The women waiting to bathe queue up outside the baths (opening hours are listed outside), it is advisable to get there well in advance to avoid lengthy queues and the possibility of being turned away. The sick (in wheelchairs, voitures or on stretchers) and their helpers are brought to queue separately. Women with small children also have a separate queue as there is a special "cabine" which in addition to the normal bath includes a small bath in which small children can be bathed.
Once inside the stone building, women wait on benches along the walls and are called forward to a curtained cubicle, there are 11 in total, 10 in the main section and one with a separate entrance which contains the children’s bath. Each of these cubicles are known as a "cabine". The "piscinière" will allocate each person to a "cabine", mainly in order of arrival, but also taking into account any information she may have about a pilgrim’s well-being, etc. Please wait to be allocated to a "cabine".
Each "cabine" takes up to 8 people at a time. Once inside the "cabine", you will be invited to remove your clothes and given a blue robe with which to cover yourself. You should remove all your clothes. The blue robe goes around the shoulders (not under the arms, unless you are instructed otherwise). Your clothes must be hung up on your designated hook. You should wait to remove your shoes until you sit down (to reduce the risk of slipping) and then tuck them under your chair. You should retain your jewellery, glasses and watch (your wrists will not go in the water).
The "directrice" will call you forward to wait at the white curtains. Most pilgrims are called forward in their order of arrival, but priority is given to the sick and their helpers (who need to be ready to accompany the sick pilgrim out of the baths). In particular you may be asked to wait or pause in what you are doing if a stretcher case is brought in. At all times you should be as quiet as possible and say as little as possible in order to preserve a prayerful atmosphere.
Once you are called through the white curtains, they will be closed behind you. Usually there will be three "piscinières" with you (occasionally there may be four if a new helper is learning their job). You are often asked what nationality you are or what language you speak; the helpers will try to speak to you in that language if they are able. If you have any special requests, such as wishing to have water poured over an affected part of your body, you should make them now.
At this point you will be standing in front of some steps which lead down to the bath, a helper will stand either side of the bath and a third helper will stand with you. It is this helper who is in charge of what happens within the bath. She will ask you to go down to the top step. Once you are there, you will be invited to offer your intentions to Our Lady in silence. You will be invited to make the sign of the cross at the end of your prayer, in remembrance of your baptism.
You will then be asked to raise your arms. The two helpers on either side of the bath will raise a white robe and the helper behind you will remove the blue robe. It is worth noting that the white robe is wet (and quite cold!). The helper on your left will secure the white robe and then grasp your wrist. You will then be invited to step down two steps, walk forwards and kiss the statue of Our Lady at the end of the bath.
You will then be invited to sit down in the water. You should sit as though you are sitting down on a chair. If you cannot sit down, you can kneel instead. The two helpers will support you. Your head should not go underwater at all, nor will your wrists. You shouldn’t cling to the helpers or to the sides of the bath as this could cause an accident. You will then be returned to an upright position. At this point you may have water poured over a particular part of your body or drink a glass of water if you so wish. It is however advisable to mention that you wish to do this before you descend into the bath.
The two helpers will then turn you round and recite the baths prayer over you. You will walk back up the bath and up to the top step where you should stop. The helper in front of you will cover you with the blue robe and the white robe will be removed.
You will then return to the changing area where you should get dressed. You should not dry yourself. You must replace all the clothes that you were wearing when you entered the "cabine".
The "directrice" will indicate when you can leave the "cabine".
If you come in a wheelchair you will normally be expected to walk into the bath. If you cannot walk into the bath, you will normally be offered a "lotion". Very occasionally you may be bathed using a canvas webbing in an upright position (this is used very infrequently).
A "lotion" is used where a sick pilgrim cannot walk into the bath (and is not on a stretcher) or when it is decided that it is against the pilgrim’s best interests to be immersed in the bath. It can be given whilst a sick pilgrim is seated in a chair in the "cabine" or on a stretcher when a sick pilgrim has been brought into the "cabine" in this way.
Once inside a "cabine", you will be undressed by one or more helpers, who will keep you covered at all times. After you are undressed a waterproof sheet will be placed beneath you.
You will be invited to offer your intentions to Our Lady in silence (you may be given a statuette of Our Lady to hold). You will be invited to make the sign of the cross at the end of your prayer, in remembrance of your baptism.
The "directrice" will call for silence and all the helpers of the "cabine" will gather around you. Two helpers will bring the wet white robe from behind the white curtain and it will be placed over you. Whilst the white robe is covering you the baths prayer will be recited.
You will then be covered and the white robe removed. The waterproof sheet will be removed. You will be helped to dress again. All the clothes that you were wearing when you entered the "cabine" will be replaced.
The "directrice" will indicate when you can leave the "cabine".
For pilgrims who cannot walk down into the bath, it is advisable to be brought into the baths on a stretcher. The helpers will then be able to immerse you in the bath on a stretcher.
A sick pilgrim on a stretcher is brought into the centre of a "cabine". Once inside a "cabine", you will be undressed by one or more helpers, who will keep you covered at all times. After you are undressed a sheet will be placed beneath you.
The "directrice" will call for silence and all the helpers of the "cabine" will gather around you. You will be invited to offer your intentions to Our Lady in silence (you may be given a statuette of Our Lady to hold). You will be invited to make the sign of the cross at the end of your prayer, in remembrance of your baptism. At this point the baths prayer will be recited.
Two helpers will bring the wet white robe from behind the white curtain and it will be placed over you. You will then be lifted (using the sheet) and a small stretcher placed beneath you. Once the stretcher has been placed beneath you, it will be lifted by 4 or 6 helpers.
The helpers will walk down into the bathing area and immerse you into the water on the stretcher.
As the stretcher is removed from the water the white robe is removed and the other covers replaced.
The helpers will then carry you back to the large stretcher on the bathing stretcher.
Once you are on the large stretcher, you will be lifted (using the sheet) and the bathing stretcher is removed. The helpers will then remove the sheet (and a waterproof sheet which is protecting the stretcher).
You will be helped to dress again. All the clothes that you were wearing when you entered the "cabine" will be replaced.
The "directrice" will indicate when you can leave the "cabine".