Carmel de Lourdes
Lourdes Hautes-Pyrénées Founded in 1876
In the Hautes-Pyrénées, in Occitanie, the Carmel de Lourdes is a monastery of Discalced Carmelite nuns nestled at the bottom of a valley, in a mountain setting, facing the Grotto of the Apparitions and close to the Lourdes sanctuary. Founded in 1876, eighteen years after the apparitions, it was placed under the protection of the Holy Name of Jesus. In the tradition of Saint Teresa of Ávila and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the sisters live a contemplative life of prayer, silence, and fraternal communion, and support themselves through the work of their hands: biscuits, chocolates, embroidery, and candles.
Recreating in the heart of the city the desert of the Order's origins, the Carmel extends the prayer of Saint Bernadette beside the sanctuary. The sisters welcome you to the monastery for a time of discernment, to listen for a possible call to join the Carmel.
What awaits you
Practical information
Welcome & conditions
The Carmelite Sisters welcome young women discerning a call to Carmel. Candidates over forty cannot be received. An initial contact by phone or letter precedes the stay, which is generally three to four days.
How the stay unfolds
The stay takes place outside the enclosure. The visitor has a private room, takes meals in the refectory with the extern Sisters, and participates in the offices, mental prayer, and Mass in the chapel. The reading is broadcast from the enclosure refectory.
Manual work
Participation in manual work is possible, and activities are adapted to each person.
Setting & surroundings
The monastery is located across the Gave river, facing the Grotto of the Apparitions. The Sanctuaires de Notre-Dame de Lourdes are accessible on foot. The surrounding area offers hiking, winter sports, and thermal baths.
Getting there
The Lourdes train station is close to the Carmel. An extern sister will pick up the young woman from the station.
Not all roads lead to Lourdes, but the N21 from Tarbes does!
It's hilly at the foot of the Pyrenees.