Lourdes is an historic town in the Pyrenean foothills and a worldwide spiritual center. In 778, Charlemagne laid siege to the fortress built on a high rocky outcropping. The town would be the site of many conflicts through the centuries, even at one time belonging to Britain. In 1858, a 14-year old peasant girl named Bernadette saw an apparition in the shallow cave next to the river. The apparition (later believed by the local priests to be the immaculate conception) delivered a message to build a church. Lourdes is the second most visited city in France after Paris, attracting 5 million visitors annually, many seeking prayer and healing.
