Rocamadour

Rocamadour is a village in Lot, southwestern France.

Get in

There is only on road leading to the town. SNCF runs regional train services from Brive-la-Gaillarde. Only accessible by one road which travels through the town.

• 1 Rocamadour-Padirac railway station (Gare de Rocamadour - Padirac) (3½ km northeast oftown). (updated Apr 2020)

Get around

A tourist train rides around the village, but it is so small you can easily walk.

See

The town itself is built on the face of a cliff with a large number of buildings cantilevered over the edge. This strange arrangement was the result of the discovery of a body in a nook in the cliff face during the height of the Dark Ages. Perfectly preserved, the locals came to the conclusion that it was the body of St. Zacheus who was the man who wiped Jesus' face as he carried the cross. Clearly, finding the body of an 1100 year old Saint perfectly preserved was declared a miracle and Rocamadour became a pilgrimage site. Over the ages, churches were added to the site, but their age chronicles the development of Christianity. Besides all the wonderful churches whose total lack of Gothic influence will stretch your definition of how a church should look, there is also the Black Madonna. A unique depiction of the Virgin Mary with Jesus. First of all both are depicted black, which is unique for a culture that would have viewed black as bad. Also the child Jesus is not depicted as an infant as is normally the case. Rather he is depicted as a toddler. Clearly they didn't know how things "should" be done, but back then they were still grappling with this new Religion.

Do

Take a balloon ride over the Dordogne Valley

Bicycle the valley

Walk around the historic town

Eat

The Best Western Beau Site (set menu: €35) is the best place to eat in town.

Sleep

• 1 Dordogne Holiday Barns (Tuksumduin), La Plaine, Fajoles, ☏ +44 1773 438052, info@dordogneholiday.co.uk. Check-in: 16h, check-out: 11h. Renovated barns in the Dordogne countryside near Rocamadour. From 2 - 16 people catered for. Self-Catering or Bed and Breakfast. €€. (updated Mar 2015)