Join Father Carl Musemeche on this classical pilgrimage to France including Lourdes, Aix-en-Provence, Carcassonne, La Salette, Ars, Paray-le-Monial, and Nevers. Render homage to Our Lady of La Salette, St. Mary Magdalene, St. John Vianney, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, St. Bernadette Soubirous, and many more. End the trip in Paris, where we will visit the main Catholic sites of this beautiful city.

Do not miss this wonderful opportunity! Excellent accommodations and amazing sites. Benefit from daily Mass and enjoy the companionship of your fellow travelers, and the safety and ease of group travel!

HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Paris: Notre Dame Cathedral, Montmartre Sacred Heart Basilica, Sainte Chapelle, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, St. Catherine Laboure, St. Vincent de Paul, Seine River cruise

Lourdes: Our Lady of Lourdes apparitions, St. Bernadette Soubirous

Aix-en-Provence: Cave of St. Mary Magdalene

Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume: St. Mary Magdalene, St. Cedonius

La Salette: Our Lady of La Salette

Carcassonne: Medieval walled city

Ars: St. John Vianney

Paray-le-Monial: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Nevers: St. Bernadette Soubirous

Chartres: Cathedral housing a relic of the veil of Our Lady

Lisieux: St. Therese of the Child Jesus

CONTACT US TO REGISTER

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GENERAL TERMS/CONDITIONS

TRAVEL INSURANCE

ITINERARY

Day 1. Monday, October 14: Transatlantic flight to Toulouse

Fly from Chicago (ORD) to Toulouse (TLS). Leave at 5:10 pm.

Day 2. Tuesday, October 15: Toulouse - Lourdes

Upon arrival in Toulouse at 1:35 pm, transfer to Lourdes for a welcome dinner and overnight. (WD)

Day 3. Wednesday, October 16: Lourdes

Spend the morning at leisure for private devotions. In the afternoon, enjoy a walking tour of the main sites related to St. Bernadette and the apparitions. Tonight, you may participate in the rosary and candlelight procession. (BB, D)

Day 4. Thursday, October 17: Lourdes – Carcassonne – Aix-en-Provence

En route to Aix-en-Province, stop at the impressive fortified city of Carcassone. Enjoy free time to walk around its medieval buildings and visit the cathedral: here, St. Dominic of Guzman was Vicar General and preached to convert many heretics. After lunch on your own, continue to Aix- en-Provence for dinner and overnight. (BB, D)

Day 5. Friday, October 18: Aix-en-Provence. Excursion to sites of St. Mary Magdalene

Begin the day with a visit to St. Mary Magdalene’s Cave, with the last part uphill, where St. Mary Magdalene spent her last days in prayer and penance. Continue to Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume to visit the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene. Venerate the relics of St. Mary Magdalene, and in the crypt, pray before her skull and the relics of St. Cedonius, the man born blind and healed by Our Lord. Return to Aix-en-Provence for free time and independent dinner. (BB)

Day 6. Saturday, October 19: Aix-en-Provence – La Salette – Ars

This morning, travel to La Salette, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in 1846 to two shepherds, Melanie Calvat and Maximin Giraud. A spring forever marks the spot where she appeared. Visit the Valley of the Apparition, where the children saw the vision and heard the message, and the Basilica built to honor Our Lady, followed by time for private devotions in this beautiful shrine in the French Alps. Continue to your hotel near Ars for dinner and overnight. (BB, L, D)

Day 7. Sunday, October 20: Ars – Paray-le-Monial – Nevers

Today in Ars, render homage to St. John Vianney, patron saint of parish priests. Visit the old 12th-century church where the saint preached and the confessionals where he spent most of his time. In the Basilica, pray before the glass reliquary containing his incorrupt body. His incorrupt heart is in the Shrine of the Cure’s Heart just outside the Basilica. A short drive will take you to Paray-le-Monial to visit the Chapel of the Visitation, where Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and promised “I make you the heir to My Heart”. Her body is in a side chapel to the right of the main altar. Then, visit the Chapel of St. Claude de la Colombiere, to venerate the saint who helped spread the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was the confessor, friend, and confidant to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Afterwards, travel to Nevers to pray before the incorrupt body of St. Bernadette Soubirous. Dinner and overnight in Nevers. (BB, L, D)

Day 8. Monday, October 21: Nevers – Chartres – Lisieux

Today, travel to Chartres to visit its majestic Cathedral and pray before the Veil of Our Lady, miraculously preserved during a fire in 1194. Admire the glorious collection of over 150 stained glass windows, illustrating biblical stories and daily life in the 13th century. Continue to Lisieux for dinner and overnight. (BB, D)

Day 9. Tuesday, October 22: Lisieux - Paris

This morning visit Lisieux, the home of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, whom Pope St. Pius X called “the greatest saint of modern times.” Catch a glimpse of her extraordinary love for God and service to humanity as you visit the Basilica of St. Therese and Les Buissonets, her family home. On display are relics, clothing, and personal objects belonging to the “Little Flower.” Unite your prayers in the Carmel Chapel with those of the Carmelite sisters, just as St. Therese did before her death in 1897. In the afternoon journey to Paris for dinner and overnight. (BB, D)

Day 10. Wednesday, October 23: Paris

Today visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Montmartre, built on the site of the martyrdom of St. Denis and his companions. Afterwards, visit the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal and before the incorrupt body of St. Catherine Labouré, to whom Our Lady appeared in 1830 and displayed a vision of the miraculous medal. The incorrupt body of St. Louise de Marillac and the heart of St. Vincent de Paul, founders of the Daughters of Charity, also rest in this church. Nearby, visit the Chapel of St. Vincent of Paul to venerate his remains. After lunch on your own, enjoy a panoramic sightseeing of the city, followed by a cruise on the Seine River. Overnight in Paris. (BB)

Day 11. Thursday, October 24: Paris

This morning stop (outside view) by Notre Dame Cathedral, an icon of Paris and a magnificent example of Gothic architecture. Continue to the Sainte Chapelle built by St. Louis King of France to house Our Lord’s Crown of Thorns. The building is a magnificent work of art with astounding stained-glass windows. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure, before farewell dinner at a typical brasserie. Overnight in Paris. (BB, FD)

Day 12. Friday, October 25: Homebound Flight

This morning transfer to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport for your flight back to the US.

Buffet Breakfast (BB); Dinner (D); Welcome Dinner (WD); Farewell Dinner (FD)

* In case of unforeseen events, this itinerary is subject to change.

Paris. Vincent de Paul. 2015. DSC05568.JPG

Lisieux. Les Buissonnets 1. CReyes 2015.JPG

Chartres. Cathedral 1. MBomberger 2014.JPG

Nevers. Bernadette. 2015. DSC05116_small.jpg

Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume-skull_commons_wikipedia.jpg

CHAPLAIN

Fr. Carl Musemeche was born and raised in the formerly French-speaking, Catholic, and rural sugarcane-producing community of Bayou Blue, Louisiana. He graduated from The University of Louisiana at Monroe with a degree in Pharmacy. After completing the Radiopharmacy curriculum at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and obtaining an Authorized User/R.S.O. licensure with the N.R.C., he practiced as a Nuclear Pharmacist for some years before entering the SSPX seminary in Winona.

Fr. Musemeche was ordained on June 21, 2019 by Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Dillwyn, Virginia. He is assigned to St. Mary’s in Kansas, where his duties consist of parish ministry.

Father has traveled extensively throughout the world and has made several pilgrimages to Europe and the Holy Land.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

Currently there are no travel restrictions to France.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Accommodations for this pilgrimage are in first-class hotels.

Rooms in double occupancy are for two people to share; they have two twin beds or one double bed. Rooms in single occupancy have a single bed and are for one person to occupy; a “single supplement fee” is added for single occupancy rooms.

Lourdes: 2 nights, Hotel Eliseo Lourdes or similar https://www.hoteleliseolourdes.fr/en/hotel-restaurant-lourdes-france

Aix en Provence: 2 nights, Mercure Villefranche en Beaujolais Ici & La or similar https://all.accor.com/hotel/9783/index.en.shtml

Villefranche sur Saone: 1 night, Mercure Villefranche en Beaujolais Ici & La or similar https://www.mercurevillefranchesursaone.com/#

Nevers: 1 night, Mercure Nevers Pont de Loire or similar https://all.accor.com/hotel/3480/index.en.shtml

Lisieux: 1 night , Ibis Styles Lisieux Normandie or similar https://all.accor.com/hotel/1725/index.en.shtml

Paris: 3 nights, Les Jardins Du Marais or similar https://en.lesjardinsdumarais.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAm4WsBhCiARIsAEJIEzVD31t-0nUVwjwoh3Btrl4dHjMvoPucv-EpXRy49y6WwPzbY5IUz38aAivREALw_wcB"

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

The group air reservation is with Air France (AF). The outgoing flight departs from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) airport. Please do not purchase any air tickets until we notify that the group is fully formed. The group air schedule could undergo minor changes from the airlines; if a major change occurs, we will modify the listed flight schedule.

Flight AF137 OCT14 departs Chicago O’Hare (ORD) at 5:10PM, arrives Paris (CDG) at 8:15AM OCT15
Flight AF7404 OCT15 departs Paris (CDG) at 12:15PM, arrives Toulouse (TLS) at 1:35PM
Flight AF136 OCT25 departs Paris (CDG) at 1:10PM, arrives Chicago O’Hare (ORD) at 3:10PM

TRIP PACE

The pace for this pilgrimage is “on the go”.. There is daily walking and standing. Pilgrims must be in active enough condition to walk 3-4 hours and stand for 2-3 hours per day. We strongly recommend preparing oneself by walking before the trip, building up to at least 2-3 miles per day.

Sometimes walking is up or down slopes, and at times sidewalks and terrain will be uneven. Pilgrims must have full mobility and be able to climb several stairs, since many of the visited places have no other access. A certain pace must be kept by all pilgrims in order to cover the scheduled sightseeing. Some days may have several hours on the motor-coach.

Also see the “PHYSICAL HEALTH & FITNESS” section in the General Terms & Conditions.

PRICING INFORMATION

Pilgrimage price per person (pp) with air from Chicago O’Hare (ORD): $4,640 (includes estimated air taxes & surcharges of $555 as of December 2023, subject to change)

Land-only pilgrimage price in double occupancy: $3,705 pp
Single supplement: $1,270
Non-refundable deposit of $250 pp is due by: July 10, 2024
Balance due by: August 9, 2024

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Scheduled roundtrip transatlantic flight Chicago (ORD) to Toulouse (TLS) then returning from Paris (CDG) to Chicago (ORD)
Accommodations in first-class hotels
Daily Holy Mass
Deluxe motor-coach for scheduled transfers and sightseeing
Daily breakfasts and most dinners
Services of a professional English-speaking tour escort
Admission fees for all included sightseeing
Porterage for one suitcase per person at the hotels
Service charges, government fees
What’s not included: