Paris and Lourdes prepare to welcome the Pope!

France has ended the preparations for the awaited visit of Benedict XVI, who will travel to the Gallic country for the commemorations of the Virgin Mary's apparitions in Lourdes.

In Paris, the accommodations that will lodge the pontiff are already prepared. Meanwhile, in the small city of Lourdes souvenir shops have increased their production.

Philippe Bianco, Head of Lourdes Shopkeepers Association, thinks that the souvenir shops have a meaning beyond the business dimension.

"It depends on how you look at it. You could say that all these shops in Lourdes are just making money, but really, all those shops are here to serve the pilgrims and there is a real demand for this. People who come here are happy to be able to take home cheap souvenirs."