My god, Sil, what a great comparison! "disneyland of Bernadette"...
But indeed, Lourdes is like that, I confirm.
In 2010, I spent a night there on my Piémont Route.
I enjoyed my stay in "la Ruche" : it is a Pilgrim's accomodation only for pilgrims on a Jacobean Camino, so you might by chance...