Rocamadour is a small medieval town and at the same time it is the largest pilgrimage center in the south-western part of the country . It is located in the South Pyrenees area and became known primarily as a place of worship of the Mother of God . Rocamadour stands on a rock on height of 150 m above the river valley, and sometimes it is called a "vertical city" - so specific are the buildings that seem to cling to a steep rocky cliff . Since the 12th century, believers have arrived here, and today the city, despite its modest size, is included in the the top five s attractions in France . One and a half million tourists every year is not a trifle for a town in which only 600 people . UNESCO declared the city a World Heritage site as part of the pilgrimage route of St. James . And also Rocamadour is famous for its fine cheese of the same name .
How to get to Rocamadour
By car from Cahors (about 35 km) or following the French way, like thousands of foot or bicycle pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela along the branch line St. James, which begins from Le Puy. From Toulouse to Rocamadour leads first the high-speed highway, then the route (time on the road about 2 hours)
Search for tickets to the city of Paris (the nearest airport to Rocamadour)
- Of course, try the rokamadur cheese - and only for the wine from nearby Cahors.
- Get the total absolution of all sins ("grand pardon"), making a visit on the year when the Dey Corps festival coincides on the date with Ivanov. @
- Look at the falconry at the Eagle Mountain
- Go to the museum bees near the city, look at the old hives, try to extract honey from honeycombs and listen to the buzz from a safe distance.
Best hotels 5 *. Paris. Disneyland. Vacation with children.
Cote d'Azur: Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Saint-Tropez.
Rent of aircraft. Transfers by helicopter. VIP service
СОДИС - 25 years of impeccable work.
Chamonix from 35 285 rubles. for 8 days
Bride-les-Bains from 37,760 rubles. for 8 days
Tinh from 47 510 rubles. for 8 days
Residence Tourotel 3 * from 21.03. for 7 nights from 50,717 rubles.
Altis Val Vert 3 * from 07.03. for 7 nights from 51,503 rubles
Residence Le Cheval Blanc 3 * from 07.03. for 7 nights from 55 574 rubles
We have been working for you since 1929! Book a tour online!
A bit of history
A lot of rock caves in this place gave shelter to Paleolithic people . A more cultural settlement was founded on the site of the current Rocamadour in the Iron Age, and then the medieval city . grew up on it. Its inhabitants settled at different heights in accordance with class distinctions, therefore the urban development forms as it were three layers: the dwellings of the common people - the lowest, the higher - the clergy, at the very top - the nobility . Christian miracles began to happen walk here in the 12th century, and the funds brought to the city by pilgrims allowed the construction of the first sanctuary . In the 13th century papal bulls guaranteed indulgence for a year for pilgrims, and Rocamadour entered the heyday . Here grew a fortified castle that reached and to this day .
A century later the region was plagued by plague epidemics, famine and cold winters, and Rocamadour also had a hard time . The giant stone fell off the cliff, destroyed the heart of the city - the chapel of the Mother of God, then religious wars began, and the sanctuaries were very tired ь from Protestants: that they did not rob - they destroyed it . The same happened during the Great Revolution . By the beginning of the 19th century, only a miserable reminder of the sainted holy places of the city remained . But from the middle of this century the city began to recover, which was incredibly difficult due to its "verticality" and lack of funds . Nevertheless, by the turn of the century the most important historical and religious objects of Rocamadour were restored .
Entertainment, excursions and attractions in Rocamadour
Rocamadour is amazing and impressive to the core. Confession and, in general, religiosity have absolutely nothing to do with it. The city with just one street in fact (worthy to be called "street", not a lane) climbs and winds up the mountain, merging with the rock, surrounded by green trees of the mountain ridge. Breathing a hundred-year history, resembling a wrinkled old man, he is so atmospheric and photogenic, that it is even surprising how much our compatriots know so little about him.
In the upper part of the city there are seven sanctuaries and other ancient unreconstructed buildings. This place is a symbolic completion of the pilgrimage route and its final goal: here it is customary to leave gifts, asking for the fulfillment of the desired. To the sanctuaries is a steep staircase in 216 steps, and pilgrims must overcome it, crawling on their knees. 14 stops on the way up symbolize the stopping of Christ at the crossroads.
One of the most significant religious and cultural sites of Rocamadour is the chapel of Our Lady . In the 19th century it was restored in the image and likeness of the original building of the 15th century . It is in this chapel that the most miraculous of the shrines of the city is located - a small statue of the Black Madonna . The Madonna is carved from two pieces of walnut tree, and the figure of the baby is glued to her knee . When somewhere far away the sailors pray the Mother of God for salvation and avoid death in the abyss, Madonna rings the bell . If we believe the Benedictine monks who in the 12th century in his " miracle "made up their whole inventory, even then Madonna created more than 120 wonders .
Above the slope is the Benedictine Chapel Saint-Michel, built in the 12th century . She stands on a kind of terrace where a lot of pilgrims gather . Standing on the terrace, you can see the handle of the medieval sword . According to the legend, this is the legendary sword of Roland, Durandal, received from the hands of Charlemagne . The sword is chained to the rock, as according to the legend , if you remove it from the stone, the mountain will collapse . Also at the very top of the hill There is not much that is known about Rocamadour Castle today: it was built in the 14th century, destroyed in the 16th, restored in the 19th, today it belongs to the private owner . Passage inside is forbidden, but from the observation deck at the castle beautiful views of the river valley open .
The Basilica Saint-Sauveur with its painted and painted walls that she had seen many important people who had come here on pilgrimage. The crypt under the basilica dates back to the 12th century, and it houses the relics of Saint Amadour, whose imperishable body was accidentally found in 1166 and who then became the patron saint of the city.
Among the less cult, but also quite interesting attractions of Rocamadour are the surrounding caves . The most popular of them is the Padirak cave, the descent into which looks like exactly the same to Saruman underground factory near Isengard . This is a vertical well with a diameter of 35 m, steeply going down to a depth of 75 m, where the underground river flows . Other caves: Mervellje, Lasko, Pesch-Merle are famous for rock carvings of horses, deer, human hands and so on, about 20 thousand . years . In addition, near the live museum of bees there is a monkey park where the macaques roam freely and unhindered to visitors . Also, an ornithological center Rosh-des-Egle ("Eagle's Rock"), where the development Besides predatory birds . Plus there is a museum of church art in Rocamadour .
Surroundings of Rocamadour
10 km from the city there is a very special place that can impress with its quirkiness even those who have seen enough of the most diverse European caves - grotto Lakav . The total length of this cave is about 1, 5 km, there are 12 rooms, which take about 1, 5 hours . The program of the tour of the grotto includes a trip on a tiny train through the tunnel . Phantasmagoric paintings in which karstic deposits formed for centuries, gave each of the halls of the cave fabulous names - there is the grotto of Chaos, the Cathedral Hall with a height of 60 m and the Organ Hall, where the "grew up" education, called for a magical similarity with the Gothic cathedral Lakavsky Notre Dame . The special highlight of the cave - Hall of Magic, where due to the skilful lighting effects, the illusion that the stone sculptures live their own life is reached .
Directly opposite the grotto, by the river Uys, the medieval castle Belkastel, built in 930, rises on a rocky cliff g . And a little yes On the same road, three kilometers from the village of Lakav, on the Dordogne River, there is a beautifully preserved 14th-century Castle Train with a powerful central tower and an original interior decor . Today, the castle houses one of the best hotels in the region, surrounded by a beautiful park of 120 hectares with a French garden and a forest .But in the district, within a radius of 20-40 km, there are still so many picturesque villages that are interesting in themselves, and the sights located in them: Karenak with the Saint Pierre church and the rich cultural heritage center of the Dordogne valley; Suyak with a museum-winery and a museum of assault rifles; Padirak with the center of insects and butterflies ...
Book popular Rocamadour hotels at the best prices
| Hôtel Les Esclargies from 4 132 rubles Rocamadour L'Hospitalet | Hôtel Restaurant Les Vieilles Tours from 5 371 rubles Rocamadour Lieu-dit Lafage | Best Western Beau Site from 5,784 rubles Rocamadour Cité Médiévale |
| Logis Hôtel Le Belvédère from 3 099 rubles @Rocamadour L'Hospitalet | Amadour Hôtel from 3 443 rubles Rocamadour Place de L'europe - l'Hospitalet | Hotel du Lion D'or from 2 755 rubles @Rocamadour Cité Médiévale |