Rocamadour is one of the most popular touristic parts of southwestern France. This enchanting village of Rocamadour is situated across the border from the Dordogne into the Lot area. Every year, it receives over a million visitors from different parts of the world. It is popular for many reasons firstly because Rocamadour is a major pilgrimage destination for a thousand years. It was built on the site of a shrine to a Madonna. The shrine became popular for its healing potentials. Not before long, it became a stop on the pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela.

Another reason for its fame is its beautiful and spectacular setting. Rocamadour is among the French Grand Sites. In 2016, viewers of a French TV channel voted it as their favorite village. So, it might come as no big surprise that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, the village remains one of the most important tourist destinations in France.  

Here Are Some Things Worth Doing and Seeing in Rocamadour

Explore the Sanctified Town Between Heaven and Earth

As you follow the bend in the road, Rocamadour appears before you. Whether it is night or day, you will be amazed by what you see. Built in a series of phases on the cliff tops, the vertical village hangs 150 m atop the Alzou Canyon. The rocks, houses, and churches all look like they have common features, and you will think they are all part of the mountain.

Rocamadour has a population of around 630 and is one of the most visited sites in the country, even though it does not have Paris or Monaco’s pull factor. The village is accessible through the fortified Figuier entranceway before stepping along Rocamadour’s lone street, the brisk Rue de la Couronnerie marked with restaurants and shops.  

Fall in Love With the Mystical Power of Rocamadour

The village was first a pilgrimage hub as it hosts relics of Saint Amadour. It is also the Black Madonna’s adored sanctuary. Since the 1100s, pilgrims have been coming here to pray in their droves from all over Europe. You too can go up the giant staircase’s 216 steps to the esplanade where eight chapels and churches are built on the cliffside. You should also take time to see Notre-Dame Chapel and the Black Madonna statue, a petit black wooden silhouette from 1100 with an adorable nimbus. 

Step Into a Biosphere Reserve in the Dordogne Valley

From Rocamadour, it does not take more than thirty minutes to reach the Dordogne Valley. Follow the paths marked with cliffs and a broad leafy curtain lined with quiet small pebble beaches and sandy islands from Sousceyrac in the east to Souillac in the west. If you do not know before, fauna and flora are luxuriant in the Dordogne. This is the only river in the country whose basin is on UNESCO’s list of the biosphere reserve. Visitors can go fishing, swim in its clear water, go canoeing or trek, or ride a bike on the banks.

Visit Rocamadour’s Surrounding Villages

To visit the captivating villages surrounding Rocamadour, you do not need to depart from your natural haven to see the incredible places. Bretenoux is an impressive 1200s bastide; Château de Saint-Laurent-les-Tours looks over Saint-Céré, and it hosts the Jean Lurçat Museum; Martel and its medieval houses, and Souillac and Gamat. Visitors will equally be thrilled with the three villages also listed among the most beautiful ones in France, like Carennac, Loubressac, and Autoire. 

See the Nearby Castle of Puymartin

Chateau de Puymartin is located in Sarlat, a nearby village. When you visit, you will be treated to the legend of the White Lady. The legends narrate Thérèse de Saint-Clar’s life, who was incarcerated in the tower’s north by her distrustful husband, where she died and was detained. Many people saw his ghost afterward, and you might feel a little of that shuddery when you visit. 

The castle has endured throughout time. It was restored in the 1800s by the Marquis de Carbonnier de Marzac, its descendant, and the present family’s ancestor- de Montbron. It is here that Puymartin preserves the family’s possessions like paintings, tapestries, furniture, and a distinct Mythological Cabinet in Perigold. 

See The Biggest Collection of Prehistoric Artifacts 

You can have this excellent full-day tour if you want to explore Dordogne’s paintings’ incredible history. About 15,000 years B.C., some artists whose identity are unknown made brilliant cave paintings of which the most breathtaking ones are found in this region. In the course of this tour, you will be acquainted with this intriguing art and with the individuals who made it.

Start the trip in the morning at Les Eyzies de Tayac for a visit to the National Prehistory Museum. Established in 2004, this art repository has the world’s biggest collection of prehistoric artifacts. You can then proceed to Montignac, where visitors will visit Lascaux IV cave, an excellent replica of the original cave.

Established in 016, Lascaux IV is a victory for technology. Different from other cave visits, this place employs different set designs, displays, the latest innovation in interactive workshops, and sophisticated tech to revive it. 

You can wrap up the tour with a visit to Rouffignac Cave that has authentic and original drawings and etchings. Famous archeologists like Henry Breuil, Martel, and Andre Glory had visited the cave in the early 1900s. However, it was not until 1956 that Romain Robert and Louis-Rene Nougiers, two prehistorians from the Pyrenees, discovered again and confirmed the cave art. 

Admire the Fortified Castles in Dordogne 

Dordogne, the region where Rocamadour is located, is said to be France’s most beautiful area. Discover 1100s fortified castles and alluring medieval fortified castles and beautiful medieval protected villages spread along the twisting river. For visitors coming from Bordeaux, they will drive through Les Eyzies-de-Tayac. That us where they will see the first Cro Magnon remains. 

Additionally, Les Eyzies is home to the National Prehistory Museum. The capital of Dordogne is Sarlat-la-Caneda; a fantastic medieval city with several 1000s buildings and cobblestone streets. This would be a perfect place to stop for lunch and a short shopping spree. Another place to visit here is Domme, a fortified village with massive picturesque views. La Roque-Gageac attractive medieval village constructed near the river. Then drive to the Castelnaud-La Chapelle Castle, then the Marqueussac Gardens, before branching at the Beynac Castle.

Visit Cite Religieuse

Located in the Alzou canyon halfway up a cliff, Cite Religieuse is accessible by walking to Grand Escalier stairway or by paying a token to take a lift down. If you take the elevator, you will miss the landing 140 steps up that has a beautiful view of this place. On top, see the 1000s Place St. Amadour, encircled by 7 chapels etched in the 1100s buildings and white stone, including St. Amadour crypt, St. Sauveur Basilica, and the chapel of Notre-Dame, with the Black Madonna’s popular statue. Do not miss the fascinating neat frescoes from the 1100s in the Romanesque St. Michael chapel that is constructed into the cliff face. 

Watch Wildlife at the Monkey Forest (La Forêt des Singes)

Watch monkeys meander without restriction at La Foret des Singes. This place is a monkey research center that concentrates on the social behavior of Barbary Macaques. It is abundant in information about the evolution of these species, having brief video documentaries, visual information boards, and volunteers who are always ready to attend to questions. Direct questions to the nearby guides about habitats, habitats, and patterns of the species living in the zoo, and watch closely their natural behavior. You will notice that it is as close as something obtainable in the wild. 

Admire The Birds at Rocher des Aigles, Rocamadour

Be present in one of the world’s most stately free flight shows that feature parrots and birds of prey at Rocher des Aigles. This bird center focuses on the reproduction of eagles, caracaras, vultures, parrots, and owls. Kids especially will relish watching the birds during their feeding period and watch experts care for special bird younglings. According to the informational panels, the process of reproduction in captivity to preserve the genetic pool of endangered species like the Griffin vulture, Imperial eagle, and Andean condor. 

Is Rocamadour Worth It? – Summary

Plan when and for how long you want to visit Rocamadour’s attractions using my handy guide. The weather is beautiful, and the atmosphere is so great that you begin to feel like exploring the village right away at the moment you arrive. A visit to Rocamadour is definitely worth it for a relaxing escape and the best of suburban France beyond comparison.