Footsteps of our Founders: Marist Fathers and Sisters of St. Joseph Heritage Pilgrimage of

France

Especially designed for

This is NDV’s first pilgrimage to France! To reserve your space on this historic journey, register today!

Use group code 25008 to register for the pilgrimage online.
For instructions on how to register, click here.

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight from San Francisco to Lyon, France

Upon arrival in Lyon, meet your Tour Manager and awaiting motorcoach at the airport
Enjoy an orientation tour of Lyon, where ancient cobblestone streets wind through the historic Old Town, revealing the city’s Renaissance architecture, and the serene Rhône River, providing a delightful introduction to this UNESCO World Heritage city
Check-in to the hotel
Dinner at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel for overnight

Breakfast at the hotel
Half-day sightseeing in Lyon to visit the gravesite of Mother St. John Fontbonne, followed by a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Fourvieres (NDV church is modeled on the Basilica), dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who is said to have saved the city of Lyon from the plague in 1643
Lunch, on own
Also visit the gravesite of Mother St. John Fontbonne, then travel up to the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourviere, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who is said to have saved the city of Lyon from the plague in 1643; the basilica is today a UNESCO World Heritage site
Dinner at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel for overnight

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by check-out
Transfer to Le Puy-en-Velay, the site of the original foundation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1650, 375 years since the founding of the CSJ’s! On the way to Le Puy-en-Velay, we’ll stop in Monistrol and Bas-en-Basset Monistrol is where Mother St. John Fontbonne was superior, and ultimately expelled for not bowing to the revolutionary government. She was a courageous leader who is credited with the re-gathering of the Sisters of St. Joseph after the French Revolution. We will also visit her family home in Bas-en- Basset
Continue to Le Puy-en-Velay
Check-in to the hotel
Dinner at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel for overnight

Breakfast at the hotel
Early morning head to the Cathedral for Pilgrim’s Mass and Blessing
Transfer to the St. Joseph Centre for a presentation conducted by Sisters in a private meeting room
This afternoon, we will enjoy a tour of the Kitchen and Archives in Le Puy guided by one of the Sisters from the St. Joseph Centre
Dinner at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel for overnight

Breakfast at the hotel
Early morning head to the Cathedral for Pilgrim’s Mass and Blessing Half-day excursion to Chavaniac – Lafayette to visit the chateau where Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette was born in 1757. “Lafayette, we are here!”
Return to Le Puy-en-Velay
Afternoon at leisure in Le Puy-en-Velay for individual reflection and/or exploration.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel for overnight

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by check-out
Transfer to Lourdes, via a lunch stop in Albi, where the medieval charm of the Old Town unfolds against the backdrop of the awe-inspiring Sainte-Cécile Cathedral and the iconic Toulouse-Lautrec Museum (cost additional), offering a glimpse into the artistic and historical treasures of this picturesque French town
Continue to Lourdes, a renowned pilgrimage destination nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees, celebrated for the spiritual aura surrounding the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, where pilgrims seek solace and healing in the sacred waters of the Grotto
Check-in to the hotel
Dinner at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel for overnight

Breakfast at the hotel
Enjoy a walking tour in the footsteps of St. Bernadette, visiting St. Bernadette’s Birthplace and the house of St. Bernadette
Also visit the Parish Church of Sacre Coeur, and entrance to Le Cachot, a tiny chamber, a former prison, where St. Bernadette and her family lived in the 1850’s
Experience the Lourdes Baths, located within the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. The waters are believed to carry miraculous properties
Dinner at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel for overnight

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by check-out
Attend Morning Mass at Massabielle Grotto after visiting the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Underground Basilica of St. Pius X OR Walk the Stations of the Cross
Lunch, on own
Mid-afternoon transfer to Toulouse
Check-in to the hotel
Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel for overnight