Rome  - The Vatican on Friday announced the official programme for Pope Benedict XVI's tour of France, which includes visits to Paris and Lourdes.

The leader of the Catholic Church is to scheduled to tour France between September 12 and 15, meeting first with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace, where the pope is also to give a speech.

On that evening, the pontiff is to celebrate Mass with priests, deacons and other church officials, before he gives a short address to French youth in front of the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

On September 13, Benedict is to celebrate a Mass on the Esplanade des Invalides in Paris, before he flies on to Lourdes in the early evening.

On September 14 in Lourdes, the pope is scheduled to say Mass in honour of the 150th anniversary of what Catholics believe was the appearance of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The pope is also scheduled to meet with French bishops, and on the following day Benedict is to hold a Mass with the sick in the Basilica Notre-Dame du Rosaire, before he returns to Rome.

Lourdes is among the most important pilgrimage sites for Catholics. (dpa)