Originally a sleepy market town on the road to the spas of the Pyrenees, Lourdes has grown into the largest Marian pilgrimage center in the world. Let your vacation package guide you through the two sections of this spiritual destination: the international portion by the river, consisting of the religious area containing the Grotto and churches, known as the Domaine or the Sanctuaries, and the "French" portion, centered around the Marketplace & Hotel de Ville.