Mid-August I covered the six-day 2009 Lourdes national pilgrimage for CIRIC, the Bayard Presse photo agency. I travelled from Paris on the “White Train” chartered to transport 439 Assumptionist pilgrims -178 of which sick or disabled. It took three hours to board everyone, set-up the disabled on stretchers, stack all the wheelchairs in the restaurant wagon…

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=’G00003ezM.EX2YCE’ g_name=’Lourdes-Assumption-National-Pilgrimage’ f_show_caption=’t’ f_show_slidenum=’t’ img_title=’casc’ pho_credit=’iptc’ f_link=’t’ f_enable_embed_btn=’t’ f_send_to_friend_btn=’t’ f_fullscreen=’t’ f_bbar=’t’ f_show_watermark=’t’ f_htmllinks=’t’ f_mtrx=’t’ fsvis=’f’ width=’620′ height=’465′ f_constrain=’t’ bgcolor=’#AAAAAA’ bgtrans=’t’ btype=’old’ bcolor=’#CCCCCC’ crop=’t’ twoup=’t’ trans=’xfade’ tbs=’5000′ f_ap=’t’ linkdest=’c’ f_topbar=’f’ f_bbarbig=” f_smooth=’f’ f_up=’f’ target=’_self’ ]

The six-hour trip was rythmed over the train’s PA system by Father Marie-Bernard Kientz, preparing passengers for their pilgrimage with prayers and stories on Bernadette Soubirou.

Lourdes is fellinian. It’s a well organized and very lucrative business. Amidst scores of cheap plastic religious memorabilia boutiques moves a crowd of tourists and pilgrims of all ages and origins. Daily processions, mass services, prayers at the Grotto, filling-up on water from the miraculous spring, stocking-up on souvenirs, the pilgrim’s day is packed with rituals. It can feel like Disneyland, trying all the rides.

But there’s obviousely more to Lourdes. During the time spent covering the pilgrimage I saw people genuinely care for each-other. A great human experience, even for a non-believer.