One of the happiest occasions in my life was visiting Lourdes and being present where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette. Before I got there, however, I fell in love with the Pyrenees Mountains, seen in the photo to the left, which depicts our arrival at Lourdes Airport.

The Mountain Air

The air was so pure - much less polluted than the air in Paris. Even the river flowing through Lourdes contained crystal clear water as can be seen just below to the left. You can imagine that my first impression of the place, even before discovering the Sanctuary, was a very positive one. Lourdes has retained its country feel despite the fact that millions of visitors come here each year.

Our Hotel

The bottom photo depicts the hotel we 'lived' in for two nights. It is on the left hand side. It was only a short walking distance to the Grotto and the place where St. Bernadette lived.