Links

The Pilgrim's France

Internet Sites
The Internet is an enormous resource for travel information. We have included sites for researching the regions, departments and cities of France, plus general travel information to get you started. For the English version of a website, look for the British Flag. Sometimes the British Flag icon is very small or at the bottom of the home page. If the website is in French, look for “Tourisme,” “Histoire,” “Culture,” or “Patrimonie” for information about shrines and churches. Many websites require you to drag your cursor over the category and then a drop-down menu appears. In the ever-changing world of the Internet, websites change, so if one we provide doesn’t work, do a search, and let us know about the new site.

Region Tourist Boards
Auvergne Regional Council www.cr-auvergne.fr/uk/index.asp

Auvergne Tourist Board www.crt-auvergne.fr

Brittany Regional Council www.brittanytourism.com

Brittany Tourist Board www.region-bretagne.fr

Burgundy Tourist Board www.burgundy-tourism.com

Centre Tourist Board www.visaloire.com

Côte d'Azur & Rivièra Tourist Board www.crt-riviera.fr — Go to: Art & Discovery; Religious heritage.

Il de France Tourist Board www.paris-ile-de-france.com

Midi-Pyrenees Tourist Board www.tourisme-midi-pyrenees.com French

Normandy Tourist Board www.normandy-tourism.org

Pays de la Loire Tourist Board www.paysdelaloire.fr

Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur Tourist Board www.crt-paca.fr

Provence Tourist Board www.crt-paca.fr — Go to “Religious Art” for descriptions of churches.

Rhone-Alps Tourist Board www.france-rhonealps-tourism.com

Western France www.westernfrancetouristboard.com

Western Loire www.westernloire.com

Department Tourist Boards
The department tourist boards below are for the cities listed in this book.

Ain Tourist Board www.ain-tourisme.com — Ars-sur-Formans

Ardeche Tourist Board www.ardeche-verte.com — La Louvesc

Aveyron Tourist Board www.aveyron.com — Conques

Aveyron Regional Council www.conques.com/index1.htm — Conques

Calvados Tourist Board www.calvados-tourisme.com — Lisieux

Eure-et-Loire Tourist Board www.tourisme28.com — Chartres

Haute-Loire Tourist Board www.mididelauvergne.com — Le Puy-en-Velay

Hautes-Pyrénées Tourist Board www.cg65.fr — Lourdes

Haute-Savoie www.hautesavoie-tourisme.com French — Annecy

Paris Ile-de-France www.pidf.com — Paris

Indre http://tourisme.cyberindre.org — Pellevoisin

Lot www.lot.fr — Rocamadour

Manche Tourist Board www.manchetourisme.com — Mont Saint Michel

Mayenne Tourist Board www.cg53.fr/Fr/ French — Pontmain

Morbihan Tourist Board www.morbihan.com French — St. Anne d’Auray

Nièvre Tourist Board www.nievre-in-burgundy.co.uk — Nevers

Seine-Maritime Tourist Board www.seine-maritime-tourisme.com — Rouen

Sâone-Loire Tourist Board www.southernburgundy.com — Paray-le-Monial & Taizé

Var Tourist Board www.tourismevar.com French — Cotignac

Vendée Tourist Board www.vendee-tourisme.com  — Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre

Yonne Tourist Board www.tourisme-yonne.com — Pontigny

Bouches-du-Rhône www.visitprovence.com — La Sainte-Baume & Saintes-Maries-de-la Mer

Cities
Conques www.conques.index1.htm

Conques Official Website for the Town www.conques.fr French

Conques Office de Tourisme www.tourisme.fr/office-de-tourisme/conques.htm French

Lisieux www.ville-lisieux.fr French

Lourdes Office de Tourisme www.lourdes-infotourisme.com

Mont Saint-Michel www.abbaye-montsaintmichel.com — Official website for the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem at the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel.

Nevers www.ville-nevers.fr French

Paray-Le-Monial http://perso.wanadoo.fr/richez/Burgundy/Paraye.htm

Paris www.pidf.com

Rocamadour www.rocamadour.com

Rouen www.rouentourisme.com

Saintes Maries de La Mer www.saintes-maries.camargue.fr

Tourist Information
There are many websites on France. Any search for “France” and “lodging” will give you more than enough websites to explore. Below are a few to get you started.

All Travel France www.alltravelfrance.com/France/Car_Rental/Driving_Tips.htm — Driving tips for France.

Centre des monuments nationaux www.monum.fr — The National Center of Monuments.

Discover France www.discoverfrance.net/Boutique/Travel/index.html — Travel Center.

Discover Paris www.discover-paris.info/index_aboutparis.htm —Tourist info for Paris.

Dorling Kindersley www.dk.com — Eyewitness travel guides

Fodor’s www.fodors.com — Fodor’s travel guides.

France Keys www.francekeys.com — Comprehensive tourist info.

France on Foot www.franceonfoot.com — The French trail system consisting of 110,000 miles of foot paths.

French Tourist Offices www.office-de-tourisme.org — General tourist info.

Frommer’s www.frommers.com — Frommer’s travel guides.

Insight Guides www.insightguides.com — Insight guides, maps and phrasebooks.

Les aéroports Français www.aeroport.fr —French airports.

Let’s Go www.letsgo.com — Travel guides written by students for budget travel.

Lonely Planet www.lonelyplanet.com — Lonely Planet travel guides.

Mappy www.mappy.fr — Offers route planning, travel info, and maps for France.

Online Highways www.2hwy.com/fr —Tourist info.

Office de Tourisme et des Congres Paris www.paris-touristoffice.com — Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Rand McNally www.randmcnally.com — Online store for folded maps of France.

RATP www.subwaynavigator.com — Transportation info in Paris.

Rick Steves www.ricksteves.com — Go to: Plan Your Trip/Country Information.

Rough Guides http://travel.roughguides.com — Rough Guides, miniguides and phrasebooks.

Routes International http://routesinternational.com — Transportation links.

Sacred Destinations www.sacred-destinations.com — An illustrated guide to the world's sacred sites, religious architecture and historic holy places.

SNCF National Rail Service www.ter-sncf.com — Train info in English.

Solo Travel Portal www.solotravelportal.com — Resources for solo travelers.

Stanford www.stanfords.co.uk — Maps, travel guides and unique maps and guides for example: Cistercian Abbeys & Sites in France—A road map with info on abbeys.

TGV Railsystem www.tgv.com — High speed trains.

U.S. State Department www.travel.state.gov — Updated international travel advisories.

Via Michelin www.viamichelin.com — Comprehensive site for driving in France with online store for maps.

Visit Europe www.visiteurope.com — Comprehensive site for touring France.

When in Rome Tours www.wheninrometours.com — Tours of Rome and Vatican.

The Road to Santiago de Compostela, Spain
American Association of Friends of Road to Santiago www.geocities.com/friends_usa_santiago — American website with information and resources for pilgrimage to Santiago, Spain.

The British Confraternity of St. James www.csj.org.uk — British website with information and resources for pilgrimage to Santiago, Spain.

The Little Company of Pilgrims www.santiago.ca — Canadian website with information and resources pilgrimage to Santiago, Spain.

Shrine Information
Refer to individual chapters under Websites, or visit:

Abbaye de Mont Saint-Michel www.abbaye-montsaintmichel.com —Official website for the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem at the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel.

Apparitions of Jesus and Mary www.apparitions.org — Lists apparitions around the world.

Basilique du Sacré Couer de Montmartre www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com —Official website of The Sacred Heart Basilica of Montmarte.

Centre des monuments nationaux www.monum.fr — The National Center of Monuments.

Chapelle Notre Dame de la Médaille Miraculeuse http://chapellenotredamedelamedaillemiraculeuse.com — Official website for the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris.

Diocèse de Chartres www.diocesechartres.com/cathedrale — The website for the diocese of Chartres; in French.

Dominicains de la Sainte Baume http://saintebaume.dominicains.com French — Dominican Fathers of Sainte Baume and the Grotto of St. Mary Magdalene.

Espace Bernadette Soubirous Nevers www.sainte-bernadette-nevers.com — Official website of the Sanctuary of St. Bernadette in Nevers.

Lourdes www.lourdes-france.com — Official website for Lourdes.

La Maison du Pelerin www.lourdes-fr.com — Information about the major shrines in France and Europe.

The Montfortian Religious Family www.montfort.org/English/LifeLM.htm — Comprehensive website maintained by the Montfort Missionaries in Rome, with detailed information on St. Louis de Montfort.

Notre Dame Cathedral www.cathedraledeparis.com/EN — Official website for the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Notre-Dame de Pellevoisin www.pellevoisin.net — Official website for Our Lady of Pellevoisin; in French.

Notre Dame de Reims www.cathedrale-reims.com — Official website for the Cathedral of Reims; in French.

Paray-le-Monial Pèlerinages www.paray.org — Official website for the Sanctuaries of Paray-le-Monial in French.

Regional Council of Aveyron www.conques.com/index1.htm  — Comprehensive website about the St. Foy Abbey church in Conques. After you leave the home page, the English buttons will work.

Sanctuarie de Lisieux http://therese-de-lisieux.cef.fr  — Official website for the Sanctuary of St. Therese of Lisieux.

Sanctuarie de Notre Dame de La Salette www.nd-la-salette.com — Official website of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of La Salette; in French.

Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Grâce www.nd-de-graces.com — Official website for Our Lady of Grace in Cotignac.

Sanctuaire Notre Dame de Pontmain www.sanctuaire-pontmain.com — Official website of the sanctuary of Our Lady of Pontmain; in French.

Sacred Sites www.sacredsites.com — Martin Gray’s photos and descriptions of sacred sites around the world.

Sanctuaire d'Ars www.arsnet.org  — Official website for the Sanctuary of Ars: St. John Vianney. Parts of website are in English.

Sanctuaire Sainte-Anne d’Auray www.sanctuaire-ste-anne-dauray.com — Official website for the Sanctuary of St. Anne d’Auray in French.

Soeurs de Notre Dame du Cénacle http://ndcenacle.free.fr/ — Official website of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Cenacle (St. Therese Couderc) in French.

The Taizé Community www.taize.fr  — Official website for Taizé in twenty-six languages.

Villes Sanctuaries en France www.villes-sanctuaires.com — The Association of Shrine Towns in France with suggested tours and contact information.

Pilgrimage
There are hundreds of pilgrimage tour operators. Do a search with the words: France/pilgrimage/tours.

Lodging in Monasteries and Convents

Books
Europe’s Monastery and Convent Guest Houses by Kevin J. Wright.

Guide St. Christophe This guide for lodging in monasteries and convents is in French and costs 25 euros. It can be paid by check or bank transfer. Email: gsc@mp.com.fr or write: Guide Saint Christophe/163 blvd Malesherbes/75859 Paris cedex 17/France. You can also purchase the guide in some bookstores in Paris. www.guide-st-christophe.fr French Go to “trouver un hébergement” then drag cursor over red map.

Websites
Italia Sixtina www.sixtina.com — A French booking service for lodging in convents and monasteries. You provide a price range and pay them directly. If you don’t have time to buy the books or do the research, this is for you.

Meditation Resources

The Best Guide to Meditation by Victor N. Davich. Overview of different meditation techniques and their history. Good for beginners wanting to know what is out there.

Discovering Jewish Meditation, Instruction & Guidance for Learning an Ancient Spiritual Practice by Nan Fink Gefen. Jewish Meditation for beginners.

How to Meditate like Jesus: A Guide to Breath Prayer by W. Scott Ragsdale. Christian meditation.

How to Meditate: A Practical Guide by Kathleen McDonald. Buddhist meditation.

How to Meditate: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Art and Science of Meditation by John (Jyotish) Novak. Yoga meditation techniques for beginners.

Meditation for Beginners by Jack Kornfield. Buddhist Vipassana, cassettes.

Meditation for Dummies by Stephan Bodian. Introduction to a variety of meditation techniques.

Meditation for Starters by J. Donald Walters. Meditation techniques for beginners.

Zen Meditation in Plain English by John Daishin Buksbazen, Peter Matthiessen.

Ananda Online www.ananda.org — Yogic meditation. Click on: Lessons in Meditation: Online meditation support and monthly newsletter.

Beliefnet www.beliefnet.com — Comprehensive info on all religions. Click on: Spirituality, then: meditation and prayer.

Contemplative Outreach www.centeringprayer.com — Christian Centering Prayer as taught by Thomas Keating.

Dharma Net International www.dharmanet.org — See Buddhist Info Web for list of Buddhist Meditation Centers worldwide.

The World Community for Christian Meditation www.wccm.org — Christian meditation as taught by Dom John Main OSB. Click on: Christian meditation.

Vipassana.com www.vipassana.com/meditation — Buddhist meditation in the Theravada tradition. Offers an online course in meditation.

La Buissière www.yogafrance.com — A center for yoga and walking holidays in south west France on the outskirts of the village of Duravel in the Lot valley. Phone:33 (0)5 65 36 43 51 Email: labuissiere@wanadoo.fr.

Retreats Online www.retreatsonline.com/guide/meditation.htm — Search for retreats.

Plum Village www.plumvillage.org — A Buddhist monastery for monks and nuns and a retreat center for lay people, in Ste. Foy la Grande, 53 miles (85 km) east of Bordeaux. Founded by the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thây). Email: uh-office@plumvillage.org.

Yoga Directory www.self-realization.com/yoga_directory.htm for countries around the world.

Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality publishes a quarterly magazine. Phone: 212 447-7284 www.sath.org.

A World of Options Mobility International USA/PO Box 10767/Eugene, OR 97440/USA US$45.Phone: 1 541 343-1284 www.miusa.org.

Barrier Free Travel: A Nuts & Bolts Guide for Wheelers & Slow Walkers by Candy Harrington 888 795-4274/215 923-4686 www.emerginghorizons.com

Guide Rousseau H comme Handicapés Les Editions La Route Robert/14 rue Louis-Philippe/92200 Neuilly/Seine/France Fax: 33 (0)1 46 24 42 13. In French. Available in French bookstores.

How to Travel: A Guidebook for Persons with Disabilities by Fred Rosen 1 636 394-4950.

Touristes Quand Même This guide is in French and describes services in the main towns, with translations in English of common phrases. Available free from CNRH (Comité Naitonal Français de Liaison pour la Réadaptation des Handicapés) or the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau Headquarters, www.paris-touristoffice.com.

Accessible Europe www.accessibleurope.com — Comprehensive travel info.

Disability Resources on the Net www.disabilityresources.org — Links to travel/foreign websites.

Emerging Horizons www.emerginghorizons.com — Comprehensive travel info for France: Go to “Travel Resources,” “Destinations,” “Europe,” “France.”

Maison de la France www.franceguide.com — Official website of the French Government Tourist Office. Click on “Special Needs Tourism.”

Moss Rehab Resource Net www.mossresourcenet.org — Informative site with many useful links and travel tips.

Routes International www.routesinternational.com/access.htm#organizations — Links to travel websites.

The European Commission http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/services/tourism/policy-areas/guides.htm — Travel guides for tourists with disabilities.

Vegetarian Travel

La Maison du Vert www.maisonduvert.com Vegetarian Hotel and Restaurant in Vimoutiers, near Lisieux, Caen, Bayeux and Rouen. Email: mail@maisonduvert.com.

The Vegetarian Resource Group www.vrg.org/travel — Travel information. Lists books, websites, tour operators, bulletin board, and articles.

Veg Dining www.vegdining.com — Vegetarian restaurants around the world.

Vegetarians Abroad www.vegetariansabroad.com — Establishments abroad that cater to vegetarians.