This pilgrimage will take us back to the roots of Christianity in continental Europe—through Roman Gaul, the Merovingian and Carolingian periods, and the so-called "Dark Ages," which were, in truth, illuminated by the light of unwavering Christian faith. We'll begin in Marseille at the relics of St. John Cassian, travel to Arles—site of ancient councils—and explore key starting points on the Camino de Santiago in Autun and Vezeley. We’ll also honor the martyrs of Lyon, and walk in the footsteps of St. Martin of Tours, one of the most beloved saints of the Western tradition. Whether you've never visited France or feel you’ve seen it all—this pilgrimage will reveal a side of the country most never experience.

Arrival to Marseilles (airport code: MRS). Welcome dinner and orientation

Start your day in Marseille with a morning visit to the Abbey of Saint Victor, a key early Christian site founded in the 5th century. Its crypts house relics of Saint Victor of Marseille, a Roman soldier martyred for his Christian faith around 290 AD, and Saint Lazarus, believed by tradition to be the same Lazarus raised from the dead by Christ and later bishop of Marseille. Also venerated here is Saint John Cassian, a monk and theologian whose relics lie within the abbey; he brought Eastern monastic practices to the West and greatly influenced Western monasticism. From the abbey, take a short drive uphill to the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille’s most iconic landmark. Built in the 19th century on the site of a 13th-century chapel, the basilica is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, protector of sailors and the city itself. Admire its Romanesque-Byzantine architecture, richly decorated interiors, and sweeping views over Marseille and the Mediterranean. Our last stop will be at the Cathédrale de la Major. While the present cathedral is a 19th-century structure, it stands on the site of an earlier church and baptistery from the 5th century. The discovery of early Christian mosaics, including one preserved in situ, adds to the historical significance of the site. In the afternoon we will transfer to Arles. Overnight in Arles.

Continue your spiritual and historical journey in Arles, a city where Roman grandeur meets deep Christian heritage. Start at the Roman Monuments—the Amphitheatre and Theatre—reminders of Arles' importance as a major Roman provincial capital. Then, visit the Roman to see mosaics, sarcophagi, and relics from early Christian and imperial times, grounding your pilgrimage in the city's ancient roots. Next, walk to the Alyscamps, the famed Roman necropolis and later a Christian burial site. It became a revered stop on the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Among those buried here is Saint Genesius, patron of notaries and secretaries, martyred under Roman persecution. Continue to the Cathedral of Saint Trophime, a masterpiece of Romanesque art. It is dedicated to Saint Trophimus, the first bishop of Arles and a key figure in spreading Christianity in Gaul during the 3rd century. The richly sculpted portal depicts the Last Judgment, reminding pilgrims of the eternal journey beyond the physical one. Conclude your itinerary 40 km south at the Abbatiale Saint-Gilles du Gard, a major pilgrimage site on the Via Tolosana route to Compostela. It honors Saint Gilles, a 7th-century hermit and abbot whose tomb drew pilgrims seeking healing and forgiveness. The abbey’s intricately carved façade and crypt preserve the memory of one of southern France's most beloved saints. Return to Arles for an overnight.

This morning we will leave Arles. Our first stop will be at the Abbaye de Saint-Roman, a unique cave monastery carved into the rock above the Rhône River. This early Christian site, dating to the 5th century, is associated with Saint Roman, a hermit and abbot who lived in solitude and prayer. His monastic community later expanded the site, and the rock-cut tombs and chapels still testify to their devotion. Next, travel to the nearby Pont du Gard. The Pont du Gard is a uniquely preserved masterpiece of Roman engineering, standing as the highest Roman aqueduct bridge in the world at 49 meters tall. Built in the 1st century AD without mortar, using precisely cut stones, its elegant three-tiered structure spans 275 meters across the Gardon River and once formed part of a 50-kilometer aqueduct that supplied water to the Roman city of Nîmes. Remarkably intact after nearly 2,000 years, it remains one of the best-preserved Roman monuments and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.  Then onto Musée du Pont du Gard, which provides insight into Roman society, engineering, and daily life. Our last stop of the day will be at a special winery. Housed within a partially excavated and reconstructed Gallo-Roman villa, Mas des Tourelles invites visitors to enjoy a glass of wine crafted to reflect the flavors of ancient Greece or Rome. While the winery also produces modern varietals like Syrah, its most intriguing selections are those created using the detailed writings and recipes of Roman authors such as Pliny the Elder, Lucius Moderatus Columella, and other prominent figures of antiquity.

Today we will visit couple of sites, deep in the French “interior”. Our first stop will be at Le Puy-en-Velay, located in the Auvergne region of south-central France, one of the oldest and most significant pilgrimage centers in Europe. It has served as a traditional starting point for the Via Podiensis, one of the main routes of the Camino de Santiago since the 10th century. At the heart of the town stands the Cathedral of Notre-Dame du Puy, a Romanesque Basilica built between the 11th and 12th centuries. Constructed from local volcanic stone, the cathedral is known for its distinctive striped façade, medieval cloister, and the revered statue of the Black Madonna. It was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 as part of the “Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.” Just north of the cathedral, the Chapel of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe rises dramatically atop a volcanic plug 82 meters high. Built in 962AD by Bishop Godescalc—one of the first known pilgrims to Santiago—the chapel is dedicated to the Archangel Michael and is accessible by a staircase of 268 steps carved into the rock. Its interior contains remarkable frescoes dating back to the 10th and 12th centuries. After about an hour ride north from Le Puy we will reach Brioude, home to one of the most important Romanesque churches in France, the Basilica of Saint-Julien. This grand cathedral, built between the 11th and 13th centuries, is dedicated to Saint Julian of Brioude, a 4th-century local martyr who became the patron saint of the town The basilica is renowned for its impressive size and architectural details, including massive stone vaults, intricately carved capitals, and a distinctive bell tower.  

Lyon’s rich Christian heritage is reflected in several key sites. The Saint Irenaeus Church, dedicated to Lyon’s first bishop and early Church Father, stands near the site where he was martyred in the 2nd century and preserves some relics associated with him. Nearby, the Ancient Theatre of Fourvière (Arena of the Martyrdom) and the adjoining Gallo-Roman Museum offer insights into early Christian persecution and Roman-era artifacts, including the story of the Lyon martyrs—notably Blandina, a young slave, and Bishop Pothinus—who were tortured and killed there in 177 AD for their faith. The Église Saint-Nizier, a Gothic church built on the site of earlier religious buildings, houses relics of several saints, including Saint Nizier, bishop in the 6th century. The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière (French: Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière) is a minor basilica in Lyon, France. It was built with private funds between 1872 and 1896 in a dominant position overlooking the city. The site it occupies was once the Roman forum of Trajan, the forum vetus (old forum), thus its name (as an inverted corruption of the French Vieux-Forum. Fourvière has always been a popular place of pilgrimage. There has been a shrine at Fourvière dedicated to Our Lady since 1170. The design of the current basilica, built in the 19 century by Pierre Bossan, draws from both Romanesque and Byzantine architecture, two non-Gothic models that were unusual choices at the time. It has four main towers, and a bell tower topped with a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary.

After attending the Divine Liturgy at one of the local churches, we will leave Lyon and will travel North. Our first stop will be at the Chapelle des Moines is part of the 12th-century Benedictine priory complex at Berzé-la-Ville. This small chapel is renowned for its exceptional Romanesque frescoes, which vividly depict biblical scenes and saints with remarkable detail and vibrant colors, making it a rare and valuable example of medieval religious art. It is the only surviving example of the Cluniac “Sacred Art”. Our next stop will be at Tournus. Tournus Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Philibert, is one of the finest examples of early Romanesque architecture in Burgundy, dating primarily from the 11th and 12th centuries. Saint Philibert was a 7th-century Frankish abbot known for founding several monasteries and promoting monastic reform. Originally part of a large Benedictine abbey founded in the 10th century, the cathedral was a major religious center and pilgrimage site in medieval France. The building features massive stone vaults, rounded arches, and a distinctive crypt that houses the relics of Saint Philibert.

Time permitting: Autun Cathedral, was built primarily in the 12th century, is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture and one of the most important religious monuments in medieval France. Commissioned by Bishop Hugh of Semur and consecrated in 1132, the cathedral was dedicated to Saint Lazarus and became a key pilgrimage site on the route to Santiago de Compostela. Its artistic significance is highlighted by the extraordinary sculptural program led by the renowned master sculptor Gislebertus. The cathedral’s west façade features an impressive tympanum depicting the Last Judgment, a powerful visual sermon that combines theological narrative with dramatic and expressive figures.  

Our first stop will be in Auxerre, a city in Burgundy, holds important early Christian heritage. The Cathedral of Saint-Étienne (Auxerre Cathedral) began in the 13th century but stands on the site of earlier Christian worship, reflecting the city’s long religious history. Nearby is the Church of Saint-Germain, founded in the 5th century by Saint Germain (Germanus), bishop of Auxerre, who was influential in promoting Christianity in the region. Auxerre was also home to one of the earliest Christian schools in Gaul, established under the guidance of Saint Germanus and later notable bishops. This school became an important center for theological study and ecclesiastical training during the early Middle Ages. St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland has been educated in Auxerre during the early 5th century. According to historical accounts, Patrick was brought to Auxerre as a young man, where he studied under the guidance of Saint Germanus. This formative period in Auxerre played a significant role in shaping Patrick’s theological training and missionary zeal, which he later carried back to Ireland to spread Christianity. Thus, Auxerre holds an important place in the early life and development of one of Christianity’s most influential missionaries.

Time permitting: Fleury Abbey, located in Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire in central France, is one of the most important Benedictine monasteries in medieval Europe. Founded around AD 640, the abbey rose to prominence in the 7th century when the monks claimed to have transferred the relics of St. Benedict of Nursia, the founder of Western monasticism, from Monte Cassino (Italy), which had been destroyed by Lombard invasions. This association with St. Benedict made Fleury a major pilgrimage site and spiritual center. Throughout the Carolingian and medieval periods, the abbey became renowned for its scholarship, manuscript production, and strict adherence to the Benedictine Rule. The current Romanesque abbey church, begun in the 11th century, features an imposing tower-porch and richly sculpted capitals, reflecting the artistic and religious influence of the abbey at its height.

Our next stop will be at the Chapel of Germigny-des-Prés is one of the oldest surviving Carolingian chapels in France, built in the early 9th century by Theodulf of Orléans, a poet and bishop under Charlemagne. Famous for its rare and exquisite mosaic of the Ark of the Covenant, the chapel reflects the early medieval revival of Christian art and architecture. For an overnight we will reach Tours.

Saint Martin (c. 316–397) was a Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and became one of the most beloved and influential saints of early medieval Europe. Renowned for his humility, charity, and missionary work in Gaul, he was appointed Bishop of Tours around 371 AD. His life inspired widespread devotion, and he played a key role in spreading Christianity among the rural populations of Roman Gaul. After his death in 372, Tours became a major pilgrimage center dedicated to his memory. Named after the first bishop of Tours, Saint Gatien, this Gothic cathedral was built between the 13th and 16th centuries and stands on the site of earlier churches dating back to the 4th century. Though not directly linked to Saint Martin’s episcopacy, the cathedral became an important part of the religious landscape of Tours. Marmoutier Monastery (Abbaye de Marmoutier) Founded by Saint Martin himself around 397 AD, the Marmoutier Abbey (from Latin Major Monasterium, “Great Monastery”) was built just outside Tours on the right bank of the Loire. St. Martin lived there with his disciples and led a life of simplicity and prayer. In the Middle Ages, Marmoutier was a thriving intellectual and spiritual center, with a renowned scriptorium and strong influence in the Carolingian Renaissance. The Basilica of Saint Martin, rebuilt in the 19th century over the remains of the earlier medieval basilica, destroyed during the French Revolution contains the shrine of Saint Martin, where pilgrims still come to venerate his relics. The rediscovery of his tomb in 1860 sparked renewed devotion, and the neo-Byzantine-style Basilica was constructed to house it. This shrine remains one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in France, second only to those dedicated to saints like Saint James in Compostela.

Poitiers and its surrounding region offer Christian pilgrims a profound journey into the roots of Western Christianity. At the heart of the city stands the Baptistery of Saint-Jean, one of the oldest Christian structures in France, built in the 4th century over a former Roman house and used for baptisms since the earliest days of the Church in Gaul. Just a few kilometers south lies the Abbey of Saint Martin of Ligugé, founded in 361 AD by Saint Martin of Tours after his departure from military life. It is the oldest surviving monastery in Western Europe, and though it was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times—especially during the Viking and revolutionary periods—it has remained a living center of Benedictine life and prayer. In Poitiers itself, the Church of Sainte-Radegonde commemorates the 6th-century Merovingian queen who renounced royal life to serve Christ and care for the poor; her tomb lies in the crypt and has drawn pilgrims since the early Middle Ages. Further along the pilgrimage route, in the picturesque Loire village of Candes-Saint-Martin, stands the church built on the site where Saint Martin died in 397. Originally a small oratory, it was replaced in the 12th century by a beautiful Romanesque-Gothic church that became one of the region’s major pilgrimage destination

Today we will journey to Paris. On our way we will stop in Chartres to visit the famed cathedral. A visit to Chartres Cathedral is an unforgettable spiritual and cultural experience for Christian pilgrims and art lovers alike. Officially known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres), it is one of the greatest masterpieces of Gothic architecture in Europe, completed mainly between 1194 and 1220. The cathedral is especially renowned for its remarkably preserved stained glass windows—over 150 in total—dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. These vibrant panels, filled with biblical scenes and saintly figures, bathe the interior in colored light and serve as a vivid expression of medieval Christian faith. At the heart of Chartres’ spiritual significance is its role as a Marian shrine, centered around the revered relic known as the Sancta Camisia—a garment believed to be the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary at the birth of Christ. According to tradition, the relic was gifted to Chartres in the 9th century by Charles the Bald, grandson of Charlemagne, who received it from the Byzantine Empress Irene of Constantinople as part of diplomatic and religious exchanges. Miraculously surviving the fire of 1194 that destroyed much of the earlier cathedral, the Sancta Camisia became a symbol of divine protection and played a key role in inspiring the reconstruction of the current Gothic cathedral

Today we will finish our Christian pilgrimage through France with the early Christian sites in Paris. Saint-Denis, now a suburb north of Paris, is traditionally regarded as the site where Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris and a 3rd-century martyr, was buried after being beheaded for preaching the Gospel. The Basilica of Saint-Denis—one of the most important pilgrimage and burial sites in medieval France and the birthplace of Gothic architecture. In the Latin Quarter, the Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont houses the relics of Saint Geneviève, the 5th-century patroness of Paris who was known for her piety, courage, and miraculous intercessions during times of siege and famine. Though her original basilica was destroyed, Saint-Étienne-du-Mont became the new resting place for her relics, making it a continuing site of devotion. Nearby, the Cluny Museum (Musée de Cluny – Musée National du Moyen Âge) is housed in a former 15th-century abbey built over the remains of Roman baths, blending ancient and medieval history. The museum features one of the finest collections of Christian medieval art in the world, including illuminated manuscripts, Gothic sculpture, and precious liturgical objects.

At the end of the day we will have a dinner cruise on the Seine River as a peaceful and elegant way to end a day of exploring Paris and to finish our early Christian tour through France. The gentle rhythm of the water, the shimmering city lights, and the silhouette of Paris’s historic churches provide a serene setting for contemplation and fellowship, making it a perfect close the pilgrimage or cultural discovery.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport in Paris (airport code CDG). Departure home.