A one day pilgrimage itinerary for Lisieux

Every time we have been in Paris, we make a mini-pilgrimage Lisieux, France. The little town is tucked right in the heart of the Normandy region, known for its apples, Impressionist painters, and historic beaches. Lisieux is also near charming, worth-a-lunch-stop seaside villages like Honfleur, Deauville, and Trouville-sur-Mer (Thérèse’s grandmother actually had a beach cottage here where the family went for holidays). But the obvious reason to visit Lisieux: encountering Thérèse Martin, the saint beloved worldwide as the Little Flower. 

Why go on pilgrimage to Lisieux?

Perhaps one of the most beloved saints of all time, Thérèse lived most of her life, found her vocation, became a saint, and is now buried in Lisieux. She was born and spent her first four years in Alençon with her sisters and parents, Louis and Zélie (both saints in their own right whom you can also visit in Lisieux—more on that below). After Zélie’s death, Louis moved his daughters to Lisieux to be nearer to the family of Zélie’s brother, with whom the Martins were very close. Thérèse’s Uncle Isidore and Aunt Céline helped fill the endless  empty spaces of a mother’s absence (Isidore would later be responsible for the widespread publication of his niece’s spiritual memoir, The Story of a Soul).

Thérèse never left Lisieux except for occasional pilgrimages and work trips with Louis. She entered the Lisieux Carmelite convent at age 16 and died there at age 24 in 1897. After her death, her sisters began reading her notebooks. They quickly understood that she had discovered by grace something that would change the Church: “the little way” that offered a radical hope to every ordinary person. 

Lisieux contains all of it—Thérèse’s childhood home, setting of so many of the stories in her writing; the parish church where she received her first sacraments; her uncle’s pharmacy where she spent so many afternoons with her cousins; the streets and parks where she contemplated God; the Carmel where she became a saint and is now buried. Making a pilgrimage to these places is indescribably powerful in connecting with her in friendship. There’s also the enormous basilica built in her honor that soars over the whole town; Louis and Zélie are now buried here together. 

During the run up to D-Day, Lisieux was almost totally destroyed by bombs—except, remarkably, for the sites associated with the Martin family. They remain ready to welcome you.

How to get from Paris to Lisieux

Lisieux is an easy day trip from Paris, about two hours by direct train from Gare Saint-Lazare. Read my full guide here on how to get from Paris to Lisieux.

Plan to take an early train so you'll arrive in Lisieux for the 11:15 a.m. public Mass at Carmel. This one day pilgrimage itinerary assumes you will be walking from site to site, which is very easy to do in Lisieux because it’s small and compact. All sites are walking distance from the train station and each other.

One day pilgrimage itinerary for Lisieux

What to do in Lisieux

Here’s what to do and see in one day in Lisieux. This itinerary for a day in Lisieux will incorporate the following:

• Les Buissonets, her childhood home

• Saint-Pierre Cathedral, her home parish

• Mass at the Lisieux Carmel, where she entered religious life and wrote The Story of a Soul 

• The Carmel museum and gift shop

• The tomb of St Thérèse 

• The tombs of Sts Louis and Zélie Martin 

• The Basilica of St Thérèse and basilica gift shop 

St Thérèse’s home parish: pray where her faith blossomed

After you arrive, walk to Saint-Pierre Cathedral, St Thérèse’s home parish. It’s amazing to pray in the same side chapel where she attended weekly Mass with her family, or in the confessional where she made her first confession. You’ll see the ornate altarpiece donated by Louis Martin to the parish. Write your intentions for your loved ones on paper and leave them in the chapel.

The Carmel of Lisieux: Mass with the Carmelites, St Thérèse’s tomb, and museum

Next, make your way to the Carmel of Lisieux. Before Mass at 11:15 a.m., visit either the gift shop or the museum, then visit the other one after Mass. 

The museum contains a rich collection of Thérèse’s personal artifacts. Some of my favorite objects to see there are the work clothes she embroidered with a reed symbol; her art kit and painted oyster shells; and her original grave marker which reads Je veux passer mon ciel a faire du bien sur la terre (”I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth”). There are many more amazing objects on display. 

The gift shop is an excellent resource for beautiful books, art, and religious articles. I especially like the selection of prints and cards. 

The 11:15 a.m. public Mass with the community is usually quite full, so make sure you arrive in time for a seat. The sisters are cloistered, but some of them will attend the public Mass and staff the museum and gift shop. 

Thérèse is buried in a side alcove of the convent chapel. It’s a surprisingly lowkey tomb, considering her popularity. Pray here for a while and note the hundreds of bouquets left by pilgrims at her grave.

Lunch in Lisieux

For lunch, try Le Shed or La Ferme du Roy. Lisieux is not a culinary wonderland, but there are a ton of creperies here, so it may be a good time to have those. And if you want something really unique, you can book lunch with the Sanctuaire de Lisieux pilgrimage center. The center café serves daily traditional, family-style meals shared with the local Carmelites and other pilgrims.

Les Buissonets: A peek into St Thérèse’s family home and everyday life

After lunch, make a quick visit to Les Buissonets, her childhood home. Check the current seasonal hours; the last tour enters about 15 minutes before closing. It’s a really small, low-tech operation, but I love seeing the home which remains exactly as her family left it. You can see her bedroom, childhood toys, the family’s furniture and dishes, the staircase Thérèse talks about in the story of her Christmas conversion, the garden bench where she asked Louis permission to enter Carmel. There is also a tiny gift shop at the end—I think the best thing to buy here are prints of Thérèse’s handwritten passages. 

The Basilica of St Thérèse: two more saints, stunning beauty, and the best gift shop

Finally, visit the stunning Basilique du Sainte-Therese. I love the feminine white exterior; the interior is an architectural wonder of candlelit mosaics. Pray at the shared tomb of Sts Louis and Zelie in the upper side chapel. Note that their tomb is crowned with a cast of their wedding rings and embossed with scenes of their family life. You can also go down into the quiet, intimate crypt to pray. Don’t miss the huge basilica gift shop—here’s where you want to load up on holy cards, medals, books, and all manner of Thérèse merch. My favorite, though, is the selection of products from local abbeys and monasteries: soaps, candy, candles, and the most incredible essential oils you’ll ever find. 

Return to Paris

Walk back to the train station and catch your train back to Paris in time for dinner. In just one day, you can add the rich treasure of pilgrimage to your trip. And P.S. while you're in Paris, make sure to visit Notre-Dame des Victoires—the church where Louis brought young Thérèse to give thanks for her recovery from a serious illness attributed to a novena of Masses at Notre-Dame des Victoires. Thérèse later described this visit as a critical point in her spiritual journey.

__________

Subscribe to get the weekly newsletter with exclusive essays and other content.

Contact me. I am a Catholic author, artist, speaker, and pilgrimage leader.

I'd love to collaborate with you on your next retreat, day of reflection, pilgrimage, trip, or event.