Lourdes

Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France, located at the foot of the Pyrenees near the border with Spain. It lies along the Gave de Pau and is part of the Occitanie region. The town is best known as a major Catholic pilgrimage site.

In 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old local girl, reported a series of visions of a woman in a cave at Massabielle, later identified as the Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Lourdes. The events drew widespread attention and the sanctuary around the Grotto of Massabielle grew from the pilgrim influx. The local bishop approved the apparitions in 1862, and Lourdes developed as a center of devotion and pilgrimage.

The Lourdes Sanctuary comprises several basilicas and chapels built around the Grotto, including the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Upper Basilica), the Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire (Lower Rosary Basilica), and the Basilica of Saint Pius X (the underground crypt). The Grotto remains a focal point for prayer, processions, and devotion. Pilgrims visit the spring water, which is distributed for drinking and for bathing in the baths that are maintained for religious rites.

Impact and economy: Lourdes attracts millions of visitors annually and has facilities and services to support pilgrims. The town’s economy is heavily oriented toward faith-based tourism, with hotels, restaurants, medical and support services, and religious sites playing central roles in the local community.