Just discovered that I forgot to publish this post on Rocamadour – an amazing town we visited last September in France😳. So here it is now…..

Rocamadour is a commune in the Lot department in southwestern France. It attracts visitors for its stunning and dramatic setting in a gorge above a tributary of the River Dordogne and it is an important pilgrimage destination, and has been for 1000 years. Built on the site of a shrine to a Madonna, the shrine became famous for its healing powers, and soon became a stop on the pilgrimage path to Santiago de Campostela.

The town below the complex of monastic buildings and pilgrimage churches, traditionally dependent on the pilgrimage site and now on the tourist trade, lies near the river on the lowest slopes; it gives its name to Rocamadour, a small goat’s milk cheese that was awarded AOC status in 1996.

From the Rue de la Couronnerie you get to a series of monumental steps called the Grand Escalier. These lead to a small square surrounded by 8 important religious buildings. There are 216 steps in total, once climbed by pilgrims on their knees.

A small chapel was built in the cliff side in 1105 and in 1112 the abbot of Tulle came to live here and in 1148 a first miracle was announced and pilgrims started arriving. Money from the pilgrims financed the building of a large basilica, the basilica Saint-Saveur and then further religious buildings were built also in this relatively small space. The religious buildings here include the Chapelle Notre Dame which is home to the Black Madonna; the basilica Saint-Sauveur; the Saint-Michel chapel and the Palace of the Bishops (Palais des Eveques) and several chapels.

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The statue of the Black Madonna was the main draw for the pilgrims. In the same chapel is the miraculous bell reputed to ring when a miracle occurs at sea and a sailor’s life is saved. Famous pilgrims who have journeyed to Rocamadour include Henri II of England, Eleanorof Aquitaine, Louis IX of France, Charles IV of France and Louis XI of France.

Rocamadour’s stunning castle was built to defend the village’s Sanctuary in the Middle Ages and sits proudly at the top of the village in an extraordinary balancing act. Only the castle’s ramparts are open to visitors but the viewpoints over the Alzou Valley are simply breathtaking.

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Strolling through the lovely (albeit very touristy) streets of Rocamadour…..

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An amazing place to visit and fortunately there is a funicular to bring you up or down to the castle from the streets and the basilica.

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Stay tuned for more posts coming soon as we start our 2020 travels very soon 😎