Proposed Itinerary

Days 1 & 2 — USA – Paris

Departure from your selected U.S. airport for our overnight flight to Paris.

Upon arrival, we will be welcomed by our local representatives and transferred by private motorcoach to our hotel.

Depending on our arrival time, we will enjoy a panoramic introduction to the French capital, discovering landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, Les Invalides, and the Eiffel Tower.

We will gather for our Welcome Mass, beginning our pilgrimage by entrusting the days ahead to the Lord.

Welcome dinner and overnight in Paris.

Day 3 — Paris – Lisieux: St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

After breakfast, we leave Paris and travel into Normandy toward Lisieux, home of one of the most beloved saints of modern Catholicism: St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.

We begin at Les Buissonnets, the family home where Thérèse lived before entering Carmel. Here we discover her family life and the extraordinary Christian witness of her parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin.

We continue to the Carmel of Lisieux, where Thérèse entered religious life at only fifteen years old and where her earthly remains are venerated.

Our pilgrimage culminates at the magnificent Basilica of St. Thérèse, where we will have time for prayer and celebrate Holy Mass.

Through these places, we will reflect upon her famous “Little Way”—the path of spiritual childhood, confidence in God’s mercy, and doing ordinary things with extraordinary love.

Dinner and overnight in Lisieux.

Day 4 — Lisieux – Mont Saint-Michel

Today we travel to one of the most extraordinary pilgrimage destinations in Europe: Mont Saint-Michel.

For centuries, pilgrims have crossed the surrounding landscape to reach this remarkable sanctuary dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, dramatically rising above the bay.

We will ascend through the medieval village toward the ancient Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, discovering its churches, cloisters, monastic buildings, and extraordinary history.

There will be time for prayer and, subject to availability, celebration of Holy Mass in this place dedicated to the prince of the heavenly armies.

The remainder of the afternoon allows us to enjoy the medieval village and the magnificent views across the bay.

Dinner and overnight in the Mont Saint-Michel/Avranches area.

Day 5 — Mont Saint-Michel – Normandy – Rouen – Paris

We travel through Normandy, where the events of June 1944 changed the course of European history.

Our route brings us to the D-Day Landing Beaches and the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach. Here we will remember and pray for those who sacrificed their lives during the liberation of Europe.

We will also visit Sainte-Mère-Église, one of the towns forever associated with the Normandy landings.

Later we continue to Rouen, whose history is inseparable from St. Joan of Arc. We will walk through its beautiful historic center and visit the area associated with her martyrdom and the modern Church of St. Joan of Arc.

We then return to Paris.

Dinner and overnight in Paris.

Day 6 — Medieval Paris: Notre-Dame, St. Louis & the Crown of Thorns

Today we enter the spiritual and medieval heart of Paris: the Île de la Cité.

We visit the magnificent Sainte-Chapelle, commissioned by St. Louis IX, King of France, to house the Crown of Thorns and other relics of the Passion acquired by the king in the 13th century.

Its extraordinary stained glass provides one of the most beautiful visual presentations of salvation history in medieval Christianity.

We will also explore the surrounding historic quarter and visit Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the great churches of Christendom and a symbol of Catholic France for more than eight centuries.

There will be time for prayer and the celebration of Holy Mass.

Dinner and overnight in Paris.

Day 7 — Versailles: Faith, Monarchy & the History of France

After breakfast, we travel to Versailles.

Our guided visit takes us through the magnificent Palace of Versailles and Royal Gardens, introducing us to the world of the French monarchy and the complex relationship between faith, kingship, politics, art, and society in pre-Revolutionary France.

Beyond its extraordinary architecture, Versailles provides valuable historical context for understanding the France in which many of the saints encountered throughout our pilgrimage lived.

We will also visit or celebrate Mass at a local Catholic church, according to availability.

Return to Paris.

Dinner and overnight in Paris.

Day 8 — Saint-Denis & St. Louis, King of France

This morning we travel to the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis, one of the most important monuments of Christian France.

The basilica became the great necropolis of the French monarchy and contains the tombs and funerary monuments of generations of French kings and queens.

Our visit will give particular attention to St. Louis IX, King of France, remembered for his personal piety, concern for justice and the poor, participation in the Crusades, and devotion to the relics of Christ’s Passion.

We return to central Paris, where the afternoon will be free. Those interested may arrange an optional visit to the Louvre Museum.

In the evening, we enjoy a cruise along the Seine, seeing Paris from another perspective.

Dinner and overnight in Paris.

Day 9 — Christian Paris

Today we continue discovering some of the lesser-known chapters of the Christian history of Paris.

We will explore the Latin Quarter and places associated with the intellectual and religious life that made medieval Paris one of the great centers of Christian learning in Europe.

We will also discover the heritage of St. Geneviève, patroness of Paris, whose faith and leadership became inseparable from the Christian identity of the city.

The afternoon will be intentionally left more relaxed, allowing time for personal prayer, shopping, optional visits, or simply enjoying Paris.

Dinner and overnight in Paris.

Day 10 — Saints of Charity & Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Our final full day is dedicated to some of the most moving Catholic sites in Paris.

We begin at 140 Rue du Bac, at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Here, in 1830, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the young Daughter of Charity St. Catherine Labouré, giving her the design of what would become known throughout the Catholic world as the Miraculous Medal.

We will have time for prayer and Holy Mass and will be able to venerate St. Catherine Labouré.

Nearby, we continue into the world of St. Vincent de Paul, whose extraordinary dedication to Christ in the poor transformed Catholic charitable work. We will pray before his remains and reflect upon his legacy of practical Christian charity.

In the afternoon, we ascend Montmartre to the magnificent Basilica of the Sacred Heart — Sacré-Cœur. Here, overlooking Paris, we conclude our pilgrimage before the Blessed Sacrament in a place marked by a remarkable tradition of Eucharistic Adoration.

We celebrate our final Holy Mass together, giving thanks for the saints, places, friendships, and graces encountered throughout our journey.

Farewell dinner and overnight in Paris.

Day 11 — Paris – USA

Breakfast and free time according to our flight schedule.

At the appropriate time, transfer to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for our return flight to the United States.

We return home carrying with us the witness of St. Thérèse, St. Louis, St. Joan of Arc, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Catherine Labouré, St. Geneviève, and the countless generations of Christians who have shaped the faith of France.

Return flight to the United States. Arrival and end of our pilgrimage services.