Overview of stepped farmland and Pinnacle of Pic du Jer.

©Matt Munro/Lonely Planet

Lourdes

The sprawling town of Lourdes, 43km southeast of Pau, has been one of the world’s most important pilgrimage sites since 1858, when 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous (1844–79) is claimed to have been visited 18 times in a rocky grotto by the Virgin Mary.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Sanctuaires Notre Dame de Lourdes
Lourdes
The spiritual centre of Lourdes is the subterranean grotto where Bernadette Soubirous is believed to have experienced her visions in 1858. From the Porte…
Château Fort
Lourdes
Lourdes’ imposing castle stands on a sheer hill just behind the town. There’s been a stronghold here since Roman times, but the present building combines…
Pic du Jer
Lourdes
Panoramic views of Lourdes and the central Pyrenees are on offer from this rocky outcrop just outside town. There are two routes to the top: a punishing…
Le Cachot
Lourdes
In 1857 Bernadette Soubirous’ family fell on hard times and were forced to move to this dingy former prison, where they lived communally in a room…
Grottes de Bétharram
Lourdes
Grottes de Bétharram is a network of subterranean caverns that has been carved out from the limestone, glittering with impressive formations of…
Grotte de Massabielle
Lourdes
Underneath the soaring spires of the Basilique Supérieure is the fabled Grotte de Massabielle, where people queue for hours to enter and take a blessed…
Moulin de Boly
Lourdes
Bernadette was born in this millhouse on 7 January 1844, one year after the marriage of her parents Louise Castérot and François Soubirous. She lived here…
Porte St-Michel
Lourdes
This gate into the sanctuary is the first you'll reach when approaching from across the river (where you'll find the majority of lodging and dining…

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