The Paris-Chartres Pilgrimage occurs every year on the Saturday before the Feast of Pentecost in early summer, and is a multi-generational, multi-national gathering of Catholics who draw closer to God through the centuries-old act of pilgrimage.
The walk is roughly 62 miles over 3 days—beginning at daybreak on the Saturday before Pentecost, and ending with an afternoon mass on the Monday after Pentecost.
The trek takes 8,000-10,000 pilgrims from paris’ Church of Saint-Sulpice at 6 a.m. on June 4th, 2022, and the journey of faith and foot through the French countryside to the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Chartres (the pilgrimage used to start at Notre Dame de Paris, but since the fire in 2019 the starting point has been changed).
Pilgrims are organized into groups of 20-60 people, that are referred to as “chapters”. Participants brave the weather, blisters, and humble food and accommodations as an act of faith and an act of reparation in these modern times.
There will be Solemn Mass every day in the Traditional Roman Rite. Those who join the pilgrimage will have the opportunity to sing and pray in both English, French, and Latin.
On the way of the pilgrimage route the French have the venerable custom of singing the Rosary in French.
The pilgrimage this year will begin the morning of Saturday, June 7, the Vigil of Pentecost, with Mass at Notre-Dame in Paris. The following day, the Solemnity of Pentecost (Whitsunday — June 8), Solemn Pontifical Mass will be sung in the French countryside. The concluding Mass will be celebrated the afternoon of Monday, June 9, Pentecost Monday, in Chartres Cathedral.
The theme of this year’s pilgrimage is For our Holy Mother the Church.
It is reported a record number of pilgrims (approximately 16,000) have registered for the pilgrimage in 2025.
Click here for the official Chartres Pilgrimage website in English.