10 September 2023

Lourdes 

Last night we went to the Candlelight Procession - we didn't walk in the procession but stood on the ramps up to  the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. From there we could see the massive procession making its way to the Basilica and looked down on the bishops and priests, as well as the choir. Around 5 or 6 million people visit the Sanctuary of Lourdes every year and the procession was so large, so long, that it seemed quite a portion of those millions were there last night. 

We spent the first part of this morning looking at all we have in our packs trying to decide if we could lessen our load but only a few things will be left out. We quickly gave that up as a lost cause and went to an English Mass in the Mater Dolorosa Chapel. We got there well before Mass started and a Sister soon had us all going through the hymns that would be sung. Three priests said Mass - English wouldn't have been the first language for any of them. After Mass we asked one of the priests for a pilgrim blessing to start our pilgrimage off well. 

We then visited Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the Crypt of St Bernadette as well as the massive underground Basilica of St Pious X. The Basilica is completely underground with a grassed area overtop. It was completed in 1957 and consecrated in 1958. It is a 201m by 81m oval, an area of around 12,000m² and can seat around 25,000. I had expected it would be quite industrial looking as it's made totally of concrete but I found it to be quite special. Around the concrete pillars are hung huge images of saints. And on the wall are 52 amazing images of the Stations of the Cross and the Mysteries of the Rosary. They are made with stained glass - fragments of stained glass fused together - and are back-lit which makes them really glow. 

This afternoon was spent in deciding what supplies we will need for the next few days, knowing that the pilgrim infrastructure is very different on the Chemin du Piémont Pyrénéen to that of the Camino Francés meaning that we will need to carry snacks and something suitable for lunches, and maybe a breakfast or two, if we don't find a boulangerie or an open cafe. Then it was off to the Monoprix supermarket for a shop. We had fun using the self check out but we got there in the end.

Once again, the photos have uploaded out of order. The videos of the Candlelight Procession didn't upload at all! 

  

Looking over to the Sanctuary from the walkway up to our accommodation.

    

On our way to the supermarket. 

Kiwifruit at the supermarket. Product of NZ, €1.10kg.

It was so hot but these two women were beautifully dressed in what to me was winter weight clothes.

The alter in the Basilica of St Pious X 

In the Basilica 

A closeup showing the fused glass pieces on one of the Stations of the Cross. 

The full piece. 

Saint Mary MacKillop

A shot inside the Basilica 

Mater Dolorosa Chapel where we went to the English Mass. 

At the Candlelight Procession last night.

 

9 September 2023

Lourdes

Another hot day, there's been no relief. The mornings are the best as, though they are still very warm, they don't have the sting of the midday and afternoon heat.

We spent most of this morning at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes while the air was comparatively cooler. We walked the Stations of the Cross which are placed up and around on a high hill above the Sanctuary, and a Mass in French was held at the grotto.

The town of Lourdes is an incredibly busy place, the streets are filled with people, and it's full of traffic. Not just private cars but massive double-decker buses keep rolling in on the narrow streets, as do equally massive supply trucks. And this afternoon motorhomes and campervans joined in the mix. We enjoyed watching a large motorhome making a multi-point turn to get itself out of a tight spot.

While the town streets are busy the area of the Sanctuary is equally busy, if not more so. Large group after large group followed their guides around all the Holy places that make up the Sanctuary of Lourdes. Languages of so many countries could be heard, some we couldn't identify. There were several groups of Sisters - their habits and ethnicities all so different. I was fascinated by two French groups being led by priests - at least their priest guides were speaking French. The priest of one of the groups was dressed in a long flowing cassock and a flat black hat looking much like he had stepped out of an earlier decade, whereas the priest guiding the other group was dressed as though he was off on a hike. 

We returned to our accommodation to rest from the sun and later in the afternoon we went to the St Jacque de Compostelle (Santiago de Compostela) pilgrim office and got our first stamp in our credentials. We also received our first 'buen camino.'

On our way back to our accommodation from the pilgrim office we popped into the Chapel of the Monastery of the Poor Clare Sisters. 

We now have WiFi so I have added photos to my previous post.

Walking to the Sanctuary 

The Sanctuary of Lourdes 

A photo taken when walking up to the Stations of the Cross. 

Stations of the Cross 

Looking up from the grotto. There were so many people that it wasn't possible to get a photo of the grotto itself - although that didn't worry a few people who were posing in front with their selfie sticks held high. 

While walking to the pilgrim office we found a sign pointing out the way we'll walk we set off from Lourdes. 

At the pilgrim office 

The Monastery of the Poor Clare Sisters 

The Chapel in the Poor Clare Monastery

 

Statue of Saint Bernadette in the Chapel. 

8 September 2023

Paris to Lourdes 

We had an early start today as our train left Paris at 6.35 am. The station, Gare de Montparnasse, was only a five minute walk from our accommodation and we boarded the train as it was already on the platform. 4 hours and 42 minutes later we were in Lourdes. 

Lourdes isn't quite as hot as Paris but it feels the same to us. A real energy zapping heat. Finding our accommodation was about as much as we could do today. 

A last shot from our room before leaving for the train. 

Our train on the platform at Gare Montparnasse.

The trip from Paris to Bordeaux was at high speed but slowed considerably for the Bordeaux to Lourdes section. 

At Gare de Lourdes 

Our train at Lourdes 

Some photos taken while walking from the station into Lourdes.

On our way to our accommodation. 

A view on the way to our accommodation. 

Walking to our accommodation was hot work!

The windows in this building caught my eye. 

Just one of many dozens of religious souvenir shops in Lourdes. 

This is as close to the Sanctuary of Lourdes as we went due to heat.

There are many narrow streets like this in Lourdes.

7 September 2023

Second day in Paris 

We have had a day of exploring around where we're staying and spent some time reorganising our packs ready for leaving tomorrow to go to Lourdes.

We started the day by going up to the observation platform on Tour Montparnasse, a multi-storey tower very near our accommodation. We took the lift up to the 56th floor then walked up several flights of stairs to reach the top of the tower. The views out over the city were amazing, and to see the size of Paris was stunning.

Today is hot again, 34°C this afternoon. 

I have managed to upload photos for yesterday's entry as well as today's but some have uploaded twice and are out of order 😏

Looking up to the top of Tour Montparnasse. 

The Eiffel Tower dominates the view in this direction. 

Notre-Dame is in the centre of this not very clear shot. From up on the Tower it was possible to see where the work on the damaged section is being carried out.

Luxembourg Gardens dominates this shot.

Beautiful Sacré-Coeur perched on the hill of Monmartre. 

The Eiffel Tower again. 

The Tour Montparnasse from our room this morning. 

I love the Parisian chimney pots - especially in early morning light. Another shot from our window.