June 5, 2014: Lourdes

What a culture shock Lourdes is!! After the charms of medieval Beynac and Alsatian Colmar, one's first impression of Lourdes is of a 20th century ticky, tacky tourist town. Rather than seashells and license plates with children's names, the cheap souvenirs being hawked here are rosaries and plastic statues of Mary.

Lourdes is a pilgrimage town for the Catholic Church. It was here in 1858, over the course of a few months, that a young peasant girl by the name of Bernadette Soubiris saw apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The rock grotto where Mary appeared to Bernadette is now a sanctuary visited by 6 million people per year and the spring waters of the grotto are said to have curative powers. Pilgrims can take a dip in the spring waters or spigot it into their water jugs for drinking. As you walk through town one is struck by the inordinate number of elderly people and those in wheelchairs making their way toward the grotto, obviously here in hopes that the spring waters will alleviate some of their pain.

In contrast to the tourist hawkers that ring the sanctuary, the grotto and surrounding grounds are tranquil, even with hundreds of tourists milling around. There's an overwhelming sense of awe as pilgrims walk through the grotto, touching the stone walls reverently. At night, a candlelight procession, attended by hundreds of pilgrims, weaves through town, ending at the grotto.

Our first impression of Lourdes

The Basilica at Lourdes, built over the original grotto where
Mary appeared to Bernadette

Side view of the Basilica

The grotto is in the background. Notice the number of pilgrims.

Notice how the Basilica is built on top of the grotto

Lourdes at sunset from our hotel room