Lourdes
Travel Guide > Europe > France > Midi-Pyrénées > Lourdes
In this Article
- Introduction
- Sights and Activities
- Events and Festivals
- Getting There
- Getting Around
- Eat
- Drink
- Sleep
- Keep Connected
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Introduction
Lourdes is a small town in the Midi-Pyrénées region of southern France. Nestled in the foothils of the Pyrenees mountains at an altitude of about 420 metres above sea level, it only has about 15,000 inhabitants, but caters to 5 million visitors annually. After Paris, it has the highest number of hotels in the country!
Sights and Activities
Lourdes is of course most famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes that are reported to have occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous.
Because of this, Lourdes has evolved into a major tourist destination of Christian Pilgrimage and mircaluous healings which are reported as well. Many sick or elderly people come here for that same reason. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is the main place with thousands of visitors from March to October.
There are quite a few more attractions though:
- Visit The Grand Jer mountain, accessible via the funicular railway of the Pic du Jer.
- Ukrainian Catholic Church
- Château Fort de Lourdes is a historic castle.
Events and Festivals
Getting There
By Plane
Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport (LDE) is located in between Tarbes and Lourdes. Air France, operated by Brit Air serves Paris, BMI has seasonal flights (summer) to Manchester and Ryanair will start flights to London from December 2009 onwards.
For more options, you can try the airports near Toulouse, Pau or Biarritz.
By Train
The French Railways has services to Bayonne (1¾ hours, up to four daily), Pau (30 minutes, at least 10daily) and Toulouse (1¾ hours, six daily). There are four daily TGVs to Paris (six hours).
By Car
Lourdes can be reached along the N21 which branches of the main A64 highway from Tarbes. From Paris, it is a solid 9-hour drive via Toulouse.
By Bus
The small bus station has services to Pau (1¼ hours, four to six daily). Buses also go to Tarbes and Argelès-Gazost (at least eight daily) and to the Pyrenean communities of Cauterets, Luz-St-Sauveur and Gavarnie. SNCF buses go to Cauterets (one hour, at least five daily) and leave from the train station.
Getting Around
By Car
By Public Transport
By Foot
Lourdes can easily be explored on foot and there are several pedestrian-only streets.
By Bike
Eat
Drink
Sleep
There are dozens of hotels and camping sites in and around Lourdes.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Hotel Moderne | 21 Avenue Bernadette Soubirous | Hotel | 100 |
| Hotel Marial | 77 rue de la Grotte Lourdes | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel Notre Dame de Fourviere | 15 Rue du Révérend Père de Foucauld or 77 rue de la Grotte | Hotel | 74 |
| Hotel Roissy | 16 av Mg Schoepfer | Hotel | 82 |
| Hotel Saint Cristophe | 75 rue du Bourg 65100 | Hotel | 65 |
| Hotel Saint Etienne | 61 Boulevard de la Grotte | Hotel | 63 |
| Hotel Saint Roch | 6, Place Jeanne d'Arc | Hotel | 57 |
| Résidence Le Mariale | 15/17 Avenue du Paradis | Apartment | 75 |
This is version 4. Last edited at 19:14 on Sep 23, 09 by Utrecht (-6). 1 article links to this page.
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