A Travel Guide to the Saints

This book leads the spiritual adventurer throughout France inviting the pilgrim to encounter the deep blessings of many sacred places.

While France is known for the romantic grandeur of Paris, beautiful chateaus, lush vineyards and gourmet cuisine, it also offers an exceptional opportunity for those seeking more meaningful travel experiences at its many inspiring spiritual shrines.

This unique guidebook explores seven shrines of the Virgin Mary and more than thirty saints, providing fascinating biographies of these revered souls. Stories of well-known historical figures such as St. Joan of Arc come to life, as well as St. Catherine Labouré, the saint of silence, responsible for the miraculous medal. For those seeking spiritual serenity and inspiration with a Gallic flavor, this book will serve as a faithful companion to experience the heart and soul of France.

Features include:

• Inspiring biographies of the saints
• Location of hidden rooms with saints' relics
• Instruction on how to meditate with the saints
• How to find quiet areas for meditation and prayer
• Useful maps and directions
• Helpful references for lodging in monasteries

"The saints' presence is very much alive, today, at these shrines. James and Colleen Heater show us how truly to receive the saints' blessings, by experiencing for ourselves their living presence." -- J. Donald Walters, author of Meditation for Starters

Dimensions: 8.5" x 5.3"
Details: Paperback, 376 pages
Author: J.T. & Colleen Heater

Testimonials

The Heaters have lovingly parted the curtain on France's deep and rich spiritual tradition-required reading for the traveler looking beyond the standard tourist fare!
—James O'Reilly, Editor of Travelers' Tales France and Travelers' Tales Provence

"In a very inspirational, informative and practical way, the Heaters help others to reach the deepest level of experiencing the true beauty of the sacred places they visit, and to know more personally the holy people who helped make them sacred."
—Br. Daniel Geary, OFM Conv. Pilgrimage Tour Leader

"James and Colleen Heater have done a magnificent service for anyone wanting to visit the heart and soul of France. Everything a pilgrim needs is right here-directions, history, secret places, and high inspiration."
—Jyotish Novak, author of How to Meditate

"The Pilgrim's France is adept at providing the essential information, both practical and historical, to an impressive array of pilgrimage sites dating from every Christian era. With this guide in hand, the traveler to France becomes not only a knowledgeable pilgrim, but an inspired one as well."
—Father Hugh Feiss, OSB, author of Essential Monastic Wisdom

"My only consolation for not having had The Pilgrim's Italy when I visited Italy last year is that when I return, I most certainly will. For the moment, I'm thoroughly enjoying reading The Pilgrim's France and recommend taking it on any trip to France. Splendidly executed!"
—Carol Lee Flinders, author of Enduring Grace: Living Portraits of Seven Women Mystics

"When I began my practice of pilgrimage, I went forth to find myself. To my surprise, I found the saints as well, acting as hidden lodestones in my experience. The Pilgrim's France is a tonic for the memory, making the saints alive again for the modern pilgrim."
—Robert Tindall, Pilgrim

About J.T. & Colleen Heater

James and Colleen Heater have combined their interest in the lives of the saints and their love of travel to create a unique series of spiritual travel guides. As longtime practitioners of yoga, the Heaters teach classes on meditation and inspirational music as members of a spiritual community in Northern California. Their honeymoon to Italy in 1998 evolved into a journey of pilgrimage and sparked the idea for writing travel guides to sacred destinations. Since then they have written and published pilgrimage guides to Italy and France, with plans for adding Spain and India to the collection.

Colleen's professional background includes working as a licensed marriage and family therapist, specializing in addiction and codependency, while offering the opportunity for spiritual renewal to her clients. Colleen has lived and traveled throughout Europe for both pleasure and pilgrimage, and is currently devoting her time to writing and promotion for Inner Travel Books.

James, a licensed architect, practices in both religious and secular design, with projects in America, Europe and India. His background in meditation and music—including being an accomplished guitarist—has prepared him to understand the subtle energies of some of the holiest shrines in Europe and Asia. With this base of knowledge, he has led guided tours to sacred places in the United States and Italy.