When is the best time to fly to Lourdes?
Peak Season:
Lourdes’ peak season is influenced by the Lourdes Sanctuary. In general, the peak months are April through to October, which is when the town experiences its best weather. July and August are the hottest months, with temperatures on average around the high teens and up to 30°C. July is also the driest month. If you take a flight to Lourdes at the beginning of the peak season, you are more likely to encounter rain. May is the rainiest month, so keep this in mind when you’re packing. The peak season is when most tourists and pilgrims flock to the town, which results in increased rates for accommodation and flights to Lourdes.
Low Season:
The low season runs from November to March. These months are not as popular, in terms of tourism, as the weather tends to be cooler. Although you’ll feel the coldest temperatures if you visit during December, a holiday in January is not as bad as there is slightly less rainfall. This is a great time to look for cheap flights to Lourdes, although it’s worth taking note that some hotels may close during the low season.
City overview
Most travellers visiting Lourdes are on pilgrimage - some praying for miracles, some cures and some just to soak up the atmosphere of this very special town in south-western France.
Lourdes' origins date from 1858 with Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old peasant girl. That year, she experienced apparitions of a white-robed lady in a small grotto called Massabiele by the banks of the Gave de Pau. The lady told Bernadette to tell the village priest to build a chapel on the spot. Later, she revealed herself to be Mary. On the day of the 16th apparition, Bernadette, in a trance, dug in the ground until she discovered a small spring. Over the next few days this spring became a pool and is now known as the Baths of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, where pilgrims seek spiritual refreshment.
Up to six million pilgrims and tourists book flights to Lourdes, a little town in the foothills of the Pyrenees, each season. After Paris, Lourdes has the most hotels in France. No po-faced town, there is plenty of nightlife. Night time too is when thousands process with flickering candles. The sight is beautiful, stirring and spiritual.