Pilgrim Routes to Lourdes

Walking pilgrimages that bring you to Lourdes by foot, from half-day circuits to 900 km journeys

Challenging30–35 days (full) / 7–8 days (final stages from Aire-sur-l'Adour)

Via Podiensis to Lourdes

750 km (full) / 120 km (final stages)

The Via Podiensis (GR65) is the most famous French pilgrimage route, a 750 km journey from Le Puy-en-Velay through the landscapes of the Massif Central and Gascony before descending into the Pyrenean foothills toward Lourdes. The final 120 km from Aire-sur-l'Adour offer a beautiful standalone itinerary for pilgrims with a week to spare, passing through Arzacq, Arthez-de-Béarn and Pau before the emotional arrival at the Lourdes Sanctuary.

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Moderate5–6 days

Camino Francés to Lourdes

95 km (from Pamplona to Lourdes via Roncesvalles)

This route takes pilgrims from Pamplona in Navarra north across the Pyrenees via the iconic Puerto de Ibañeta pass to Roncesvalles, then diverges from the Santiago Camino northwards through the Basque foothills to the French border and on to Lourdes. Walking from Spain to France to reach Our Lady's Sanctuary is a profoundly moving experience, you cross the same mountains that medieval pilgrims used for centuries.

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Challenging35–40 days (full) / 10–12 days (Auch to Lourdes)

Via Tolosana to Lourdes

750 km (full) / 200 km (Auch to Lourdes standalone)

The Via Tolosana (GR653) is one of the four ancient French pilgrim roads that converge in the Pyrenees, walked since the Middle Ages by pilgrims bound for Santiago de Compostela and now equally valued by those making for Lourdes. Beginning at the Roman city of Arles in Provence, the route crosses Languedoc wine country and the dramatic Hérault river gorges, passes through Toulouse with its magnificent Basilica of Saint-Sernin, then enters the rolling Gascon countryside of the Gers before the Pyrenees rise ahead. The Auch-to-Lourdes section (200 km, 10–12 days) is an ideal standalone pilgrimage through sunflower fields and bastide towns, ending as the Lourdes spire appears above the valley.

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Moderate9–10 days

Chemin de Rocamadour to Lourdes

180 km

This spectacular route joins two of France's greatest Marian shrines: the cliff-top sanctuary of Rocamadour, where the Black Madonna has received pilgrims since the 12th century, and the Grotto of Massabielle at Lourdes. The path descends from the Quercy limestone plateaux through the Lot and Aveyron valleys, crosses the Pyrenean foothills of the Gers and Hautes-Pyrénées, and arrives at Lourdes via the Gave de Pau river valley. Walking from one Marian sanctuary to another gives this route an extraordinary spiritual coherence: you leave in the presence of Our Lady and arrive in her presence.

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Moderate2 days with overnight in Gavarnie (or 3 days at a relaxed pace)

Lourdes to Gavarnie Mountain Walk

46 km

When you leave the Lourdes Sanctuary heading south, you walk directly into the Pyrenees — and within two days you reach the Cirque de Gavarnie, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the natural wonders of Europe. This mountain extension is one of the most spiritually resonant walks available to pilgrims: you depart from the sacred Grotto, climb through valleys of breathtaking beauty, overnight in the mountain village of Gavarnie, and arrive at the foot of a natural amphitheatre with a 422-metre waterfall. The walk can be completed independently as an add-on to any Lourdes stay, or included in our Lourdes & Pyrenees Explorer package.

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Pilgrimage Packages

Add a Guided Package to Your Route

Walking to Lourdes is just the beginning. Combine your pilgrim route with a fully organised Sanctuary programme: accommodation, ceremonies, guides and daily Mass all included.