Rocamadour : A breathtaking site
Campsite near Rocamadour in the Lot department
Less than 20 km from our camping in the Lotdiscover RocamadourThe Sacred City, in the heart of the Haut-Quercy region and at the gateway to France’s Dordogne valleyclinging to a mighty, luminous cliff 150 meters above a deep valley where the Alzou stream meanders.
Rocamadour is an integral part of the Parc naturel régional des Causses du Quercy, classified as one of the ” Most Beautiful Villages in France “, and is also on the route of the Pilgrim’s Way to Santiago de Compostela.
Day or night, you’re bound to be dazzled. The vertical village, built in successive tiers on the cliffside, is a prodigious superposition of houses and sanctuaries.
Rocamadour :Medieval town, Marian town, breathtaking town…
The medieval town, with its winding streets, is guarded by a series of gates. A monumental staircase, which pilgrims used to climb on their knees, leads to the sanctuary esplanade, where the Saint-Sauveur basilica and the Saint-Amadour crypt (both UNESCO World Heritage sites) stand side by side. The Notre-Dame or Miraculous Chapel, one of 7 chapels built into the rock, houses its jewel, a statue of the Black Madonna venerated for over a thousand years.
The former episcopal palace, whose entrance is also located on the forecourt, houses the Musée d’Art Sacré, a collection of the city’s religious works.
From the top of the medieval village, the ramparts of the old fort to be precise, the panorama over the whole site, as well as the Alzou canyon and the surrounding unspoilt countryside of the Parc Naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy, is truly superb.
In Rocamadour, walkers can also admire beautiful mineral concretions and 20,000-year-old cave drawings when visiting the Grotte des Merveilles.
Finish your visit in the lower town, which invites you to stroll through its medieval architecture.
In summer, the town hosts a festival of sacred music, with a succession of concerts and lectures. In September, don’t miss the big hot-air balloon rally. Passengers can admire the city from the best angles.
