Shrines of France with St. Francis Chapel, Boston, MA
Eleven days in France, with four nights at Lourdes, St. Thérèse at Lisieux, the Normandy beaches, Chartres and Paris, and daily Mass.
Your chaplain
Fr. Jeremy Paulin, O.M.V.
Director, St. Francis Chapel
Fr. Jeremy Paulin is a priest of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and the director of St. Francis Chapel in the Prudential Center.
“I am the Immaculate Conception.”
Our Lady to St. Bernadette, Lourdes, March 25, 1858
Our Lady gave her name at the sixteenth apparition, and the basilica above the Grotto bears it. We spend four nights at Lourdes, with Mass at the Grotto and the evening candlelight procession.
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception · Lourdes
France, September 13 to 23, 2027
Eleven days, nine nights in Lourdes, Lisieux and Paris, with the Normandy beaches and Chartres along the way, and Mass each day.
Begins in Lourdes and ends in Paris
OvernightVisit
Nights: 4 Lourdes, 2 Lisieux, 3 Paris.
Departure
Our pilgrimage begins as we depart the United States on our overnight flight to France.
Arrival in Lourdes
Upon arrival at Pau or Toulouse Airport, our local professional tour escort will greet us and accompany us by motorcoach. After check-in, we have time to relax or explore before dinner. Following dinner, we have the opportunity to join the Candlelight Marian Procession and the praying of the Rosary (April through October only).
Lourdes
We spend the day in prayer and pilgrimage at the Lourdes sanctuary, where Our Lady appeared eighteen times to the young Bernadette Soubirous beginning in 1858. We celebrate Mass at the Grotto of Massabielle, the very site of the apparitions, and participate in the water gesture, washing our hands and face and drinking from the miraculous spring. We walk the life-size Stations of the Cross overlooking the Grotto, meditating on the Passion of Our Lord, and visit the Basilica of St. Pius X. This afternoon we join the Eucharistic Procession before returning to our hotel with time to rest before dinner. This evening we return once more to the Candlelight Marian Procession and the praying of the Rosary (April through October only).
Lourdes
We spend a second full day at the Lourdes sanctuary. A video presentation this morning tells the story of Bernadette and the apparitions in fuller detail before we visit Boly Mill, the birthplace of St. Bernadette, and the Cachot, the abandoned prison cell where her impoverished family lived at the time of the apparitions. We continue to the Carmelite Monastery and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, its lower basilica adorned with mosaics recalling the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. We celebrate Mass once more at the Grotto before an afternoon of personal prayer and reflection. This evening we gather once more for the Candlelight Marian Procession and the praying of the Rosary (April through October only).
Lourdes, Free Day
Today is set aside as a free day in Lourdes. After breakfast we celebrate Mass together at the Sanctuary, and the rest of the day is ours to spend with Our Lady: returning to the Grotto of Massabielle to pray, kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, walking the Stations of the Cross again at our own pace, or simply resting in the quiet of the Pyrenees. This evening we join the faithful once more for the Candlelight Marian Procession and the praying of the Rosary, closing our time in Lourdes in prayer before Our Lady.
Lourdes, Paris & Lisieux
After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our morning flight to Paris, continuing on by motorcoach to Lisieux. According to Pope Pius X, St. Thérèse of Lisieux was the greatest saint of modern times, and her extraordinary love for God and service to humanity comes alive as we walk in the great saint’s footsteps. We visit the Basilica of St. Thérèse, its magnificent mosaics and stained glass, and celebrate Mass here before continuing to Les Buissonnets, the family home where relics, clothing, and personal objects belonging to St. Thérèse are preserved. We then check in to our hotel, with time to rest before dinner.
Lisieux, Normandy Landing Beaches & American Cemetery
Following breakfast, we visit the Carmelite Convent, which St. Thérèse entered in 1888 and where she is now buried. Our group celebrates Sunday Mass before traveling to the Normandy landing beaches, site of the largest seaborne invasion in history. We continue to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, honoring the American troops who died in Europe during World War II, pausing in prayer and thanksgiving for their courage. We return to Lisieux in the late afternoon, with time to rest before dinner.
Lisieux, Chartres & Paris
After an early breakfast, we depart for Chartres, home to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres and its incredible stained glass windows from the 12th and 13th centuries, called by UNESCO the high point of French Gothic art and a masterpiece. We celebrate Mass at the Cathedral and venerate the precious relic of the Veil of Our Lady, displayed at the back of the main altar. Following free time for lunch in the town of Chartres, we continue to Paris for hotel check-in and free time before dinner.
Paris, Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur & Seine Dinner Cruise
Following breakfast, we begin our time in Paris at the magnificent Sacré-Coeur Basilica atop Montmartre Hill. Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Basilica was begun in 1875 as an act of national penance and completed in 1914. We take in the extraordinary artwork and architecture of the Basilica, including the beautiful mosaic of the Risen Christ and the remarkable Grand Organ, and we celebrate Mass in the Crypt. Time permitting, we may ascend to the Dome for a breathtaking panoramic view of Paris. We then board a bus tour to see some of the most recognizable symbols of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs-Élysées before returning to our hotel with time to rest. This evening we board our dinner cruise on the Seine.
Paris, Miraculous Medal, Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle & Farewell Banquet
After a leisurely breakfast, we make our way to the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal on the Rue du Bac, where we celebrate Mass and have the opportunity to view the incorrupt body of St. Catherine Labouré. We continue on foot to the nearby Church of St. Vincent de Paul before visiting Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the most incredible churches in the world. Just steps away on the Île de la Cité, we visit Sainte-Chapelle, built by King Louis IX in the 13th century to house the Crown of Thorns. We return to our hotel in the late afternoon, with time to rest and pack before our farewell banquet at the hotel this evening, giving thanks together for the graces of our pilgrimage.
Paris, Return Home
After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, we transfer by motorcoach to the Paris airport for our return flight home.
What’s included
Everything below is covered by the package price.
Your hotels in France
Four nights in Lourdes, two in Lisieux and three in Paris. Hotels are subject to final confirmation; if a hotel changes, it is replaced with one of the same standard.
“The staff is always responsive when making arrangements and especially air travel.”
“Everything was on time and well done, from the hotels to the food, to the places we visited, everything went off without a hitch.”
“The entire trip from start to finish went smoothly.”
Questions pilgrims ask
Short answers to what most people want to know before they put down a deposit.
It is a touring pilgrimage by motorcoach, with a morning flight from Lourdes to Paris. Expect about 2 to 3 miles of walking on a typical day. Days usually start around 7am and end back at the hotel between 5pm and 6pm. The Stations of the Cross at Lourdes climb a wooded hillside, and the evening processions mean some late nights.
You can have a room to yourself, with a single room supplement of $950, or share a room. If you would like to share, we will do our best to match you with a roommate. If we cannot find a match by June 15, 2027, the single room supplement applies. Couples, families, friends and singles are all welcome, and plenty of pilgrims come on their own.
Lunches, donations at Masses, souvenirs and laundry, and the cost of a passport if you need one. A typical lunch costs about $15 to $20. Tips are customary if you are satisfied with their service: as a guide, €10 per person per day for your tour escort, €5 per person per day for your driver and €2 per person per tour for local guides. Travel insurance if you choose it, and a 3% fee if you pay by card. Abroad, we recommend paying for most things by credit card, which is accepted almost everywhere and comes with protection that cash does not; bring a couple hundred U.S. dollars in cash for emergencies. When a card machine or ATM asks whether to pay in dollars or in the local currency (euros in France), choose the local currency; it is almost always cheaper.
Cancel in writing. Up to June 15, 2027 (90 days before departure), everything you have paid is returned except $200. After that date, the $450 deposit and any costs we cannot recover are kept. Travel insurance may cover a cancellation, depending on the reason.
Fr. Jeremy Paulin, O.M.V., director of St. Francis Chapel in the Prudential Center, leads the group from St. Francis Chapel.
More answers in the FAQ below and in our Support Center, or call us at +1 (800) 653-0017.
Price per person
Per person, including roundtrip group airfare from Boston (BOS). Flying from another city? We can arrange air from your airport; call or email us for a quote.
Shared rooms are always doubles with two beds. If you would like us to match you with a roommate, tell us when you book and we will do our best. Please note that if we cannot find you a match by the final payment date of June 15, 2027, the single room supplement will apply.
$200 of the $450 deposit is non-refundable.
Final payment is due 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
Check
ACH bank transfer
Zelle
Cash, money order or cashier’s check
Protect your pilgrimage
Your pilgrimage is paid for long before you leave. After you reserve, your booking confirmation email has our Allianz Travel Insurance plans and a link to buy one directly. Classic is the plan we recommend for most pilgrims.
- Covers your trip cost. Classic reimburses 100% of the trip cost you insured if you cancel for a covered reason, and adds emergency medical care and baggage cover.
- Buy within 14 days of your first deposit to keep Cancel Anytime and pre-existing condition cover. The plans stay available until departure.
- Buy it from your confirmation email. Prefer to add it by phone? Call us at +1 (800) 653-0017.
Frequently asked questions
This is an active program that covers a good amount of ground each day. Expect a wake-up call around 7am, departure by 9am and a return to the hotel between 5pm and 6pm. You should be able to walk 2 to 3 miles a day at a moderate pace, with uneven surfaces, stairs, cobblestones and some slopes. The Stations of the Cross at Lourdes climb a wooded hillside, and the evening processions mean some late nights.
Expect mild days and cool evenings, with a good chance of rain at Lourdes in the foothills of the Pyrenees and in Normandy. Bring layers, a waterproof jacket or umbrella and comfortable walking shoes.
Yes. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the return date, and passport cards are not accepted for international travel. US citizens do not currently need a visa for a short visit to France. The European Union is introducing ETIAS, an online travel authorization for visitors who do not need a visa; if it applies to our dates, we will tell you how to apply. We need your passport details at least 90 days before departure.
Rates are per person based on two pilgrims sharing a room. Shared rooms are always doubles with two beds. If you are travelling alone we will try to match you with a roommate of the same gender; if we cannot, the single room supplement applies.
Yes. The land-only price is $4,400 per person. Send us your flight details once booked, so we can line your arrival up with the group’s at Pau or Toulouse on September 14 and its departure from Paris on September 23. Group air from other airports can be arranged; call or email us for a quote.
Final payment is due on June 15, 2027, 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
We strongly encourage travel insurance for all of our pilgrims, and we partner with Allianz Travel Insurance to offer affordable coverage. Most of our pilgrims choose the Classic Plan. Insurance can be quoted and purchased after registration.
A pilgrimage is not a vacation or excursion but a unique spiritual journey that provides many opportunities to deepen your relationship with God and enrich your Catholic faith by bringing Scripture to life. Pilgrimages offer the opportunity to let Christ draw you near.
More questions are answered in our Support Center, covering booking, payments, travel insurance, passports and what to expect on pilgrimage.
Couples, families, friends, singles, all are welcome!
Some pilgrims come as a couple, some bring the whole family, some come with a friend from the parish, and plenty come on their own. Everyone is welcome.
Lourdes, Lisieux and Paris
September 13 to 23, 2027, with St. Francis Chapel and Fr. Jeremy Paulin. Reserve today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.
Questions? Call +1 (800) 653-0017 or email hello@canterburypilgrimages.com.
Secure your spot today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.