Pilgrimage to Lagrasse

A young adult pilgrimage, led by Fr Eamon Roche as spiritual director, to a monastery in France for a week in August (23rd – 30th) this year, 2024. The pilgrimage is for young adults, over 18.

The pilgrimage is to Lagrasse Abbey, a stunning 13th century monastery, where the group will stay, pray, hike, enjoy ice-cream and engage in bible-study and catechesis.

Lagrasse is a small town in the Aude region in southern France and is numbered among the “most beautiful villages of France”. The climate is Mediterranean.

This is the third trip to Lagrasse that Fr Roche has led having completed this pilgrimage in 2018 and 2019. Photos of these trips can be seen in the Photos page (found in menu).

Lagrasse Abbey is home to the community of Canons Regular of the Mother of God, the majority of whom are priests who live in common under the Rule of St. Augustine, and dedicate their lives to the liturgy. The quality of the liturgy, including the sublime singing, is known far and wide and will be a joy to behold for the travelling group from Ireland.

The outward flight will be with Ryan Air from Cork to Carcasonne on 23rd Aug (9:30am) arriving in Carcassone where a coach will carry the group to Lagrasse Abbey.

The return flight will be from Carcasonne on 30th Aug arriving in Cork at 2.20pm.

The cost of the pilgrimage is roughly 700 euro (inclusive of flight, connecting bus and bed and board in monastery). This figure may be broken down as follows:
160 euro (Cost of return ticket from Cork to Carcassonne with Ryanair), plus,
540 euro (bed and board and connecting bus).

The 160 euro flying fee is based on Ryanair ticket prices on 26/02/2024. This cost may fluctuate in the coming months.

If you will be allocated a place on this pilgrimage, you will then be asked to book your flight yourself through Ryanair, paying the flight cost as per the day of your purchase. The 160 euro flying fee is based on Ryanair ticket prices on 26/02/2024.

There are a limited number of places for the pilgrimage – 16 places – this is limited by the amount of accommodation that is available to us.

To enquire or book a place telephone Fr Eamon Roche on 086 9972539.

Ryan Air Flights. Cork to Carcassonne, round trip (23/8/24 and 30/8/24): FR 9019 and FR 9020.

Each day will have a program of activities in which the members of the group will be expected to partake as best they can. There will, of course, be plenty free time also for rambling around the beautiful and quaint French town and enjoying the sights and scenery and deepening friendships with the other members of the pilgrimage.

To enquire or book a place telephone Fr Eamon Roche on 086 9972539. Fr Eamon will be the spiritual director for the pilgrimage.

Typical Day:

We will start with this daily plan and adjust as the week goes on, if necessary.

8:00-8.20am Morning Prayer with Monks
8.20am Breakfast can precede or follow morning prayer, keeping the fast before Mass
9.30pm Mass with Monks
10:45am – 12.15 Group Spiritual Reading
12.15noon – 12.45pm Free Time
12.45pm Midday Prayer with Monks
1pm Lunch
2pm – 3pm Group activity
3pm – 6.30pm Free Time for Hike or swimming or other
6.30pm Evening Prayer with Monks
7pm Dinner
8pm: Fun group activities, Rosary, Night-Prayer

Each pilgrim will take a turn with preparing for meals (e.g. chopping vegetables) and wash-up after meals.

What to bring:
– Your passport
– Some people like to take out travel & health insurance when travelling. That is entirely up to you.
– Check-in online with Ryanair before you come to the airport so that you bring your Boarding Pass with you to the airport (to save you a fee….you can still come without your boarding pass but they probably would charge you something). You can obtain the boarding pass from 48 hours to 2 hours pre-departure. Follow the links on the email that Ryanair sent you when you purchased your ticket. Your boarding pass can be printed or saved on your smartphone if you have one.
– Bring your own towels and all your own bathroom lotions.
– Bring swimwear if you want to swim in the river that flows through the town – its very popular with the locals. See photos page.
– Sun glasses, sun cap, sun tan lotion, light clothes for hot weather.
– Runners for hiking in the hills. The paths are relatively smooth so strong boots wont be necessary.
– If you are going to use a smartphone for your alarm clock then don’t forget that the electrical sockets will require a “foreign adapter” which you could pick up at the airport.