Lourdes is a small town located in the South-western France along the bottom of Pyrenees Mountains. Known for its intriguing and lovely designs, gorgeous cathedrals and cobbled alleys.
It is also the castle town of France. As the historic castle of Lourdes from the roman times, dates back from the 11th and 12th century. It has a spectacular location, located on the hilltop at the edge of the city. There are many historic remains and it houses the local arts and artifacts museum.
You can also visit the breathtaking Pyrenean abysses, also called the Gouffre d’Esparros, as they are immensely popular as a protected site, the gorgeous underground site brimming limestone stalagmites is a natural cave of limestone rock formation. Covered with aragonite, gypsum and calcium, it has formed mineral gardens.
Events
The National pilgrimage of Saint Rosaire is held in October each year. This event dates back to the 16th century, it is hosted by the Sanctuary of Notre Dame du Rosaire, and it consists of the pilgrimage itself and the mass.
The Holy Music Festival is the first major event to take place each year in March, performances are hosted by various religious sites in Lourdes. The festival changes themes every year.
The last greatest event of Lourdes would be the « Atelier Imaginaire Festival » held in October each year, it is an extensive cultural manifestation, and is probably the most important in Lourdes. It lasts 15 days, the activities are involving plays, readings and debates.
Access by train
Your journey will be in two parts, Eurostar to Paris, Gare du Nord then onwards to Lourdes on a TGV from Gare Montparnasse, Paris. If you're travelling as a family group the train is a great option as you can sit together and move around easily.
Access by plane
The nearest airport is Tarbes-Lourdes, approximately twenty minutes drive from the town itself. Air France operates a daily scheduled service from Paris, while a large number of charter flights from all over Europe use the airport also.
How to get around ?
The small sized town of Lourdes can easily be searched out on foot. It’s not just the size that enables this manner of getting around, but also the fact most of the attractions are clustered into a single area.
