Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Lourdes ⛲

Commemorating the end of 2023, a pre-Christmas trip to the South of France: Carcassonne to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes ✝️ Legend has it that between February 11 and July 16, 1858, St. Bernadette witnessed the Virgin Mary appear eighteen times here. Every year, thousands of visitors from all over the world come to collect holy water, seeking spiritual purification 💧 The image of St. Bernadette gazing upon the apparition of the Virgin Mary in the Lourdes grotto is an important Catholic devotion, and this scene can be found replicated in many Catholic churches and spiritual retreats around the world. 🏞️The sanctuary looks rather desolate in winter, and I’ve heard that it’s very crowded in summer with various pilgrimage and vigil activities. However, I was also fortunate to immerse myself in this contemplative, quiet environment during the winter. #OffTheBeatenPathTravel #France #FrenchTravel #FrenchHiddenGems #FranceOffTheBeatenPath #SpiritualRetreat #Lourdes #OurLadyOfLourdes #SouthernFrance