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Photograph to come · The Abbey of Sénanque in the lavender at Gordes

Lourdes and the Shrines of Provence

From the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean

Eleven days from Lourdes east across the south of France, by Fanjeaux and Carcassonne to Avignon, Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Cotignac and the abbey island of Lérins.

Departures

Current Tours to France

Upcoming departures to France. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Eleven stops from Lourdes to the Mediterranean

Lourdes, Fanjeaux, Carcassonne, Aigues-Mortes, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Avignon, Gordes, Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Marseille, Cotignac and Cannes, a single line east along the southern edge of France.

Itinerary · EU_FR-11D-02

The Provence Itinerary

Three nights at Lourdes, then east by Carcassonne and the Camargue to Avignon, two nights at Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume for Marseille and the Calanques, and two at Cannes for Cotignac and Lérins. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Day 1 – 4

Lourdes

Photograph to come · The Grotto of Massabielle at Lourdes
The Grotto of Massabielle at Lourdes
Day 1

Departure from the USA

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight transatlantic flight to France, the first of eleven days from Lourdes across Provence to the Mediterranean. Dinner and breakfast are served in flight.
Day 2

Arrival in Lourdes

Upon arrival at Toulouse or Pau Airport, our local guide greets us and we travel by motorcoach through the foothills of the Pyrenees to Lourdes. After checking in, we gather for a welcome dinner, then have the opportunity to join the Candlelight Marian Procession at the shrine.Overnight in Lourdes.
Day 3

Lourdes

We spend the day in prayer at the Lourdes sanctuary, where Our Lady appeared eighteen times to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. We celebrate Mass at the Grotto of Massabielle, site of the apparitions, and take part in the water gesture. We walk the Stations of the Cross above the Grotto, then visit Boly Mill, Bernadette’s birthplace, and the Cachot, her family’s former prison cell.Overnight in Lourdes.
Day 4

Lourdes

We spend a second day at the Lourdes sanctuary, with Mass and time for personal prayer at the Grotto, the basilicas, and the sacred grounds. We again take part in the Water Gesture, joining pilgrims who have sought healing in these waters for over a century and a half, and close with the Candlelight Marian Procession.Overnight in Lourdes.
Day 5 – 6

Carcassonne and Avignon

Photograph to come · The ramparts of Carcassonne
The ramparts of Carcassonne
Day 5

Plavilla, Fanjeaux and Carcassonne

We travel to Plavilla to visit the Community of the Lamb, whose Little Sisters and Little Brothers join Dominican and Franciscan spirituality with a life of begging door to door and sharing their table with the poor. At Fanjeaux we visit the Monastery of Prouilhe, founded by St. Dominic in 1206, and celebrate Mass. We continue to Carcassonne, the walled medieval city with its ramparts, château, and basilica of Saint-Nazaire.Overnight in Carcassonne.
Day 6

Aigues-Mortes and Avignon

We visit Aigues-Mortes, the walled city from which King Saint Louis IX departed on Crusade, then continue into the Camargue to the sanctuary of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Tradition holds that Mary Salome and Mary Jacob landed here after fleeing Palestine with Mary Magdalene, Martha, and Lazarus, bringing the first proclamation of the Gospel to France. We celebrate Mass before continuing to Avignon.Overnight in Avignon.
Day 7 – 8

Provence and the coast

Photograph to come · The Papal Palace at Avignon
The Papal Palace at Avignon
Day 7

Avignon and Gordes

We visit the Papal Palace of Avignon, seat of the papacy from 1309 to 1423 and site of six papal conclaves. At Gordes we visit the Abbey of Sénanque, a 12th-century Cistercian monastery set among lavender fields, where monks still live by the Rule of St. Benedict. We conclude the day in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, where we celebrate Mass.Overnight in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume.
Day 8

Marseille and Cassis

We tour Marseille and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde, known as the Good Mother, which overlooks the port and holds ex-votos left by sailors returned safely from sea. We then visit the Calanques of Cassis, where limestone cliffs meet turquoise water, taking a short cruise along the coast before returning to Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume.Overnight in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume.
Day 9 – 11

Cotignac and Cannes

Photograph to come · The island abbey of Lérins off Cannes
The island abbey of Lérins off Cannes
Day 9

Cotignac and Le Thoronet

We visit Cotignac, marked by apparitions of the Virgin Mary, the Child Jesus, and St. Joseph, the only place where the whole Holy Family is said to have appeared. At the Sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Grâces, born of an apparition in 1519, King Louis XIII and Queen Anne of Austria once prayed for an heir, and Louis XIV later returned in thanksgiving. We continue to Le Thoronet’s Cistercian Abbey and celebrate Mass with the Sisters of Bethlehem.Overnight in Cannes.
Day 10

Cannes and Lérins Abbey

We take a boat to the island of Saint-Honorat to visit the Benedictine Abbey of Lérins, founded in the 5th century by St. Honorat, where St. Patrick once stayed before evangelizing Ireland. The monks still live by the Rule of St. Benedict, producing wine from their island vineyards. We celebrate Mass, meet a member of the community, and share in a wine tasting before returning to Cannes.Overnight in Cannes.
Day 11

Return Home

With hearts renewed by the grace of pilgrimage and the witness of the many living communities of faith we have encountered, we transfer to Nice Airport for our return flight home to the United States.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
Photograph to come · Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the fortified sanctuary
Saintes-Maries-de-la-MerThe fortified sanctuary on the Camargue coast, one of the oldest pilgrim sites in France.
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
Photograph to come · The Sanctuary of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue
The Sanctuary of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue
Photograph to come · The walls of Aigues-Mortes
The walls of Aigues-Mortes
Photograph to come · The Abbey of Sénanque at Gordes
The Abbey of Sénanque at Gordes
Photograph to come · Notre-Dame de la Garde above Marseille
Notre-Dame de la Garde above Marseille
Photograph to come · The Sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Grâces at Cotignac
The Sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Grâces at Cotignac
Photograph to come · The Cistercian abbey of Le Thoronet
The Cistercian abbey of Le Thoronet

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to travel to the south of France?

May, June and September are the strongest months. Provence is warm and dry without the August heat, and the coast is open before the summer crowds arrive. July and August regularly pass 35 degrees inland and fill every town on this route, which is hard going on a pilgrimage that walks between churches for much of each day.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for France?

A US passport valid for at least three months beyond your return date is required, with blank pages for entry stamps. No visa is needed for a stay under 90 days. Entry requirements for US travellers to the Schengen area are changing, so we confirm what applies to your departure with your group before you travel.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to France?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

    Where You Would Like to Go

    Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

    These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

    Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseSomewhere else, or not sure yet

    When

    Group Size and Budget

    Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

    A Few Last Details

    Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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