Pilgrims depart from the USA to Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly airport (flights coordinated individually by pilgrims), arriving the next morning.

After settling in at the hotel, followed by a light lunch and orientation, our first sojourn is the Basilica of Sacre Coeur. Located at the summit of Montmartre (Martyrs Hill), the church is a shining beacon. As a modern church – it was consecrated in 1919 – it lacks the awe and punch of a gothic Cathedral. Still, it is a fitting start to our encounter with and reflection on beauty, representing a harmonious blend of historical echoes, architectural elements, early Christian history, and national pride. As you stand on the steps looking out across the city, ponder how Parisians could raise their eyes through the darkness of two world wars and see the Byzantine towers of white limestone offering hope. Is there a ‘Sacre Coeur’ in your life, a beacon of light shining down on you, a place of welcome, rest and rejuvenation? After our visit, pilgrims may want to grab a quick bite before gathering for a nightcap and conversation in the hotel bar.

This is a day of splendor, magnificence, beauty and rebirth, all framed by the charm of the Seine. We start at the grand lady of gothic cathedrals – Notre Dame de Paris for a guided tour and Mass. As pilgrims we will not only witness a ‘new’ Notre Dame; we will also stand on the threshold of a new horizon. We ask, ‘What will we pass on to our children after the next fire, revolution or war? Ruins of stone and glass and a faith forgotten, or restored grandeur to rekindle a new fire burning within?’ A pleasant stroll nearby is the Musee de Orsay, a great museum of impressionist paintings that surprisingly also has a noted collection which explores the human-divine interface, including Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. Our main meal of the day follows, where we will receive an introduction to French wines as we savor a multi-course fare of Parisian foods. The rest of the day pilgrims are free to wander any of the pleasant neighborhoods throughout Paris. We will gather in the evening for a hosted nightcap.

On this day of exploration and encounter, we visit Sainte Chapelle, the stunning medieval chapel of the French royalty, built to house sacred relics. Afterwards, we embark on a walking tour of four grand but often overlooked churches. Having seen Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame offers us a language to engage with each church, asking such questions as: ‘What makes a particular church beautiful and worth visiting?’ ‘How do these churches increase my appreciation for the contributions and place of historical and prominent churches? How has visiting these churches increased my desire to find beauty and reverence in my life? Our inquiry continues over a multi-course feast with wine pairings. Pilgrims are then free the rest of the day, though in the evening we offer an optional sacred music concert at the Madeleine, another treasure of beauty, architecture, and history. After the concert, pilgrims are again invited at the hotel bar for a hosted nightcap.

Today as we depart Paris to explore some of the great medieval gothic cathedrals of France, we open a new chapter in our encounter with beauty, beginning some 90 miles northeast in the Champagne wine-growing region, to Reims, where we will tour the stunning Cathedral of Notre Dame de Reims and afterwards be treated to a tour, tasting and lunch at a local champagne house. After we check into our hotel, pilgrims will have the rest of the day to explore the quaint area around the cathedral. All are invited to close the day with conversation and a glass of wine or champagne at the hotel.

As we continue our sojourn across the verdant fields north of Paris, we visit two more spectacular Gothic cathedrals unique in their own history, design and beauty. A brief hour’s drive is the picturesque medieval gem of Laon, home of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Laon. We will then journey to Amiens in the Somme country, famed since the Middle Ages for its textile industry and great gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame. Another attraction of Amiens are the local cheeses at Les Halles du Belfroisnear. Mass will be at the cathedral, followed by a multi-course dinner of regional specialties and wines.

Today we transition to the region of Normandy and the third part of our pilgrimage: the blending of gothic, grape and gratitude in a region transformed by war. One hundred miles from the bucolic grandeur of Amiens is the port city of Rouen. Our focus will be on the story of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption de Rouen, highlighting its storied building phases, connection to Monet, and post-WWII restoration. Our next stop is the charming medieval city of Bayeux, once the hub of Normandy. Founded by William the Conqueror, the area possesses an expansive and deep history, from its romanesque churches, with their stocky Norman towers, to the grand Notre Dame de Bayeux, to its brandy and cheeses, to the beaches and battlefields of WWII. Here in Normandy pilgrims will be treated to some of the finest foods in Europe, grand castles and soaring cathedrals, stories of heroism from Kings to saints to soldiers, and moving displays of service, sacrifice and gratitude, as we journey from an 10th century abbey to the beaches of June 6, to the battle scarred and beauty of Saint-Lo, to the somber reality of the cost of war. We come to be renewed in spirit, mind and life, as well as grow in appreciation for and understanding of beauty through encountering sacred art and architecture, music and museums, culinary delights and fruits of the earth, and the stories and sites that will touch our hearts.

Today as we travel the backroads and battlefields of Normandy we will encounter a landscape of contrasts: ruin and restoration, battlements among beauty, sorrow and gratitude, solemnity and celebration. Our sojourn offers exploration of and insights into the human spirit of resilience and heroism, remembering and redemption. As pilgrims we ask at every site, ‘What did I observe? What moved me? What can I take from my visit? Where might I be called to live with the same spirit as the men and women whose stories we heard?’ Throughout the day, we will hear tales of the impact of a community, the witness of a silent hero, the actions that seemingly made no sense, yet all of which offer portals to gratitude and the leaven of hope, and give us a greater awareness and appreciation of the ways ‘Chirst plays in 10,000 places.’ (Gerard Manley Hopkins.) We will spend time in the chapel at the Normandy American Cemetery for a short service to honor the hallowed site and ‘to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.’ (Abraham Lincoln)

Today is a light day to facilitate continued reflection on the experiences and emotions of Normandy, as well as transition to the treasures of beauty of our final two days. As we head south through the coastal plains, one of the most stunning settings for a church greets us: the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel. Pilgrims can take a shuttle bus or pedestrian walkway across the tidal sands of the bay to the 17 acre St. Michaels Mount. As we ascend to the church, pilgrims are invited to stroll through the historic medieval town before we celebrate Mass in the abbey church. Following, pilgrims will have several options for a hosted lunch. The walk back will not only be invigorating and invite picture taking of the coastal beauty, pilgrims can also relax as we drive through picturesque fields and forests of the Centre-Val de Loire region as we make our way to Chartres. After settling into our hotel, all are welcome to catch the dance of fading light upon the splendor of the cathedral and then join fellow pilgrims at the hotel for some ‘sip and share.’

On this final full day, we devote it to just one venue, the immense and glorious testament to beauty and the divine, the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartres. After breakfast pilgrims are invited to take a journey through time, architecture and craft as they wander the massive space and gaze in the glory in its stunning stained glass windows. This is a good opportunity to journal, revisit the itinerary and go through photos and other keepsakes. Later at the closing dinner, pilgrims will have an opportunity to offer their reflections and insights, and raise a glass to our shared journey of gothic, grape and gratitude.

Today we say goodbye to 10 glorious days of our encounter with beauty as we return to our homes. What will we take back? Pictures and souvenirs, or snapshots and reflections of the master mason inspiring and guiding the skilled hands and creative genius of the artisans who have given us Notre Dame and The Starry Night, Champagne and Calvados, Camembert and Crepes, St. Chapelle and Mont Saint Michel. We sat in the stalls of medieval monks, stood among the spiritual treasures of Musee d’Orsay, and prayed in 800 year-old churches. We gazed in awe at gothic masterpieces, and savored the rich foods and wines of Normandy. We walked among the fallen at Normandy, overlooked the beaches of valour, and pondered the resilience and resolve of humans to rebuild. We encountered a world bursting with beauty – in churches and sacred sites, museums and monuments, food and wine, seas and fields, ruin and restoration. We asked what it means to live with gratitude? We depart gladdened, overflowing with appreciation and commitment to see with new lenses, act with greater purpose, and seek ways to bring beauty and goodness into our worlds.