Seine River Cruise Pilgrimage in France with Optional Extension to Lourdes with Gus and Michelle Lloyd and Fr. Leo Patalinghug

Depart on an overnight flight to Paris from Newark or JFK airport. Dinner and breakfast are served on the flight. Quotes for add-on flights from most airports and optional Premium Economy and Business Class upgrades are available upon request.

Welcome to France! Upon arrival in Paris, we clear passport control and are greeted by our English-speaking French guides at the airport. Our first stop is to celebrate Mass at the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal and see the incorrupt body of St. Vincent de Paul nearby. After lunch on our own, we board our motorcoach and start our day with a panoramic tour of the City of Lights that takes us along the wide, impressive boulevards past the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe to the University of Paris, the great center of Christian theological teaching at the end of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its famous professors included St. Bonaventure and St. Thomas Aquinas. In the late afternoon, we board our ship, our home for the next seven nights, and settle into the comfortable staterooms. Enjoy our first dinner on board, followed by a gathering on the top deck to see illuminated Paris and the fireworks above the Eiffel Tower.

We have breakfast on the ship and watch the pretty scenery along the banks of the Seine River, cruising to our first stop at Conflans St. Honorine. After breakfast, we board our motorcoach and travel to Versailles. We have a tour of the former royal residence built by King Louis XIV. In addition to a tour through the opulent interiors of Versailles, take some time to admire the vast formal gardens, which the Sun King loved and on which he lavished fortunes. With its Grand Canal, hundreds of fountains, manicured parterres, and thousands of trees, it remains one of the world’s greatest gardens. After lunch on our own, we celebrate Mass before returning to the ship. Dinner and overnight onboard.

This morning, we visit Rouen, where we retrace the footsteps of St. Joan of Arc. Rouen offers a restored medieval quarter and a marvelous Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame, often painted by Claude Monet. The roll call of famous people who lived or died in Rouen is long and varied: Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc, Gustave Flaubert, and Claude Monet are among them. 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 been meticulously rebuilt over the last six decades. We tour the city on foot, celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Joan of Arc, and see where she was brutally murdered. Right across the street from the Basilica is the famous restaurant where Julia Child had her first French meal and decided to become a chef. You may want to sample the food at the oldest French Inn La Couronne or return to the ship for lunch. Fete de la Musique is an annual music festival all over France. Rouen will have a program of concerts in all genres of music, including jazz, classical music, French music, etc.. The performances take place all over the city and are free. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure exploring the city and listening to music that is performed on the street, as well as in churches and cafes. Dinner and overnight on the ship.

We drive through the picture-perfect Normandy region to Omaha Beach, where we partake in a private ceremony at the American Memorial. We remember our brave, fallen soldiers who died during the D-Day Landings. The 54 miles of the Atlantic Ocean that stretch from Utah Beach in the west to Sword Beach in the east are lined with WWII museums, monuments, cemeteries, and battle remains 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. Mass will be celebrated (TBC). Dinner and overnight on the ship.

After breakfast, we disembark, driving to the forests above Caudebecen-Caux, to a Norman monastery dating back to the 7th century. The Abbey of St. Wandrille is now of the Benedictine order. One of its brothers today greets us for a personalized journey through various parts of the monastery. As we take in the site’s architectural highlights, our guide provides a fascinating insight into the modern monk’s way of life. Like many European monasteries, though unique in France, the brothers of St. Wandrille brew their own beer, which we have a chance to taste. Our day continues with a drive to Lisieux, where St. Therese the Little Flower lived. We visit the places frequented by the saint, including the Carmel Convent and the Basilica. We celebrate Mass in the Crypt at the Basilica. Following lunch in Lisieux, we drive to La Havre on the coast, where our ship awaits us. Dinner and overnight on the ship.

After breakfast, our motorcoach takes us to Honfleur, where we celebrate Mass and have time to explore the picture-perfect town. Our one-hour walking tour of the fishing village begins at the former smugglers’ harbor of Vieux Bassin, the most frequently painted scene in Honfleur, which looks much as it did a century ago, though now the boats in the harbor are more likely to be pleasure craft than fishing vessels. Our local guide takes us down tiny lanes, where houses stand shoulder to shoulder in a jumble of styles: narrow 19th-century slateroofed townhouses, 15th-century fishermen’s cottages, and tall and elegant mansions – many adorned with figures of chimeras or saints. We also see St. Catherine’s Church, built in the 15th century by shipwrights who gave it an oak ceiling that looks like the hull of a boat. We return to our ship for lunch and an afternoon of sailing. Following lunch, we gather in the lounge for a retreat. Dinner and overnight on the ship.

This morning we are docked in Vernon, a lovely little town often painted by Monet. Following breakfast, you may want to hike up to the village of Château de La Roche-Guyon, which sprawls out across the estate’s hillsides. Your hike includes a restored 17th-century garden, the Saint-Samson church, the old dungeon, and more. Please note that this hike may need to be canceled in the event of rain. The limestone outcropping that became Château de La Roche-Guyon began its history as a cave dwelling. It later transformed into a fortress, where medieval knights stood guard against their enemies. Enjoy walking through the elegantly designed garden and beautifully paneled rooms, and see where the German General Rommel made his headquarters here during WWII. Later in the day we visit the artist Claude Monet’s house and gardens. Monet lived in his home in Giverny for 43 years. The tour allows us to glimpse Monet’s life and inspiration for many of his greatest works of art, including the water lilies. We celebrate Mass before returning to the ship. Lunch, dinner, and overnight on the ship.

This morning after breakfast, we disembark from our floating hotel and are transferred by motorcoach for a visit to the Sacre Coeur Cathedral, where we celebrate Mass. Following Mass, we have some free time to enjoy Paris on our own, perhaps visit a museum or shop. You may consider a stop by the famous Café de Flore or Ralph Lauren’s fascinating restaurant featuring his take on classic American cuisine. You may wish to visit the Church of Saint-Sulpice, one of the largest churches in the city – second only, of course, to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. There are endless options you may find with a bit of pre-trip research. Dinner is at leisure. Overnight in Paris.

We are transferred to the airport for our flight home or continue to Lourdes for the extension.

This morning we are transferred to the train station, where we board the comfortable TGV train to Lourdes. Upon arrival in Lourdes, we settle into our hotel and visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes for Mass. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.

We have two full days in Lourdes. We celebrate Mass at the Basilica, have a walking tour of the Sanctuary, including the Grotto and the Basilica, and watch a video presentation that explains Lourdes’s story in detail. Our group will have the opportunity to see Boly Mill, the birthplace of St. Bernadette, and the Cachot, an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverished family lived. Pray the Stations of the Cross, and attend the Blessing of the Sick in the afternoon. We have time for private prayer and reflection. In the evening join the Candlelight Procession. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.

Following Mass in Lourdes, we depart for Toulouse, where Dominic of Osma founded the Dominican Order. The Jacobin Church was the heart of life and a teaching center in the 12th century and now is the place where St. Thomas Aquinas is buried. Standing majestically in the center of town, the huge Gothic structure contains the tomb and the saint’s relics. We have a guided tour of the church and time to explore the city on our own. Tonight’s dinner is at a local restaurant with a choice of beer or wine. Overnight in Toulouse. (B. Special dinner)

Early this morning, we are transferred to Toulouse airport, where we board our flights back to the United States.