PILGRIMAGE ITINERARY

Monday, April 5, 2027, Day 1: DEPART FROM USA

Depart from MSP or a NYC International Airport* on an overnight flight to Paris. Dinner and breakfast will be served on the flight. Quotes for add-on flights, as well as optional Premium Economy and Business Class upgrades, are available upon request. We work with group airfares that do not allow seat selection. If you wish to reserve specific seats on the flights, we recommend purchasing your own airline ticket and the land-only option with us. The Group Account Manager may provide further flight information once you have registered for the trip. *Group air and pricing will be confirmed in early June 2026.

Tuesday, April 6, 2027, Day 2: PARIS

We are greeted at the airport by our English-speaking Tour Manager, who will accompany us throughout the entire pilgrimage. Depart for the center of Paris and the magnificent Basilica of Sacré-Cœur, situated on the Hill of Martyrs (Montmartre). Built in 1914, the Basilica is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and contains an extraordinary mosaic of the Risen Christ, among other artworks of great beauty. We visit and celebrate Mass before settling into our hotel for a well-deserved night of rest. Dinner and overnight in Paris. (D)

Wednesday, April 7, 2027, Day 3: PARIS

We celebrate Mass at the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal and visit the burial site of St. Vincent de Paul. Our next stop is at the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral for a guided tour. We take a panoramic tour of the city to see the major highlights, including the Eiffel Tower, before enjoying our afternoon at leisure. Tonight, we gather for a transfer to our evening dinner cruise on the River Seine. Enjoy the magic of Paris at night with a wonderful dinner accompanied by wine as we sail past the magnificently illuminated monuments we saw during our panoramic city tour. Overnight in Paris. (B.Special Dinner) 

Thursday, April 8, 2027, Day 4: PARIS – REIMS 

This morning, we depart Paris to explore some of France’s magnificent medieval Gothic cathedrals. Almost every major city has a Church called Notre Dame (Our Lady), and today we see one of the most beautiful in the entire country. We drive through the Champagne wine-growing region to Reims, where we will tour the stunning Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Reims and celebrate Mass. The Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the traditional place where French kings were crowned. We are treated today to a tour, tasting, and lunch at a local champagne house. After we check into our hotel, pilgrims will have the rest of the day to explore the quaint area around the cathedral. Dinner is at the hotel. Overnight in Reims. (B.Special Lunch.D) 

Friday, April 9, 2027, Day 5: AMIENS

Today, we travel through northern France to Amiens to visit Notre-Dame d’Amiens, the largest Cathedral in France and another UNESCO World Heritage Site. We tour the Cathedral and celebrate Mass here. The Cathedral houses the preserved skull of St. John the Baptist. Another attraction of Amiens is the local artisanal cheeses at Le Halles food market, where we stop for lunch. Then we’ll wander through the vibrant Saint-Leu district, full of life, cafés, and canals, and conclude with a peaceful walk through the Hortillonnages, the city’s renowned floating gardens. In the afternoon, you have time to explore the town on your own and perhaps visit the Museum of Picardie or the House of Jules Verne. Dinner is at leisure. Overnight in Amiens. (B)

Saturday, April 10, 2027, Day 6: ROUEN- LISIEUX

This morning, we drive to Normandy and the port city of Rouen, where we retrace the footsteps of St. Joan of Arc. Rouen offers a restored medieval quarter and a magnificent Gothic cathedral, Notre-Dame, often painted by Claude Monet. Throughout its turbulent history, the city was destroyed several times. During the Middle Ages, it was devastated by fire and the plague. The English occupied it during the Hundred Years’ War when the French heroine Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc) was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in the central square in 1431. During WWII, Allied bombing raids laid waste to large parts of the city, especially the area south of the cathedral. Still, the city has undergone meticulous rebuilding over the last six decades. We tour the city on foot and visit the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace next door to experience an immersive multimedia presentation on the history of Joan of Arc. We walk across the town to celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Joan of Arc,and see where she was brutally murdered. In the afternoon, we depart for Lisieux for dinner and an overnight stay. (B.D)

Sunday, April 11, 2027, Day 7: LISIEUX

We have an entire day in the town of St. Therese. We celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Therese and have time for personal reflection and prayer. At her family home, Les Buissonnets, we see the saint’s relics, clothing, and personal objects. We also visit the Carmelite Convent, where she entered in 1888 and is now buried. Dinner and overnight in Lisieux. (B.D)

Monday, April 12, 2027, Day 8: LISIEUX – NORMANDY BEACHES

We drive through the beautiful French countryside en route to the Normandy Beaches.  The 54 miles of Atlantic coastline stretching from Utah Beach in the west to Sword Beach in the east are dotted with WWII museums, monuments, cemeteries, and battle remnants left in tribute to the courage of the British, Canadian, and American armies that successfully carried out the largest military operation in history: D-Day. On these serene beaches, at the crack of dawn on June 6, 1944, the Allies finally gained a foothold in France; from this moment, Nazi Europe was destined to crumble. This morning, we visit Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery and Memorial. We celebrate Mass near Omaha Beach and remember our brave, fallen soldiers. We have time for lunch, a prayer at the Beaches, and a visit to the museum before stopping for a calvados tasting on our way back to Lisieux for dinner and our overnight stay. (B.D)

Tuesday, April 13, 2027, Day 9:  MONT SAINT-MICHEL

Today, we are amazed at the site that awaits us as we approach the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel. Pilgrims can take a shuttle bus or pedestrian walkway across the tidal sands of the bay to the 17-acre St. Michael’s Island. As we ascend to the church, we can stroll through the historic medieval town before we celebrate Mass in the abbey church. Time permitting, we stop in the charming city of Bayeux for a coffee break before returning to our hotel in Lisieux for dinner. (B.D)   

Wednesday, April 14, 2027,  Day 10: CHARTRES – PARIS 

This morning, our day begins with breakfast and hotel check-out before we depart for Chartres to see the magnificent Cathedral of Notre-Dame and its incredible 12th- and 13th-century stained-glass windows. We celebrate Mass, explore the Cathedral and the Crypt, and venerate the relic on display in Chartres Cathedral, believed to be Mary’s Veil, also known as Santa Camisa. It is a silk cloth believed to be the tunic the Virgin Mary wore at the time of Jesus’ birth, and has been a central relic for the cathedral since it was gifted by King Charles the Bald in 876. The relic was miraculously found unharmed after a fire in 1194, which led to the rebuilding of the current cathedral. We arrive in Paris for dinner and overnight. (B.D)

Thursday, April 15, 2027, Day 11: RETURN TO USA

After breakfast, we are transferred to the airport for our flight home. (B)

OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO LOURDES

Thursday, April 15, 2027, Day 11: LOURDES

This morning, we take the TGV train to Lourdes. Upon arrival in Lourdes, we are transferred to our hotel. In the afternoon, we visit the Basilica of Our Lady to celebrate Mass. Following dinner, we join pilgrims from all over the world for the Candlelight Procession. Overnight in Lourdes. (B.D)  

Friday, April 16, 2027, Day 12: LOURDES

We celebrate Mass, visit the Basilica and the Grotto, where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette, and drink water from the miraculous spring, a source of healing for many. Our group will have the opportunity to visit Boly Mill, the birthplace of St. Bernadette, and the “Cachot,” an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverished family once lived. We will also pray the Stations of the Cross and attend the Blessing of the Sick in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes. (B.D)

Saturday, April 17, 2027, Day 13: LOURDES

After breakfast, we celebrate Mass, followed by a full day of prayer and devotion. Visit the baths, immerse yourself in the miraculous water, and browse for religious gifts. In the evening, join the Candlelight Procession. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes. (B.D)

Sunday, April 18, 2027, Day 14: TOULOUSE – RETURN TO USA

Early this morning, we depart for the airport in Toulouse and our flight home.