I’ve just got back from a quick trip to France. Our first stop was Lourdes, in the Hautes-Pyrenees. While I’m not a religious person, I was interested to see a site of such significance to so many.
There is something special in the air of the region, and the weather was glorious, and it was interesting to wander around and even sit in the huge underground church.
I absolutely loved the view from our hotel room - it looked over a green park and onto the opposite hillside covered in trees and houses. I watched the light changing at different times during the day, and made a quick sketch of the picturebook buildings.
I was also super happy to be able to watch the candlelight procession in the evening, and listen to the lovely chanting.
The area around our hotel was very touristy and full of souvenir shops, but I still enjoyed browsing. We bought a little glass bottle and collected some holy water from the grotto to take home. (It didn’t cure my cold though).
Lourdes is a tiny town, with a big presence. I hope all the people visiting for a miracle, got hope from it.