In the very heart of the Pays d’Oc, steeped in legends and history, Rocamadour offers an unforgettable spectacle. This stunningly beautiful citadel seemingly defying gravity has over the centuries been lovingly carved into the face of a sheer cliff some 150 metres above the meandering Alzou river. This historic village nestled in the Lot region of southwest France welcomes over 1.5 million pilgrims and visitors annually.

Since the Middle Ages, Rocamadour has been an important place of pilgrimage dedicated to the Shrine of the Black Virgin.

French legend suggests that the history of Rocamadour began with the arrival of Zacchaeus (from the biblical story), husband of St Veronica, who fled to France to escape religious persecution and lived out his last years here as a hermit. When in 1166 a perfectly preserved body was found in a grave high up on the rock, it was declared to be Zacchaeus, known in France as St Amadour. Rocamadour soon became a major pilgrimage site and a staging post on the road to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Saint Bernard, Saint Louis, Blanche de Castille, numerous kings of England and France and thousands of others have visited to pay their respects and seek cures for their illnesses.

Over the centuries, numerous miracles have been attributed to Rocamadour and this small village has become a symbol of faith and hope.

For more information please visit our friends at www.notre-dame-de-rocamadour.com or the regional tourist board – www.rocamadour.com.

Click on video’s below for presentation of Rocamadour:

Video courtesy of www.greatsites-midipyrenees.co.uk.