Oh Lordy Lourdes

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Trip start
October 28, 2024
Oh Lordy Lourdes
St Bertrand medieval village
October 28, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F
Saint Bertrand de Comminges Valcabrère

is a commune (municipality) and former episcopal see in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. It is a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The Most Beautiful Villages of France") association.

In 406, Saint Jerome wrote that the Roman General Pompey, while on the way back to Rome after a military campaign in Spain, founded a Roman colony there, presumably to defend the passage to the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees and the Iberian peninsula. However, extensive archaeological investigations have failed to find any evidence of this. The colony, built on the valley floor below the current hilltop village, was named Lugdunum Convenarum. This Roman town dates from the Augustan period and had reached around 30,000 people at its highest point. It belonged to the Roman province of Novempopulana and had a growing Christian community, which by the late fourth century got its own Diocese of Comminges, which was suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Eauze. It is claimed to have been the place of exile from 39 AD of Herod Antipas, with his wife Herodias, under Emperor Caligula's orders, although this is based on an unclear point in Josephus. In 405 the Vandals sacked the city and forced the peasantry to move to the citadel.

Bertrand de l'Isle was canonised and became known as Saint-Bertrand in the 13th century and Lugdunum Convenarum became known as Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges. The term Comminges itself comes from the Latin word "Convenae", meaning "those who came together" at Pompey's new settlement.

In addition to the former cathedral, the village has a Romanesque basilica as well as Roman ruins. There is an archeological site close to the Cathedral in which it is possible to identify the remains of a Roman thermae and of a theatre.
The village itself is a medieval one, with several arches and vaults. It has several gates entering it; on the Cabirole Gate it is possible to read about the tax set by Louis XIV on fish. Another gate, the Majou Gate, is interesting in that it is the one pilgrims used. Following the ramparts it is possible to observe the Matacan Rock from which, according to the legend, Gondoald had been executed by Gunther.

We enjoyed our time in this unique gorgeous village. Onto Lourdes!Read more
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Oh Lordy Lourdes
Petit train & museum, Chateau Lourdes
October 29, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F
Lourdes is a town in southwestern France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains. It’s known for the Sanctuaires Notre-Dame de Lourdes, or the Domain, a major Catholic pilgrimage site. Each year, millions visit the Grotto of Massabielle (Grotto of the Apparitions) where, in 1858, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a local woman. In the grotto, pilgrims can drink or bathe in water flowing from a spring.

A huge attraction for many is Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary (French: Notre Dame du Rosaire de Lourdes) is a Catholic church and minor basilica within the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. Its main theme is a celebration and depiction of the Rosary. The Rosary Basilica is the third of the churches to be completed on the site (after the Crypt and the Upper Basilica). It was designed by architect Leopold Hardy and completed in 1899. It was consecrated in 1901 and has a capacity of 1,500 worshippers. Its style is influenced by Byzantine architecture.
We also visited the Château Fort Musée Pyrénéen. The château fort de Lourdes (Gascon: Castèth de Lorda) is a historic castle located in Lourdes in the Hautes-Pyrénées département of France. It is strategically placed at the entrance to the seven valleys of the Lavedan.

Besieged in 778 by Charlemagne, it became the residence of the Counts of Bigorre in the 11th and 12th centuries. In the 13th century, it passed into the possession of the Counts of Champagne, part of the kingdom of Navarre before coming under the crown of France under Philippe le Bel. It was ceded to the English by the Treaty of Brétigny in 1360, before returning to France at the start of the 15th century after two sieges. In the 17th century, the castle became a royal prison, and then a state prison after the French Revolution. It continued in this role until the start of the 20th century, when it became the Pyrenean Museum (Musée Pyrénéen) (1921) which it remains
We had a lovely lunch at a small restaurant- Bill ate a pumpkin quiche type tart as a starter. And CJ ate mushroom soup! Then Bill had veal and salad with potatoes and CJ had trout and lentils with veggies. Deliciously followed by a small scoop of gelato and expresso!
We visited the Petit Lourdes last as cheesy as it sounds it was quite cute and very cool. Miniature version of Lourdes circa 1958, made of masonry & ornamented with bonsai trees & flowers. It took the designer 22 years. He left it to his family and the Grandchildren run the museum today!Read more
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Oh Lordy Lourdes
Tarbes and Lourdes
October 30, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
Went for a day trip to Tarbes, about 30 minutes from Lourdes. Small town with a beautiful park surrounding the Museum of the Hussards, a light cavalry unit in many armies. Unfortunately no dogs allowed, not even in the garden!
We walked around the park, found the Hôtel de Ville and many statues. Not much to see. Went by a thrift store on our way back then looked for a picnic spot. Finding nothing, we ate back at the apartment, took naps and enjoyed a slow moving day.Read more
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Oh Lordy Lourdes
Pic du Jur
October 31, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F
We decide to take the Funicular up to Pic du Jur today and hike
Located at 951 m (3,120 ft) metres above the city of Lourdes, it is recognizable by its big cross lit up at night.

The mountain is accessible by funicular, which has been in operation since 1900. It transports passengers up to 950 m high, which follows a 1,100 m (3,600 ft) long route, on a slope varying from 27% (right at the beginning) to 56%.[1] The route separates in two in the middle to enable the two trains to pass. It travels through two tunnels and over a viaduct, which can be seen from distance, such as from the route linking Lourdes to Argelès (Argelès-Lourdes direction). The lower station is accessible near the route (indicated by arrows from the southern Lourdes exit roundabout). One can also get to it by bus from the town-centre.
The 15-minute-long journeys (1.20 m/s) are usually every 30 minutes. The wagons hold 80 passengers (40 seated). From March to September, the funicular operates from 9:30 to 18:30, while only operating afternoons during the rest of the year.
At the higher station, there are several paths leading to the summit. There is a fast food and drink outlet near the station, with terraced benches and wonderful views of Lourdes, the mountain peaks and the surrounding area.
The main path has a few sheltered benches. Near the summit, the quality of the paths reduces considerably, but one can reach the summit without any real difficulty for a fairly fit and agile person. From the observatory, situated on the peak, an exceptional panorama awaits the visitor: Lourdes, the Lavedan and Argelès-Gazost, Tarbes, Lannemezan, Pau and the whole central mountain range of the Pyrenees (with orientation board). However, the observatory is in an abandoned state, as is the rest of the equipment on the summit, but this does not take anything away from the quality of the panorama.
The pic du Jer is also a hiking and climbing stead. The start of a downhill permanent mountain bike slope is at the foot of the station of arrival.Read more
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Trip end
November 1, 2024

St Bertrand medieval village

Petit train & museum, Chateau Lourdes

Tarbes and Lourdes

Pic du Jur