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 Paris airport, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrivals hall, where your driver, Tour Escort, and fellow pilgrims will greet you. You will transfer to the magnificent Sacre Coeur Basilica located 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 was experiencing during that time. During your visit, in addition to the extraordinary artwork and architecture that forms the Basilica, you will see the beautiful mosaic of the Risen Christ and the remarkable Grand Organ. Celebrate Mass with your Spiritual Director 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. Arrive at your hotel in time for check-in, dinner, and overnight.

After waking up in Lisieux and enjoying breakfast, you will have time to pray and reflect upon the life of the beloved Saint as well as celebrate Mass. After Mass and following the visit to the Basilica, you will have the opportunity to view relics, clothing, and personal objects of 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 Normandy Landing beaches. The Normandy landings were the landing operations that 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 an overnight.

This morning, your day begins with an early breakfast before we depart for Chartres, known worldwide for its massive Cathedral Notre Dame and its incredible stained-glass windows from the 12th and 13th centuries. A World Heritage site, UNESCO, calls the Cathedral “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. Check-in at your hotel, followed by some free time before a delicious dinner and an 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 the Apparition, those who wear the Miraculous Medal will receive special protection and abundant graces. Continue on a panoramic tour, passing 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 it was completed in 1345 and awarded Minor Basilica status in 1805. It is famous for its relics of the Crown of Thorns and True Cross, its tradition of Lent Sermons, its Rose Windows, and as 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.

– Starting June 9, 2025, guided group tours will resume, 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 Dane 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, 2 guides will be necessary.)

Over the next two days, you will have the opportunity to explore Paris and its surrounding areas at your own arrangements. Throughout this time, feel free to take optional tours to Versailles or Chartres, spend time strolling along the Seine or find little cafes to soak up the Parisian atmosphere.

*Please be advised that there will not be a Spiritual Director or Tour Escort with you the last two nights in Paris.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, transfer to the Paris airport for return flight(s) 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.