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 you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver. Embark on a scenic drive to Lourdes before checking in to your hotel to relax or explore before dinner. Following dinner, you will have free time to pray the Rosary and to attend the candlelight procession. (April-October only). These processions are lit by candlelight and guided by the Most Holy Rosary. Following this prayerful experience, you will return to your hotel for an overnight.

Over the next two days, you will stay in a small town nestled 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. During the first two apparitions, little Bernadette prayed the Rosary with Our Lady and left without exchanging words. During the following apparitions, Our Lady emphasized God’s love for us, penance, 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, in detail, the story of Lourdes;  participate with the gesture of the miraculous spring; Wash your hands, wash your face and drink the water. Finish with a short prayer:  Our Lady of Lourdes… Pray for us, St. Bernadette… Pray for us, Oh 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. Each evening following dinner, you will have an opportunity to attend the candlelight procession and 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 the infidelity that France experienced during that time. Besides the extraordinary artwork and architecture that forms the Basilica, you will see the beautiful mosaic of the Risen Christ and the remarkable Grand Organ, as well as celebrate Mass at the Crypt containing 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 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, as well as the magnificent mosaics and stained glass that are contained within. You will then enjoy dinner and an overnight at your hotel in Lisieux.

Upon waking up in Lisieux and enjoying breakfast, you will pray and reflect upon the life of the beloved Saint Therese and celebrate Mass. After Mass and following the visit to the Basilica, you will have the opportunity to view relics, clothing, and personal objects from St. Therese when you visit her family home, Les Buissonets. Additionally, you will tour the Carmelite Convent, which she entered in 1888 and is currently entombed in with her parents. This afternoon, transfer to Normandy Landing beaches. The Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (termed D-Day) of the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. The largest seaborne invasion in history, the operation began the liberation of German-occupied northwestern Europe from Nazi control and contributed to the Allied 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, that honors American troops who 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. Chartres is known for its massive cathedral, Notre Dame, and for its incredible stained-glass windows from the 12th and 13th centuries. It is considered a World Heritage site by UNESCO, which calls the Cathedral “the high point of French Gothic art” and a “masterpiece.” Later you will have some free time for lunch in the quaint town of Chartres. After lunch, continue to Paris. Check in at the hotel and have free time before a delicious dinner and overnight.

Today, you will enjoy a full sightseeing tour of Paris. After breakfast, you will visit and celebrate Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, where you will 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 apparitions, Our Lady repeatedly instructed the making and purpose of the Miraculous Medal and the green scapular. According to the Blessed Virgin Mary, those who wear the Miraculous Medal and scapular will receive special protection and abundant graces. Following your prayerful and reflective experience at this elegant chapel, you will begin your sightseeing tour of Paris. After Mass, we will walk to Saint Vicent de Paul Church. We will continue our day with a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral, a perfect example of Gothic art. Our panoramic sightseeing tour via motor coach continues to the most recognizable symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower. Historically, the Tower’s original intent was to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution, but it later assisted in meteorology, telegraphy of World War I, radio, and television. Pass by the L’Arch de Triomphe, a monument symbolizing gratitude for those who fought for France. This monument stands at the West end of the Champ-Elysees, one of the world’s most famous boulevards and another one of our stops on the sightseeing tour. We will also pass by the ever-famous Louvre Museum.* This museum is one of the finest in the world and contains many pieces that emanate from European culture. Your fun-filled, busy day ends with a lovely meal and a very comfortable overnight.
*Regretfully, due to time limitations, we will not visit the Louvre Museum. However, if you wish to extend your stay in Paris by arriving a day early, this museum is worth it. It is one of the finest in the world and contains pieces that portray European art and culture.

Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Amsterdam. Upon landing at Amsterdam Airport, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver. Transfer to your hotel. We will visit the Chapel of our Lady of All Nations this afternoon, one of the Virgin Mary’s apparition sites. From 1945 until 1959, Our Lady appeared to Ida Peerdeman with the continuous message of love and repentance and the prayer for Nations. Following Mass, we will visit the site of a Eucharistic Miracle. In 1345, as a result of a man’s illness, a Sacred Host was found preserved in his house after it was moved numerous times and after having experienced a fire that left the city in ruins. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight in Amsterdam.

Following breakfast, we will celebrate Mass. After Mass, enjoy a guided tour of Amsterdam and experience its seventeenth-century historical and picturesque atmosphere amidst its canals and squares. During your walking tour, you will view the Royal Place, Vrijheidsbeeld (National Monument), the Flower Markets, Opera House, City Hall, and Begijnenhof. Additionally, you will experience a glimpse from the outside of the many cultural highlights Amsterdam has to offer, such as the Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, Rembrandt House, and the Rijksmuseum. After free time for lunch, we will proceed to the Zaanse Schanns, a unique piece of Dutch history on the river Zaan. It is a residential area in which the 18th and 19th centuries are brought to life. Stroll past the bakery museum and enjoy the smell of fresh cookies. Take a look at where clogs are made. Don’t miss the cheese factory, the various windmills, and much more. The Zaanse Schans is a unique part of the Netherlands, full of wooden houses, mills, barns, and workshops. Return to Amsterdam for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we will depart for Utrecht—one of the principal political, economic, and cultural centers of the Netherlands. We will visit Katherine’s Convent Museum (Catharijne convent), located in the former hospice of the Order of St. John, telling the history of Christianity in the Netherlands. It also holds an extensive collection of medieval art treasures. You will have free time for lunch before boarding the motor coach for your transfer to Ghent. Ghent, Belgium, home to the famous painting “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.” The large and complex altarpiece was painted by Jan and Hubert Van Eyck in 1432 and is currently housed in Ghent’s St. Bavo Cathedral, where we will celebrate Mass. After Mass, continue to Bruges, The Zeebrugge port of Bruges is an important center for European trade. End your day with dinner and an overnight.

Following breakfast, we will visit the Church of Our Lady for Mass today. You will notice that the preserved culture of the Middle Ages is still present. While at the Church, you can view the magnificent marble statue, Madonna and her Child, sculpted by Michelangelo. Next, we visit the Holy Savior’s Cathedral, Bruges Cathedral. Continue with a visit to the Basilica of the Holy Blood. Most interestingly, this Basilica also holds a venerated relic of Jesus Christ that was collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from Jerusalem. Modeled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, it has a replica of Christ’s tomb. This afternoon, you will have free time to enjoy lunch and a leisurely stroll in this enchanting city. Return to your hotel on time to enjoy a delicious meal and a restful overnight.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, transfer to the Brussels airport for 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.