Rek Travel Adventure
Rek Travel USA
Rek Travel Polska
St. Joseph Travel
Golden Age Rek Travel
Off Limits Rek Travel
- Description of the tour
- Itinerary
- Price includes
France 2024. Paris, Lourdes, La Salette. A country with a rich history, culture, and beautiful landscapes. Known for the romantic streets of Paris, picturesque vineyards, and majestic Alps, as well as sites of Marian apparitions throughout the country.
Itinerary
USA - PARIS
Meeting at Newark Airport in NJ, passport and baggage check-in, and flight to Europe. This is how the journey begins, with the goal of visiting France and its sanctuaries: Paris, Lourdes, La Salette.
Note: There is an option to fly from Chicago.
https://stjosephtravel.com/en/tours/pilgrimage-to-france/
FRANCE - PARIS- LISIEUX
Arrival in Paris in the late morning. Then a coach transfer to Lisieux, a picturesque town in northwestern France. Lisieux is particularly important for Catholic pilgrims. This is where, in the 19th century, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, also known as the Little Flower of Jesus, lived and worked.
Check-in at the hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.
FRANCE - LISIEUX - CELEBRATIONS IN HONOR OF ST. THÉRÈSE
Breakfast at the hotel, then participation in the annual celebrations related to the anniversary of the saint’s death. These days are celebrated in a special way at the Carmelite Monastery, where St. Thérèse spent most of her life. We see several key points related to the life and legacy of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, including: the Basilica of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, her family home, and the Church of St. Peter, where she was baptized and attended Mass.
FRANCE - LISIEUX - TOURS
Breakfast, then a trip to visit two castles on the Loire: Chenonceaux and Chambord. Both represent outstanding achievements of Renaissance architecture and symbolize the wealth and power of the French rulers of that time. After the tour, we proceed to the Sanctuary of St. Martin in Tours. The sanctuary consists of several historic churches and chapels, the most important being the Basilica of St. Martin (Basilique Saint-Martin) and the Cathedral of St. Gatian (Cathédrale Saint-Gatien). The Basilica of St. Martin is built on the site of the saint’s tomb and is especially important for pilgrims.
We then proceed to dinner and an overnight stay.
FRANCE - TOURS - LOURDES
Breakfast and check-out from the hotel, then a journey towards Lourdes. Check-in at the hotel, dinner. In the evening, candlelight procession with the statue of the Virgin Mary.
Overnight stay in Lourdes.
FRANCE - LOURDES
Breakfast at the hotel. Full-day stay in Lourdes: attending Holy Mass and visiting places associated with the apparitions of Mary and the life of St. Bernadette Soubirous. Dinner in Lourdes. Free time.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Lourdes.
FRANCE - LOURDES - CARCASSONNE - AVIGNON
On this day, after breakfast, we visit the medieval city with the Carcassonne Fortress. The history of the fortress dates back to ancient times, but it was mainly during the Middle Ages that Carcassonne developed as a mighty defensive fortress. It consists of two parts: the Cité, or Old Town, located on the hill, and the Bastide Saint-Louis. The Cité de Carcassonne is surrounded by powerful defensive walls, with numerous towers, gates, and fortifications that give it its characteristic appearance. After a walk through narrow streets, stone houses, numerous shops, restaurants, and cafes, we head to Avignon.
Dinner and overnight stay.
FRANCE - AVIGNON-LA SALETTE
Breakfast and tour of historic Avignon. We visit the Notre-Dame-des-Doms Cathedral, built in Romanesque and Baroque styles. After a stroll across the legendary Saint Benezet Bridge, also known as the Bridge in the Song, we travel to La Salette, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in France.
Dinner and overnight stay.
FRANCE - LA SALETTE
The day starts with a morning Holy Mass. After breakfast, we drive to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of La Salette. Participation in the Marian Devotion.
Dinner and overnight stay.
FRANCE - LA SALETTE - GAP - LYON - ARS SUR FORMANS
After breakfast, we travel to Gap. We visit the main temple: the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne, and explore the sanctuary of Notre-Dame du Laus, where, according to tradition, Mary appeared to a simple peasant in the 17th century. Then we transfer to Lyon. In the city, we explore the old town (Vieux Lyon), one of the best-preserved medieval districts in Europe, with its narrow cobblestone streets, colorful houses, and picturesque squares. We visit the Cathedral of Saint John (Cathédrale Saint-Jean) and the Marian Sanctuary, the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière.
Dinner and overnight stay in Ars-sur-Formans.
FRANCE - ARS SUR FORMANS - NEVERS - PARIS
After breakfast, we travel to Ars – the city of St. John Vianney – the patron saint of parish priests. We visit the sanctuary dedicated to St. John Vianney. The focal point is the parish church, where his tomb is located, as well as a museum dedicated to his life and pastoral work.
After a lunch break (on your own), we travel to Nevers, where St. Bernadette Soubirou rests. After visiting the Sanctuary in Nevers, where she spent the last years of her life, passed away, and where her body was buried, we travel towards Paris.
Dinner and overnight stay.
FRANCE - PARIS
Breakfast. Full-day and intensive sightseeing of the most important attractions of Paris. We start the sightseeing route from the medieval city center located on the islands of Île de la Cité and Île de Saint-Louis on the Seine. We admire the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral – the symbol of the city and the most famous temple in Paris, the Palace of Justice surrounding the Holy Chapel with enormous stained glass windows and characteristic Gothic style. We visit such places as: the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées, the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal – the place of the Virgin Mary’s revelations to Sister Catherine Laboure, the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur on Montmartre Hill with the monumental Savoyarde bell, and the Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars. A day full of impressions ends with a farewell dinner.
Return to accommodation for the night.
FRANCE - PARIS - USA
On this day, we bid farewell to France. Depending on the departure time, breakfast will be provided either at the hotel or in the form of packed meals. Transfer to the airport. Passport control – return flight to the USA.
The program is tentative. The sequence of individual program points may change. Holy Mass daily (where possible, in selected sanctuaries).
Also discover our other pilgrimage and tour proposals:
Pilgrimage to Brazil and Argentina: https://stjosephtravel.com/en/tours/pilgrimage-to-brazil-and-argentina/
Africa 2024/2025: 1 Continent, 4 Countries: https://rektraveladventure.com/wycieczki/afryka-2024-1-kontynent-4-kraje/
The route of the selected trip
The company is not responsible for client’s lost property due to burglary, theft, loss, etc. we are also not responsible for client’s losses in motels. Rek Travel Company reserves the right to change the program, dictated by circumstances beyond its control. The client is obliged to comply with the tour regulations. Tour participants are insured as required by the U.S. Department of Transportation for a total of $5,000,000 (policy available for review upon request). For an additional fee, participants may be insured for in-patient and out-patient treatment of medical conditions acquired during the tour, as well as for accidents at sightseeing facilities (all information at the office).