OrangeSmile Tours Best destinations around the world - Travel Guide
Lourdes
Countries navigation
Hotel search in Lourdes
Destination / Hotel


Select your dates

Colors of Lourdes - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Try to learn at least a dozen simple phrases in French before you travel to Lourdes. Of course, many citizens speak English quite well. Almost everyone knows at least a little English but they just don't like to speak it here. The French are very patriotic. This is often expressed in a sense of superiority of the French nation over all others. So if you want to please the locals, it's better to try to speak their native language. By the way, if you urgently need to know something, you can ask the police. Tourist assistance is also the task of the law enforcement forces in Lourdes.
Excursion over cultural sights of Lourdes - 'must visit' points of interest
The main landmark of Lourdes and the goal of thousands of travelers is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. It was built on the very spot where the Virgin Mary first appeared to St. … Open
Many tourists know that the ability to speak beautifully is valued in France. The people of Lourdes make no exception. Beautiful speech and the ability to solve problems through conversation is an important virtue here. Then more than a good joke can quickly relieve tension in a conflict situation. The French love conflict much more than you might imagine. If you accidentally step on the foot of a Frenchman and don't apologize or decide to listen to music loudly somewhere at midnight, then you will certainly hear a lot of unpleasant words from locals.
However, the locals are not vindictive at all. You may see the recent altercation participants, who almost got into a fight, talking peacefully over a glass of wine half an hour later in Lourdes. They didn't make peace or apologize to each other. They just forgot about the incident. Local people appreciate the ability to take all pleasures from life - savoir vivre. This is a very multifaceted concept. The French learn its meaning from childhood. The best food, the best clothes, good manners, politeness, freedom – all this is connected with the pleasure of life. However, you should understand that local residents work overtime at the same time. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Your active city break in Lourdes. Attractions, recreation and entertainment - best places to spend your day and night here
Lourdes is not only Holy places, architectural sights, and museums. There are also many opportunities for active recreation here. If you want, you can just get out to the Lac de Lourdes Lake … Open
It's customary to leave a tip here. You should leave tips not only to waiters but also to gas station employees, porters, and car service workers. The tip amount is within 10% of the order amount. Remember that the locals are not punctual. If a person's social status is high, he can afford to be later. You should remember that the French never forgive a lack of politeness. The locals make joke that even a Frenchman who has drunk too much alcohol, first says goodbye to everyone gallantly, kissing the ladies' hands, and only then fall asleep in the nearest bushes.
It should be noted also that the locals perfectly combine romanticism and pragmatism. If a girl comes alone to Lourdes, she will receive an incredible amount of exquisite compliments from all the local men. It seems that boys are taught to flirt almost from kindergarten age here. Of course, the local man will try to seduce the girl he likes if possible. It's a kind of national tradition here. Moreover, many citizens have paramours. Their life partners are well aware of this. However, casual encounters rarely develop into anything more. It's customary to start a family late here. A man and a woman marry after several years of cohabitation. Many residents hope that they are getting married forever.
Top hotels in Lourdes for business trip or short vacation
Lourdes offers a huge selection of hotels, some of which are housed in beautiful historic buildings, while the others are trying to attract guests with their exclusive services. The most … Open
If you are invited to dinner somewhere, you should remember that it is quite normal to eat at eight, nine or even ten o'clock in the evening here. Please note that home slippers are completely absent in the everyday life of most local residents. In general, of course, there is no dirt or debris on the streets of Lourdes. However, at first, it is difficult to accept the fact that it is customary to walk around the house directly in street shoes here. You should keep in mind that local people are extremely politically correct despite all current trends. They are very negative about racist or sexist statements.
Lourdes is the second major center for pilgrims after Rome. This has had an impact on the mentality of local residents. Most of the townspeople are sincerely religious people. They regularly attend church and celebrate all Christian holidays with their families. The largest celebrations are associated with the dates of the appearance of Mother of God to local resident Bernadette Soubirous. February 11, August 15, June 16, and October 7 – each of these days is associated with the Virgin Mary. It attracts many religious people from all over the world to Lourdes. Festive services are held in local churches at this time. Charity fairs are held on the streets of the town. Christmas, Easter, and Epiphany are celebrated on a large scale here.
This guide to traditions and festivals in Lourdes is protected by the copyright law. You can re-publish this content with mandatory attribution: direct and active hyperlink to www.orangesmile.com.
Lourdes - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

City tours, excursions and tickets in Lourdes and surroundings

Reference information
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas near Lourdes
♥   Basilique Saint-Pie X, Lourdes, 0.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Immaculée-Conception, Lourdes, 0.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Sède, Tarbes, 17.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Ancienne cathédrale Sainte-Marie, Oloron-Sainte-Marie, 47.3 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Iglesia San Adrián de Sasabe, Sasabe, 64.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol, Jaca, 71.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique-Cathédrale Sainte-Marie d’Auch, Auch, 79.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all castles
Survived castles around Lourdes
♥   Castle 'Château de Lourdes' Hautes-Pyrénées, 0.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Mauvezin' Hautes-Pyrénées, 26.3 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Montaner' Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 28.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Pau' Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 34.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Galié' Haute-Garonne, 55.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Saint-Paul-d’Oueil' Haute-Garonne, 57.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Morlanne' Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 59.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Rentals in Lourdes
Lourdes photo gallery


Colors of Lourdes in photos

Search for popular touristic sites on Lourdes map

Address/Sight name City/Region Country Within radius, km
 Types of touristic objects to search for
Hotels & Car rental
Carhire locations
0 star
1 star
2 stars
3 stars
4 stars
5 stars
Touristic places
Art galleries
Churches/Temples
Museums
Castles/Palaces
Monuments
Touristic areas
Sightseeings
Attractions
Attraction parks
Casino
Theaters/Cinema
Disco/Clubs
Parks
Zoo
Aqua parks
Transport
Airports
Train stations
Bus stations
Metro
Parkings
Fuel stations
Ports/Ferries
Open the list of object types
Health/Sport
Open the list of object types
Food/Money
Open the list of object types
Shopping
Open the list of object types
Beauty/Medicine
Open the list of object types
City services
Open the list of object types
Useful services

Traditions and festivals in cities around Lourdes

Aquitaine Region
For the men in Aquitaine it is perfectly natural to show their appreciation towards women. To pursue woman’s good graces is a kind of a national tradition. If a French man invites you to his place, make no mistake, he will do everything to seduce you. You won’t get bored in Aquitaine at any time of the year. There are big feasts and cultural festivals almost every month. ... Open »
Biarritz
Love for the sport is another feature of the local people. Taking care of their own health is among their main concerns. The city is called the European capital of surfing not without reason. And in the mornings, here you can meet a lot of jogging people. Another feature of the locals is a high level of responsibility. A resident of Biarritz never mouths empty words, tries to ... Open »
Toulouse
This event is the biggest of its kind, and Toulouse is often called the capital of violets. The main event of the festival is the competition of violets; the victory is the best reward for any florist. The beautiful flower festival will be interesting to absolutely everyone, as lot of entertainment events for all the family and for little ones are held during the holiday. The ... Open »
Pamplona
Thus, the main event of the festival is still bright bullfights. During the holiday everybody should be polite towards each other. Any violation of the traditions and rules as well as public order offence will stir resentment. This was the practice a hundred years ago and it has been preserved till nowadays. A remarkable fact is that even wanted criminals could take part in the ... Open »
Andorra la Vella
However, it is worth noting that the festival has changed today. The locals do not burn real logs, but bundles of recycled paper tied with a special mesh. Children participate in the event not with a real fire, but with beautiful and bright led lighting. The assignments given to the major competitors Allaire were also changed. The competition is traditionally held in the ... Open »
San Sebastian
The resort city holds several remarkable cultural events of global significance during the year. The San Sebastian International Film Festival is one of such global events. The festival was first held in 1953 upon an initiative of local businessmen. The aim of the festival was to prolong a tourist season on the resort and thus to attract more tourists to the destination. The ... Open »
Cityguide on traditions, mentality and lifestyle of people in Lourdes. Learn the best periods to visit Lourdes to discover its soul - authentic festivals, events and celebrations. We will also reveal the interesting habits, attitude towards the world and to tourists in Lourdes.
OrangeSmile.com - online travel reservation expert providing reliable car rental and hotel booking services. We feature more than 25.000 destinations with 12.000 rental offices and 200.000 hotels worldwide.
Secure Server
Head office
Weegschaalstraat 3, Eindhoven
5632 CW, The Netherlands
+31 40 40 150 44


Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About us
Copyright © 2002 - OrangeSmile Tours B.V. | OrangeSmile.com | Under the direction and management of IVRA Holding B.V. - Registered at Kamer van Koophandel (KvK), The Netherlands No. 17237018