I had a wonderful time! It was another soul searching pilgrimage for me. The places we visited and the homilies/talks, gave a new outlook in life . Lastly, thank you for the uber rides, I’m one of your pilgrims with minor disability, I really appreciate the extra care. God bless and please share the group pictures. Thank you.

Summary: This was our WORST trip ever! Disorganized, tight and poorly planned and executed, and very expensive! Details: This was a pilgrimage in France and started trip immediately upon morning arrival in Paris with no sleep on an over night flight. Very poor hotel selections. We, pilgrims mostly elderly and some are disabled had to walk and pull our luggages from bus to hotel. Generally, bus can’t park in front of hotels to offload luggages or passengers. Rooms are very small and few amenities. I felt confused because of unclear or conflicting instructions from pilgrimage leaders. I felt there is no role distinction of each leader. Too many people giving instructions! Even pilgrims are also giving instructions dubbed to be “Fake news!” For example, a woman said that prayer partners will sit together on the bus contrary to the tour leader’s instruction. I felt that the tour leader has no control. We are elderly pilgrims and those with disability have to walk over cobble stones just to eat dinner in far restaurants. Thanks God it didn’t rain while we were walking and hauling luggages! I felt that we didn’t get our money’s worth. Will not take this company again. We are world travelers. This review is a comparison with past travels with other companies. Arrival Paris CDG airport Confusing! No clear instructions where to assemble, etc. Too many people giving instructions including some pilgrims themselves! No orientation. No role identification or definition. What’s the role of tour leaders: Tour Director, priests, nuns? First day: No porterage. Pulled big luggages from bus to hotel along cobble stone roads. Why can’t hotel take all luggages from big luggages to carry-on baggages? Hard to pull luggages esp the elderly and disabled ones. Poor hotel selection- can’t park bus in front of hotel to off load and upload luggages or the pilgrims! Walked long to restaurant for dinner. Salad small serving with small amt of salmon. Main course is veal. Not tasty and sauce is sweet. No other choice! Drinks like wine, soda, and coffee were charged separately. Hotels should be selected that a bus can off load and upload luggages and pilgrims right in front of the hotel! 2nd Day: Started late due to 2 people late. No wake up call to avoid people getting late. St Therese and Normandy. I felt rushed in Normandy. Public toilets are closed. Went back to Omaha beach to use restaurant toilets. I felt it’s another terrible day. Long walk hauling all luggages and hand carry uphill to the hotel. Hotel rooms are hard to find. Elevator is confusing. Walked almost a mile on cobble stones to eat dinner. Late dinner due to late arrival. I felt everyday is getting worse. Why can’t bus drop off and pick us up to and from hotel to restaurant? 3rd Day: Departed 7:46 am due to 2 late people. Again, no Wake Up call initiated. Even pilgrim leaders were late too. I felt rules were not consistent! For example, late showing up on appointed meeting time after lunch breaks. They emphasized punctuality but they themselves do not show up on time! For example in Ars we were told to assemble at 1:45 pm so the bus can leave promptly at 1:45 pm. A pilgrim leader showed up late; thus we left at about 2:15 pm! There were some more examples. Pilgrims: I am not perfect. I have imperfections. But, I felt many pilgrim participants developed attitudes. I felt this was the result of the following: Poor hotel and restaurant selection (luggage hauling and long walks = physical exhaustion); no role distinction of pilgrim leaders resulting to different and confusing instructions; no seating policy (rotation or otherwise) announced resulting in quarrels, etc. Again, I am not perfect. But, some pilgrims were giving instructions themselves - confusing instructions. Some were loud and rowdy even inside churches; some were even taking pictures while hearing a mass; some were rude and inconsiderate, for example, securing and staying in place taking pictures without regard to other pilgrims’ turn; and some can pray the rosary to high heavens and yet, they are snappy and worse fight with their fellow pilgrims; and some cut lines, for example checking-in by couples (husband and wife) at Air France counter at IAD airport, taking hot coffee during breakfast, etc. Too much talking, unnecessary talking and noise inside or outside of buses or churches. I felt peace and quiet, finesse, and civility were missing! I wish some pilgrims have their family members or care givers with them and not to be left at the mercy of other pilgrim’s assistance. Paris first day: Some men offloaded all luggages from the bus to the hotel. We walked again to the restaurant and back to the hotel. Rooms are very small at the hotel. I did not hear Pilgrim Leaders say Thank You publicly on the bus to the volunteers hauling luggages. Yet, they said thank you to the drivers, local guides, etc. I felt no appreciation for the hard work of volunteers pilgrims! No seat assignments policy announced resulting to chaos and fights. Prayer partner - it should have been better to have couples, husband and wife as prayer partners. Individuals w/o travel partners or non-couples be assigned to each other as prayer partners. 29 Sep. 2026: Train ride to Lyon. Chaotic. Some men were asked to volunteer to haul luggages and loaded them on the train. On the platform, a woman is giving instruction that all men will help on the luggages. I spoke with her that only volunteers will do the hauling because some men have medical issues. A pilgrim told her to go up on the train and take a sit and relax. I told the woman, that we got this task. That was the instruction in the first place, for the women to take seats first on the train. Off loaded again at Lyon train station, loaded and off loaded them at elevator. I felt physically exhausted!!! I felt these volunteer pilgrims worked as porters! Again, I did not hear a public Thank You said by any of the pilgrim leaders (Tour Director, priests, and nuns) on the bus to the volunteers. Yet, again, they thanked the driver, and tour guides. I felt again, no appreciation at all to the pilgrim volunteers! Keystone Hotel and Spa one night only in Lyon. Only one pillow each. No amenities. It’s a little bit better than previous hotels though. La Salette: We joined this pilgrimage with high expectations. La Salette destination was our aim and had rest after all the chaotic previous destinations of this pilgrimage. Pleased to have visited the holy place of apparition of the blessed Virgin Mary of La Salette. 🙏🏽💒🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽 The La Salette sisters’ Thank You dance-parade on our last night was epic! Merci beaucoup Sisters 🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽 Tour schedule: It’s bad. It would have been better to start the tour on the morning of previous day arrival. Not everyone can sleep on the plane and start the tour immediately upon arrival. We are very tired and sleepless to start the tour immediately! All of our previous tours over the years (with Globus, Trafalgar, Cosmos, etc) were way better and more efficient! Participants normally arrive a day before the start of the tour, meet the tour director and participants in the evening for an orientation. Then start the tour the following morning after at least an overnight rest. Conclusion: The foregoing is my personal experience, observation, and opinion. Very disappointed and exhausted pilgrim! Will not take this company again!

I have been on almost a dozen JMJ Tours pilgrimages over the years, and the experience just keeps getting better. I have been to places that in the past I had only dreamed of visiting, and am now able to live those dreams. My most recent pilgrimage, "Catholic France," was a wonderful spiritual and travel experience. I highly recommend JMJ Tours to anyone who has ever considered fulfilling a pilgrimage. The cost is reasonable and includes airfare and most meals and can be paid in installments. One of the beauties of the pilgrimages is the way pilgrims, often strangers to one another at the start, quickly come together to help each other, whether it be loading luggage or assisting those with ambulatory challenges. The director, Dan Callahan, has decades of experience. Perhaps even longer. Rumor has it that found on a wall of the Vatican Necropolis near St. Peter's tomb is this bit of graffiti: "Sociarem tuum precationis quaere," which translates roughly as "Check your prayer partner."

We had a great time. Good food, accommodations, and good people. Dan did a great job .

Overall experience for my very 1st pilgrimage is very good... Excellent itinerary...Saw lots of beautiful churches and locales as planned. Margaret(local tour guide) was excellent in reaffirming Catholic faith by enthusiastically sharing her knowledge of history. Mathilde is personable, delightful and worked hard for the group to stay safe & together. Both Mercure & Voco hotels have very satisfactory accommodations and served excellent breakfast... hearty & healthy choices are available. Dinners at the appointed restaurants, hotel, and cruise ship were deliciously French. You, Dan C./tour manager, have the right personality and demeanor for this big & diverse group... thank you for all you do. Recommendations: 1. pilgrims requiring help with mobility should be accompanied by their own personal aide 2. reminder that bus seats are not permanent; otherwise, say so on the 1st day 3. remind/provide instructions for tour participants to cough into the bend of their elbow; not into their hands... otherwise, practice immediate hand hygiene by handwashing with soap & water or hand sanitizer 4. Mercure hotel & Voco hotel shower/bath tubs are very high risk for falls/not at all safe due to the elevated sides of the tub making it difficult to get into and the glass enclosure is not of full length of the side of the tub causing water splashes on the floor; thus, making the floor slippery. Voco hotel's toilet design needs improvement...should be able to wash hands right after toilet use before touching door handles