France Lourdes to Border with Spain March 2013

Lourdes  is a small Town situated at the foothills of the French Pyrenees in Southern France.
Fame for the Shrine of The Apparitions of Lourdes....The Basilicas of The Immaculate Conception is one of the most visited Shrine of the Catholic World. 

It is A Pilgrimage site where sick Pilgrims believe the miracle healing of Lourdes Water...sourced from a spring at the Grotto.

The Basilllica of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Upper Basilica, was consecrated in 1876. It is an impressive, elaborate building in Gothic style. It is also called the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes

On 11th February 1858, a 14-year-old Miller's  daughter named  Bernadette Soubirdus claimed to have experienced a series of apparitions of a Lady dressed in white and with a blue belt around her waist, who later revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception. The Sanctuary became a destination of Catholic Pilgrimage since then. Sick pilgrims pray with deep faith to get healed with Lourde's Holy Water.

The Upper Basilica of The Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception

The Statue of the Crowned Virgin, often known as the "Crowned Statue" Behind the Crowned Statue is the Esplanade, a large open walkway which is used for the processions.

 

 

 

 

The open space in front of the Rosary Basilica is known as Rosary Square.

  

 

 

 

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The Domain also called The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is the ground area surrounding 
The Grotto to Our Lady of Lourdes 






The most sacred site at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is the 
Grotto of Massabiell or Grotto of Our lady of Lourdes

 

Lourdes Holy Water the spring where it was revealed to Bernadette. Pilgrims drink the Holy Water due to the belief of its healing power. The water is accessed from individual taps located between the grotto and the baths.

 Faith...is the ‘secret’ ingredient. As Bernadette said, “One must have faith and pray; the water will have no virtue without faith.” 

The chapel of light



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Bernadette"s Village

The Church at St. Bernadette's Village

  

  

 Location of St. Bernatte's Village House

     Leaving Lourdes for the Spanish Border,   to cross the Pyreness Mountains to follow the
Caminio de Compostella Pligrim route.

Lestelle Betharram Village

Up the Pyrenees on the D26 unable to continued on D26 after Larrau........ as road is not passable due to previous heavy snowfall and the road being narrow, besides it will be getting dark soon we decided we turned back to D19 to the border crossing nearest to Varcarlos, Spain.

We missed the Porte De Larrau Pass.....at more than 1600 metres high

Decided not to proceed as the D26 as the road is covered with snow and there is a collapsed section .of the road, narrowing the road....Turn back to D19 to

12 March Crossed the border at Valcarlos Spain.......