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 Lourdes
Whether visiting as a pilgrim or a tourist, the second most visited city in France has a great deal to offer.
On February 11, 1858 the Virgin appeared to an illiterate 14-year-old; Marie-Bernarde Soubirous, later to become Saint Bernadette. This was the first of 18 visions, in a muddy grotte (cave) on the edge of the River Gave, over a six-month period. 2008 is the 150th anniversary of the Apparitions. Special events and programmes can be found here Lourdes Jubilee 1858 - 2008
Waxworks at Musée Grévin illustrate the story of Christ and the life of Bernadette.
Le Petit Lourdes is a recreation of the Lourdes of 1858; walk among the houses, monuments and waterways, reproduced in a garden of flowers and bonsais.
The Musée de Lourdes has an audio-visual recreation of life in Lourdes at the time of Bernadette.
Château Fort Musée Pyrénéen, built in the 14th century houses a collection of of everyday objects and traditional crafts of the Pyrénées.
La Fabrique offers a free visit to their studios, where you can watch religious statues being made. There is also an exhibition of statues.
At the Lac de Lourdes,a picnic spot, hire a rowing boat or pedalo.
Or take the Funiculaire du Pic du Jer for the panoramic view at 1,000m.
The town centre with its shops has a market every morning, all day on Thursdays & Saturdays.
Photo: The Sanctuaries. La Grotte, site of the apparitions is to the right of the image, the Basilique Notre-Dame du Rosaire, centre, with the Basilique de l'Immaculée Conception above.
The cathedral of Saint Bertrand de Comminges is a traditional pilgrim's resting place en route to Santiago de Compostella in north-west Spain.
 Aragon, Spain
Directly due south, a spectacular mountain drive takes you through the tunnel Aragnouet, to the Aragon region of the Spanish Pyrénées. Here you can eat tapas and discover the
Monte Perdido (lost mountain), the third highest of the Pyrénées at 3,352 m, and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997.
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