time for lunch in the quaint town of Chartres. After lunch, we will continue to Paris to check into your hotel, followed by some free time before a delicious dinner and overnight.

Today, you will see the sights of Paris and visit two of the city’s holiest sites. We will start with the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, where we will celebrate Mass, after which we will have the opportunity to view the incorrupt body of St. Catherine Laboure. The Saint’s guardian angel led her to the chapel, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her. During the apparitions, Our Lady repeatedly instructed the making and purpose of the Miraculous Medal. According to Our Lady, those who wear the Miraculous Medal will receive special protection and abundant graces. Enjoy a panoramic tour and view iconic Parisian landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe, and the world-renowned Champs-Élysées boulevard. After lunch, we will visit one of the most famous churches in the world, the spectacular Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris. Construction began on the Cathedral in 1163 and was completed in 1345. It was awarded minor basilica status in 1805. It is famous for its relics of the Crown of Thorns and True Cross, its tradition of Lenten Sermons, the Rose Windows, and for being the setting of Victor Hugo’s famous novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. After being severely damaged in a fire in 2019, the Cathedral was restored and reopened in 2024. Your busy day ends with a lovely meal and a comfortable overnight.

*–  On January 1, 2025, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris will be open to all who wish to visit on an individual basis.

– Guided group tours will resume starting June 9, 2025, including all 206 Tours pilgrimage groups. All reservations and registrations must be made in advance.

– The official reservation website for group tours will open on March 1, 2025.

– Only licensed Notre Dame guides will be allowed to lead tours within the Cathedral. One guide will be necessary for every 25 people in the group. (Ex: If the group has 50 pilgrims, two guides will be necessary.)

After breakfast at your hotel, your group will transfer to Charles de Gaulle Airport and board your flight to Rome. Upon arrival at Rome airport, collect your luggage in the baggage claim area and continue to the arrival hall, where you will be greeted by a tour escort and/or driver. You will make your way to the bus and transfer to your hotel. Following check-in, you will have free time to relax or explore Rome on your own. Your tour escort may suggest places to visit. Later in the afternoon, your group will meet in the hotel lobby for a “Meet and Greet” with your fellow pilgrims and depart for Mass. Following Mass, you will attend a welcome dinner. After dinner, you will have the opportunity to walk to St. Peter’s Square as a group for the Rosary (optional).

After a nice breakfast at your hotel, your first sightseeing day in Rome starts! The tour begins with the Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square! The Audience is celebrated each Wednesday by His Holiness Pope Francis (pending the papal schedule). Following the Audience, there will be free time for lunch, shopping, or to mail a postcard from the Vatican Post Office. This afternoon, you will visit St. John Lateran, the oldest of the four major Basilicas in Rome. It houses the relics of Sts. Peter and Paul. This Basilica is where Pope Francis was installed as the Bishop of Rome. Next, we will cross the street to visit the Holy Staircase. Tradition states that this staircase is from Pontius Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem, which Our Lord would have climbed during His passion. It is believed that St. Helen brought the Holy Stairs to Rome in the 4th Century. If time permits, you may climb the steps on your knees in memory of Christ’s agonizing passion. To conclude your day, we will proceed to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. This Basilica contains a relic from the Manger of the Infant Jesus. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

Enjoy an early breakfast this morning before going to the largest Church in Christendom: St. Peter’s Basilica. This Basilica was built on the site where St. Peter, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome, was martyred. The Basilica houses countless treasures, including Michelangelo’s Pieta. This stunning marble sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary holding Christ after His crucifixion, death, and removal from the cross before being placed in the tomb. Proceed to the Vatican Museum and see the most impressive edifices, galleries, and awe-inspiring relics. Additionally, you will observe the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, the Sistine Chapel, and Michelangelo’s Masterpiece, the restored mural of the Last Judgment. The final stop on your Vatican tour is the tomb of Saint John Paul II. After, head to the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), where you may enjoy some free time on your own for lunch. Continue on your short journey down the Appian Way, the earliest road of Ancient Rome. This road leads to the Domino Quo Vadis Chapel, the Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Drusus, the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, and the catacombs of St. Callixtus. The day concludes with a visit to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Originally founded by Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century, this Basilica is the burial place of Saint Paul the Apostle. We will make our way to a local restaurant for dinner. Following dinner, feel free to explore the streets of Rome or return to the hotel for the night.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, transfer to Rome Fiumicino airport for your return flights home.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.