Lourdes Sanctuary: the complete guide to the pilgrimage and the Grotto

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is one of the world's great Catholic pilgrimage sites: about 4 million pilgrims in 2025, according to its press kit. Its story begins on 11 February 1858, when Bernadette Soubirous, aged 14, first sees a “Lady” in the Grotto of Massabielle.

Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879) is the eldest child of a poor Lourdes family. That day she is gathering dead wood by the river. Between 11 February and 16 July 1858, she witnesses 18 apparitions.

Key dates: 11 February, first apparition. 18 February, the Lady promises her happiness “not in this world, but in the next”. 24 February, “Penance!”. 25 February, Bernadette scratches the ground and the spring appears. 2 March, “Go and tell the priests to come here in procession and to build a chapel here”. 25 March, the Lady gives her name in Gascon: “I am the Immaculate Conception”. 16 July, last apparition.

The apparitions were recognised by the Bishop of Tarbes on 18 January 1862. Bernadette left Lourdes for the convent in Nevers in July 1866 and died there on 16 April 1879. She was canonised on 8 December 1933 by Pius XI.

The Sanctuary was then built: the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (consecrated in 1876), the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary (consecrated in 1901) and the underground Basilica of St Pius X (consecrated on 25 March 1958). The domain has been a listed historic monument since 1995.

The Sanctuary domain covers 55 hectares in the heart of Lourdes, on both banks of the Gave de Pau, and has 28 places of worship. Entry is free. It closes at night: according to the tourist office, it is open from 6 am to 1 am from 4 April to 1 November 2026, then from 7 am to 10 pm until the end of December (times to be confirmed on site).

The Grotto of Massabielle: the heart of the Sanctuary. In the niche of the apparitions stands the Carrara marble statue of the Virgin by Joseph-Hugues Fabisch, unveiled on 4 April 1864. Candles, prayer, and the spring visible at the back of the grotto.

The spring water: it flows from 18 taps and fountains, where you can drink, make the “water gesture” and fill a bottle free of charge. It is ordinary spring water, to which believers attach spiritual value.

The basilicas: the Immaculate Conception (blessed in 1871, consecrated in 1876), Our Lady of the Rosary (blessed in 1889, consecrated in 1901) and the underground Basilica of St Pius X (1958), which can hold 20,000 people, 5,000 of them seated.

The Stations of the Cross on the Espélugues hill: 1,500 m, 115 cast-iron statues, inaugurated in 1912.

The baths: from April to October, 17 baths welcome pilgrims for immersion, mainly in the morning. Check the times on site.

Especially from April to October, the Sanctuary offers a daily programme of celebrations. Everything is free.

Masses: Mass at the Grotto every day at 10 am. International Mass on Wednesdays and Sundays at 9.30 am in the Basilica of St Pius X, from April to November. Other Masses are celebrated every day in the basilicas and chapels, in several languages.

The processions (not to be missed): the Eucharistic procession, every day at 5 pm, with the blessing of the sick; the Marian torchlight procession, every evening at 9 pm from April to October, which moves up the esplanade to the singing of the Ave Maria, sometimes with several thousand pilgrims.

Welcoming the sick: one of the vocations of Lourdes. The Accueil Notre-Dame, inside the Sanctuary (a health facility with 49 rooms), and the Accueil Marie Saint-Frai receive sick or disabled pilgrims. Volunteers, hospitallers and stretcher-bearers, accompany the most vulnerable pilgrims.

The programme of the day (times, languages, confessions) is published on lourdes-france.org: check it before your visit.

When to come? The Sanctuary is open all year round, but the programme is richest from April to October. The major feasts (11 February, 15 August, 8 December) draw the biggest crowds. From November to March, the atmosphere is calmer.

How to get there? By train: direct TGV trains link Paris-Montparnasse with Lourdes in about 5 hours; from the station to the Sanctuary, allow about twenty minutes on foot. By air: Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées airport is 10 km away. By car: A64, exit 12 Tarbes-Ouest, then the RN21. The Sanctuary has no visitor car park: see our parking guide.

On site: modest dress is requested, and silence is expected at the Grotto.

FAQ. Do I have to be Catholic? No, the Sanctuary is open to everyone. Do I need to book? Not for an individual visit: access is free and open. How long should I allow? One day for the essentials; two or three days to experience the processions and celebrations. Are there Masses in other languages? Yes, notably the international Mass on Wednesdays and Sundays, and Masses in several languages depending on the day. Are the baths open? Yes, from April to October, for immersion.

Where to stay: À l'Ombre de la Tour, 31 rue de la Grotte, 8 minutes' walk from the Sanctuary. Studio (2 people), one-bedroom flat (4), duplex (6) and the whole house for up to 12 people for group pilgrimages. Equipped kitchen, private garden, free public car park 50 m away. Over the last 12 months, accommodation has averaged €17 to €23 per person per night, with the home filled to capacity. Book direct on our official website: save up to 18% compared with booking platforms. A question about procession times? Message us on WhatsApp.