Located 30 km SE of Pau, the fortified town of Lourdes lies on both sides of the Gave de Pau River. It was little more than a village until, in 1858, 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous experienced 18 visions of the Virgin Mary at the Grotte Massabielle. Bernadettes visions were authenticated by Pope Pius IX, and Lourdes became a major religious shrine and pilgrimage center. Today, Lourdes receives approximately 5 million visitors searching for a miracle cure each year.
Tourist OfficePlace PeyramaleBP 1765101 LourdesPhone: 33 5 62 42 77 40Fax: 33 5 62 94 60 95
