A visit to Lourdes, France will be a spiritually enlightening
trip. Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of
south western France. Famous for the Marian Shrines, Lourdes is
visited by nearly 200 million people every year. The belief is that
the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared several times in Lourdes and a
statue was erected in her honor in 1864. The spring water from the
grotto is also believed to possess healing properties.
Not far from the Shrines is the Hotel Paradis with access on the
banks to the Gave River and a panoramic view of the Pyrenees. The
hotel’s restaurant serves meals that are out of this world. On the
outskirts the Little Flower Cafe offers croques monsieur, madame
and sandwiches.
Lourdes is also home to the Rugby Union Team, eight-time
national championship winners, also home to MVP Jean Prat. Need
more entertainment? Check out Le Dubliner’s, an Irish pub in the
middle of Lourdes, France.
