Bartres Church

Bartrés
Bartrés is a half-day excursion which will usually include the celebration of Mass in the parish church of the village, the Church of St. Jean the Baptist where Bernadette prepared for her First Holy Communion. Whist in the church you will be able to venerate a first class relic of St Bernadette.

Bartrés is a little village about 20 minutes drive from Lourdes with about 240 inhabitants. Whilst there, you will have the opportunity to visit the farmhouse where Bernadette was fostered by Marie Aravant for 2 years as a baby and lived again when she returned to Bartrés from Lourdes at the age of 13 to help Marie Aravant with her 8 children. Bernadette also worked as a shepherdess during the day looking after the sheep in the hills around the village.

The excursion is completed with a visit to the Lake of Lourdes, where locals like to go during the summer and enjoy themselves with attractions such as pony rides and paddle boats or just to relax in the café.

Gavarnie

Gavarnie
The excursion to Gavarnie, a half-day scenic excursion into the Pyrénées is generally taken in the afternoon, leaving Lourdes at 1.30pm and returning in time for dinner at 7pm.

The village of Gavarnie was the last village in France in the Middle Ages on the old Pilgrim route to the tomb of St. James at Santigao de Compostella. The Cirque de Gavarnie is the most famous place in the Pyrenees, it is 1,400 metres (4,400 feet) and is home to the highest waterfall in Europe.

On the journey to Gavarnie, which takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes you will see many places of interest including the Lavedan Valley, Argeles Gazost, St. Savin de Lavedan, Valley of Luz, Pic du Midi and Luz, all of which will be explained to you by your guide. You will spend about an hour and a half in Gavarnie, time to take a walk along the river to the waterfall, or to the statue of Our Lady of the Snows, go shopping in the many craft shops or small perfumery where perfumes are made from alpine plants. There are also lots of nice cafes where you can enjoy the famous French crêpe (pancake).

St. Jean de Luz

Ibardin & St Jean de Luz
This is a full day excursion to the Basque region to visit the Spanish village of Ibardin and nearby French seaside resort of St. Jean de Luz.

The journey to Ibardin takes about 2 hours along the motorway known as “entre deux mers” or between the two seas, as it runs between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Along the way you will hear about the various towns, villages, cities and other places of interest. Such as Pau, the birth place of Henry IV, Orthez and its ‘Tower of Misery’, Dax, where St. Vincent de Paul once lived, Bayonne and its famous ham, and not forgetting the vineyards of Bearn. Ibardin is best known for its bargains, it’s a ‘tax haven’ allowing you to purchase Spanish leather, porcelain, cigarettes and alcoholic spirits, all very cheaply priced.

After Ibardin you will return back over the border to the French fishing port and seaside resort of St. Jean de Luz. Here you can have your packed lunch in one of the cafés or as a picnic on the sea front before going for a bathe in one of the finest beaches on France’s Atlantic coast or wandering around the shops in the picturesque town center.

Lac de Gaube

Pont d’Espagne
This is a half-day scenic excursion into the Pyrénées, to Pont d’Espagne, part of the Pyrénées National Park. The journey takes about 1 hour 30 minutes during which your guide will inform you about the different places of interest. You will hear about the thermal spas which are quite common in this part of France with people coming from all over the world for treatment. You also pass through the skiing resort of Cauterets, at 1,500m altitude.

Pont d’Espagne (the bridge of Spain) was built in the 19th century and used as a pathway into Spain by traders carrying their goods such as cheese, animals and wine in each direction.

Upon arriving here you can choose between sitting peacefully at the waterfall and enjoy a coffee and the fabulous view. The more energetic can take the 20 minute steep walk or the chairlift to Lac de Gaube, a glacier lake at the foot of the Vignemale mountain, the highest mountain in the French Pyrenees at 3,928m altitude.

On returning to Lourdes you will stop off at La Railliere, the thermal spring town famous for its Berlingot boiled sweets.

Pau Castle

Betharram and Pau
This is a half-day cultural excursion to the shrine of Betharram and town of Pau. First stop, about 20 minutes from Lourdes is Betharram, a 700 year old shrine dedicated to Our Lady under three popular titles; Our Lady of the Star, Our Lady of Calvary and Our Lady of Betharram.

St Bernadette used to come as a pilgrim to Betharram and it was here she bought the Rosary beads she had during the first apparition. She also made her first confession in Betharram to Fr Michael Garicoits founder of the Fathers of the Sacred Heart of Betharram and now a Saint himself. You will get the opportunity to visit the 17th century church and see the altar carved by Auguste Renoir in the 19th century.

After Betharram you will drive through the beautiful Bearn countryside to the town of Pau, the chief town of this region of France, the Atlantic Pyrénées. Here you will have time here to stroll around the very tempting boutiques and shops or visit the many places of interest. Pau was the birthplace of Henry IV and you can visit his castle, and on Boulevard de Pyrénées you get one of the finest views of the mountain range it was named after.