Ward France Pilgrimage 10 days

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Created: 09.01.2016

Day 1 - DEPART USA - We depart our home airport to connect with our overnight flight with dinner arriving in Paris the next day. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft. Day 2 -ARRIVE PARIS ??? This morning following Mass at the Miraculous Medal Shrine of St. Catherine Laboure, we tour the sites of Paris, including a visit to the most enduring symbol of the French capital, the Notre Dame Catherdral on the Ile de la Cite. While here, we also make a stop at the Holy Chapel believed to hold relics, including nails and pieces of wood from the Cross of the Arch de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower and travel down the famous Champs-Elysees.  We make a stop at the Church of Eglise Saint-Ignace before we transfer to our hotel for overnight. We will have the opportunity to enjoy the culinary delights of Paris as dinner will be on our own.   DAY 3 ??? PARIS ??? Today our journey takes us to the University of Paris and the College of Sainte-Barbe where Peter Faber attended school and shared his lodgings with a fellow student, Francis Xavier who later met Ignatius of Loyola and became one of his associates.  The three later founded the Society of Jesus.  From here we travel to beautiful Montmartre where we visit the Chapel St. Denis.  We will enjoy lunch at Montmartre on our own at one of their outdoor cafes and relax among many artist and step inside the magnificent Basilica of the Sacre Coeur.  From here we use the remaining hours of our day to visit the Louvre and explore its many treasures.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Day 4 ??? PARIS/PARAY LE MONIAL ??? Following breakfast, we depart Paris for our journey to Paray Le Monial and visit the Chapel of St. Marguerite where the apparition of Our Lord to St Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673.  It was here that she received the 12 promises to increase the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Following some free time, we check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Paray Le Monial. Day 5 ??? PARAY LE MONIAL/ANNECY ??? We depart this morning and travel into southeastern France and the lovely city of Annecy.  We begin our visit at the Basilica of the Visitation perched high above beautiful Annecy.  Here we visit the tombs of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Chantal.  We visit the museum of the Basilica and see the presentation of the life and pastoral ministry of St. Francis.  Following our visit to this most cherished site of Salesian spirituality, we travel to the community of Saint-Jean-de-Sixt in the French Department of Haute-Savoie, birthplace of Peter Faber where we celebrate Mass in his Chapel before moving on to our hotel for dinner and overnight.  Day 6 ???ANNEMASSE/ANNECY ??? Today we take our motorcoach for a ride along the southern edge of beautiful Lake Leman (Lake Geneva).  During our tour, we pass through the City of Annemasse where in 1597 St. Frances de Sales reinstituted the 40 Hour Devotions as a means of restoring the Catholic faith.  Today there is a cross erected as a memorial to his pastoral effort, which bore so much fruit.  We travel onto beautiful Thonon, on the lakeshore.  Here we visit the Church of St. Francis de Sales ??? St. Hippolte, where our Patron celebrated the first Christmas Eve Masses in 1596, after nearly 60 years of Calvinist control.  We celebrate Mass here before returning to our hotel for dinner and overnight.  Day 7 ??? ANNECY ??? Following breakfast there will be some time to relax, shop or just explore Annecy on your own before we have lunch on our own in one of the many picturesque bistros along the lake.  Following lunch, we board our vessel for a casual cruise along Lake Leman before going further on to the Chablais Region, the Fortress of Allinges where we visit the Chapel of St. Martin.  We celebrate Mass here. From Allinges we return to Annecy for some free time in the town and dinner on our own before returning to our hotel. Day 8 ??? ANNECY/NEVERS ??? This morning we depart Annecy for our drive to Nevers where St. Bernadette of Lourdes spent the last 13 years of her life where we view her incorrupt body in the Convent of St. Gildard.  We celebrate Mass here.  Afterwards we view the Palais Ducal and visit the local museum.  We also have time to browse among the shops offering their renowned pottery.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Day 9 - NEVERS/CHARTRES ??? This morning after breakfast, we depart Nevers to visit the medieval town of Chartres and visit the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chantres where we celebrate Mass.  The Cathedral is a master piece of gothic architecture, one of Europ???s most celebrated shrines, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Later we continue on to Paris for our farewell dinner and overnight at our hotel. DAY 10 - RETURN ??? Following breakfast we transfer to the airport for our flight home with unforgettable memories to cherish always.