Location

Adjacent to the Grotto, along the river bank

Baths available

17 individual baths (separate for men and women)

Water temperature

Approximately 12°C year-round

Season

Baths open April to October; queues can be 1–3 hours in summer

Cost

Completely free of charge

The Baths of Lourdes are stone cubicle pools filled with water from the miraculous spring. Since the 19th century, pilgrims have immersed themselves in these waters as an act of faith and a plea for healing. The experience is quietly powerful: attendants (brancardiers and handmaids) assist each pilgrim into the water, wrapping them in a white sheet. The water is cold (about 12°C) but almost all who enter describe a sensation of peace rather than cold. Over 400 healings have been scientifically investigated by the Lourdes Medical Bureau, of which 70 have been officially declared miraculous by the Church.

The Experience

On entering the bath house, you are guided by a volunteer handmaid or brancardier. You remove your clothing and wrap yourself in a white cotton sheet. A prayer is said, then you are lowered backwards into the pool, fully immersed for a brief moment. Many pilgrims report that their clothes feel dry immediately upon leaving, though this is not universal. The overall experience is one of peaceful surrender.

Who Can Bathe

Anyone may enter the Baths, there is no age restriction and no requirement to be Catholic or even Christian. Pilgrims with serious illness, disabilities or limited mobility are given priority and assisted by the Hospitalité. Special sessions for the seriously ill are organised by pilgrimage groups.

The Healings

Since 1858, over 7,000 extraordinary cures have been reported at Lourdes. The Lourdes Medical Bureau, founded in 1883, subjects these cases to rigorous scientific scrutiny. To date, 70 have been declared miraculous by the Catholic Church after investigation by both medical experts and theological commissions.