Paris1972-Versailles2003

I continue my journey in and around the pink city of Toulouse, one of  my favorite in my belle France. On our way back, we stop by Rocamadour , and finally was able to find me pictures in my cd rom vault to show in my blog for you and me, This is great wonderful village and great family times. Of course this introduction will be in my black and white series, no pictures, Let me tell you about it bear with me on the next posts, This time let me tell you of this is Rocamadour !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The Village of Rocamadour of about 610 inhabitants is located in the department of Lot No 46, in the Occitanie region of my belle France. It belongs to the Dordogne valley, It is about 61 km from Cahors, 53 km from Brive-la-Gaillarde, 163 km from Toulouse (from where we visit taking finally the D32), 219 km from Bordeaux, 525 km from Versailles, and 588 km from my current home, You reach it easily from the A20 highway sortie/exit 56.

In the heart of the Haut-Quercy, as hung on a powerful dominant cliff of 150 meters the conceded valley of Alzou, this Marian village of Rocamadour is a place of pilgrimage renowned since the 12C, frequented since the Middle Ages by many palms followers , anonymous or famous such as Henri II of England, Simon de Montfort, Blanche de Castille and Louis IX de France, Saint Dominique and Saint Bernard, among other illustrious figures, who came to venerate the Black Virgin and the tomb of Saint Amadour. A Citadel of Faith is also a renowned natural tourist site of the Causse Gramat canyon.

The medieval city, with tortuous alleys, is guarded by a series of fortified doors (salmon, cobilers, hospital, fig tree). A monumental staircase, which the pilgrims climbed on his knees, led to the Esplanade des Sanctuaires, where the Saint-Sauveur Basilica rub shoulders, the Saint-Amadour Crypt, the chapels Sainte-Anne, Saint-Blaise, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Notre-Dame , Saint-Louis and Saint-Michel are located. The whole is dominated by the Palace of the Bishops of Tulle. A way of the cross leads to the castle and the cross of Jerusalem, where a belvedere was arranged. The village is part of the association Les most beautiful Villages of France. On the planet Mars, in March 2021, one of the targets of advanced analysis carried out on a rocky outcrop by the Astromobile Curiosity of NASA, is baptized ‘after the town.

Things to see here , me think are : The Saint-Sauveur Basilica . The basilica offers a wall representation of the said of the three dead and the three lively: three young gentlemen are challenged in a cemetery by three dead, who remind them of the brevity of life and the importance of the salvation of their soul; The Episcopal palace/castle ; Chapelle Notre-Dame; Chapelle Saint-Michel ; Chapelle Sainte-Anne, ; Chapelle Saint-Blaise, and Chapelle Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Also, the Museum of Sacred Art Francis Poulenc devoted to the presentation of objects of worship of the sanctuary opened in 1968 in the episcopal palace renovated in the 19C. The museum is a witness to the history of the pilgrimage to the Virgin of Rocamadour. It presents on five levels a hundred works of sacred art offered to the sanctuary and which could have been saved despite the looting of the sanctuary The Café Theater Côté Rocher presents humor shows, comedies, only-in-scène ( “One-man-shows”),

A bit of history tell us that the three floors of the village of Rocamadour date from the Middle Ages, they reflect the three orders of society: knights above, linked to religious clerics in the middle and lay workers below the river. Rare documents mention that in 1105, a small chapel was built in a cliff shelter at a place called Rupis Amatoris, bordering on the territories of Benedictine abbeys Saint-Martin de Tulle and Saint-Pierre de Marcilhac. In 1112, Eblen of Turenne, abbot of Tulle, moved to Rocamadour. In 1119, a first donation was made by Eudes, count of the march. In 1148, a first miracle was announced. The pilgrimage to Marie attracted crowds. The statue of the Black Virgin is dated from the 12C. Géraud d’Escorailles, abbot from 1152 to 1188, built the religious buildings, funded by the gifts of visitors. The works were completed at the end of the 12C. In 1317, the monks left Rocamadour. The site is then administered by a chapter of canons appointed by the bishop. Subsequently, during the wars of religion, the iconoclastic passage of Protestant mercenaries in 1562 provoked the destruction of religious buildings and their relics the relics are desecrated and destroyed, including the body of Saint Amadour, The site was again looted under the French revolution. At the beginning of the 19C, the sanctuaries of Rocamadour were in a state of significant dilapidation, three sanctuaries were in service (churches Saint-Sauveur and Saint-Amadour, and Chapel Notre-Dame), two were in poor condition (Chapels Saint-Michel and Saint -Laise), the other two were in ruins ( Chapels Sainte-Anne and Saint-Jean-Baptiste) of the works, which started in 1858 ; concerned the whole religious city and the castle at the end of the summer of 1872, the big works of catering were completed. In August 2016, the sanctuary celebrated the 850th anniversary of the discovery of the intact body of Saint Amadour. After the annual pilgrimage which is held from August 22 to 25, the faithful will again be able to meditate before the relics of the saint permanently.

The town of Rocamadour on its heritage : https://mairierocamadour.fr/decouverte/histoire-et-patrimoine/

The local Dordogne valley tourist office on Rocamadour: https://www.visit-dordogne-valley.co.uk/discover/cultural-heritage/villages-to-visit/rocamadour

The Lot dept 46 tourist office on Rocamadour : https://www.tourisme-lot.com/rocamadour/

The Occitanie region tourist office on Rocamadour : https://www.visit-occitanie.com/en/discovering/major-sites/rocamadour-dordogne-valley/

There you go folks, you will love your walks here, we did and always looking forward to be back, eventually. Again, hope you enjoy this post on this is Rocamadour !!! as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!