Lourdes pilgrimage draws millions while local economy grapples with aging population

A three‑day Assomption network gathering in Lourdes brought together members from France and across Europe, emphasizing unity, prayer and fellowship. The event highlighted the town’s role as a focal point for Catholic pilgrimage.

Lourdes continues to attract a massive influx of pilgrims, reaching 3.4 million visitors in 2025 – a figure surpassing pre‑COVID levels. The sanctuary’s visitor volume supports a hospitality sector of more than 140 hotels and roughly 12 000 rooms, making the town the second‑largest hotel destination in France after Paris, despite a resident population of only about 14 000. The surrounding Hautes‑Pyrénées department, with just over 230 000 inhabitants, faces a stagnant and aging demographic, while the local mountain agriculture remains largely isolated from the tourism‑driven economy. The pilgrimage sustains the local economy but does not reverse demographic decline.