Travel Guide Rocamadour

Rocamadour is the second most visited tourist site in France after Mont-Saint-Michel. Arriving from the Couzou road, you'll be struck by the audacity of the builders who constructed the town over the centuries. Rocamadour dominates the Alzou valley from its position atop a 150 to 350-metre-high rock face. In its rocky setting, the city of white stones has its origins in the confines of history and legend. Historians find it difficult to pinpoint the date of the town's birth. In the Paleolithic era, it was already home to the first humans, as attested by the drawings on the walls of the Grotte des Merveilles. But it was during the Middle Ages that Rocamadour really took shape. The 12th century marked a turning point in the life of the town. In 1166, the intact remains of Saint Amadour were discovered, giving the town its name. The first miracles were witnessed, and the rock was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Here, she will be black! This is one of Rocamadour's treasures: the small statue of the Black Madonna, whose origin remains a subject of controversy. The Marian town became a renowned pilgrimage site, attracting both anonymous and famous pilgrims (Henry II of England, Simon de Montfort, Blanche de Castille and Louis IX of France, St. Dominic and St. Bernard, among other illustrious figures) to venerate the Black Madonna and the tomb of St. Amadour. Even today, Rocamadour is France's second-largest Marian city after Lourdes. It attracts 1.5 million visitors every year.