The Accueil Notre-Dame is not a hotel. The Sanctuary describes it as a kind of big family home that is classified as a healthcare facility, with adapted bedrooms, dining rooms, chapels, and direct access to the Grotto. It is run by a small staff with sisters from three religious congregations and hundreds of volunteers from the Hospitalité Notre-Dame de Lourdes, and its high season is March to October. Pilgrimages arrive with anything from a few dozen sick pilgrims to several hundred, each with its own helpers, who stay nearby.
So the first step for someone with serious medical needs is to find a pilgrimage that takes sick pilgrims: ask your diocese whether it has a Lourdes pilgrimage or hospitality group. Registration goes through the pilgrimage, which is how the Accueil receives its guests, so talk to its organizers and to your own doctor early. An organizer bringing a group of sick or disabled pilgrims can contact the Accueil's management directly (+33 5 62 42 80 10), and the drop-in center for disabled pilgrims at St. Michael's Gate, run by the OCH foundation (+33 5 62 42 79 92, lourdes@och.fr), gives practical advice for planning.
Good to know before you go: if you travel on your own with a disability and do not need nursing through the night, an ordinary hotel near the gates works well. Santavia sends a health professional to your accommodation for treatments, injections, or help with washing; it must be booked ahead online, and the Sanctuary's pages do not give its prices. Wheelchairs can be borrowed at the Sanctuary Information Centre. Pilgrims who cannot afford a hotel can ask about the Cité Saint-Pierre. Read on the Sanctuary's pages October 10, 2026.