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With the tomb of Amadour, the Black Madonna attracted crowds of pilgrims to Rocamadour.

Discover, in 6 anecdotes, unusual miracles, a staircase climbed on your knees, and an extraordinary story of a bell that rings by itself!

1 - The Black Madonna of Rocamadour

76 cm high, carved from a piece of walnut wood, time has patinated it, so much so that it has turned it completely black...

To preserve her, it was necessary to cover her hands and face with silver.

It is still found today in the Notre-Dame chapel of the sanctuary!

Tradition says that we owe it to the work of the hermit Saint Amadour, from whom the rock takes its name.

In fact, Amadour would be the pseudonym of Zacchaeus , converted by Jesus Christ then came to Gaul to end his life...

2 - The largest pilgrimage in the West

Rocamadour is one of the largest pilgrimages in the Christian West: on certain days, there are 30,000 faithful in the city!

The greatest came: Saint Louis and his mother Blanche of Castile in 1244, before the Crusades, Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1170...

Not forgetting Sancie de Navarre, whose tragic (but true) story led her to pray to the Black Madonna.

3 - The pilgrim's path

Before you can access the precious Black Madonna, arm yourself with patience!

Before that, the pilgrims actually had to climb a staircase of 216 steps, which they climbed on their knees, blowing an Avé at each step.

Religious people give them the catenulae, small chains symbolizing the sins that bind them.

And to be able to travel in times of war and arrive safely at Rocamadour, the pilgrims wore sportelles, an oval medal representing the Virgin and Child!

4 - Miracles

From 1172, the Black Madonna witnessed an incredible number of miracles.

Incredibly, these miracles were carefully recorded by a Limousin monk in a book written in 1172, The Book of Miracles !

A work bringing together 126 naive and touching stories, which tell unusual stories, such as:

• ""Dried arm healed by the Virgin"";
• ""Of a nobleman who escapes the precipice"";
• ""Of a knight whom his enemy could not wound"";
• ""Woman cured of a nasal polyp""…

5 - The Virgin of Sailors

In the chapel, pilgrims left ex-votos (offerings in gratitude for a favor obtained), more particularly models of boats for the sailors saved from certain death.

Because the Virgin Mary is usually associated with sailors: her first name means ""star of the sea in Hebrew"", Maris Stella in Latin. But even more so that of Rocamadour.

Strange, for a Virgin so far from the sea!

Its reputation is such that even in Quebec, the largest parish is dedicated to Notre-Dame de Rocamadour.

Indeed, Jacques Cartier, discoverer of Quebec, had his crew cured of scurvy after a mass in the Lot, here in 1536!

In Brittany, she is revered as the patron saint of seafarers, just as in Portugal and Spain, Rocamadour being an obligatory passage on the way to Compostela.

6 - The bell

The Virgin of Rocamadour is associated with the small iron bell from the 10th century which rings each time a sailor implores the Virgin and is saved at sea.

It sounds alone, without strings or tricks!

Nearly 120 miracles have been attested.

The last time the bell rang? In 1612, after the sinking of a Breton boat

The human presence in Rocamadour dates back to the Upper Paleolithic (Grottes des Merveilles). In this site dedicated to Marian worship from its origins, a modest oratory was built, undoubtedly by the first hermits installed in a large rock shelter.

Thanks to the visionary intelligence of Abbot Géraud d'Escorailles, Rocamadour took on a European dimension. Indeed, from 1152 the Abbot encouraged the construction of Churches in the cave where it all began.

In 1166 the very well preserved body of one of the first hermits, Amadour, was discovered. It is thus shown to pilgrims.

From 1172, 126 miracles are listed. Devotion to Saint Amadour was born and added to Marian worship without ever supplanting it. The pilgrimage was a great success, the city developed. The town is mainly made up of a single street of 1 km. Donations pour in and allow the beautification of the sanctuaries. Four hospitals were built to accommodate these pilgrims.

Climbing the grand staircase, kneeling at each step to pray, is part of the pilgrim's approach.

The fortified houses on the valley side constitute the ramparts against the various attacks and wars which ravage the region. In the 16th century, religious wars were particularly harmful to Rocamadour.

1562, the warlords Bessonie and Marchastel, pillage the place, destroy the body of Amadour and the religious furniture.

Society evolves and major pilgrimages are abandoned. In the 19th century, thanks to the bishops of Cahors and Abbot Chevalt, Rocamadour came back to life and the restoration was carried out in the taste of the time, which had a romantic fascination for the Middle Ages (Viollet le Duc, Prosper Merimee, Victor Hugo ....).

In Rocamadour above the sanctuary of the Black Virgin we find the Durandal sword in the rocks. Durendal is the name of the mythical sword which would have belonged to the knight Roland, a knight from medieval literature.

Roland is Count of the March of Brittany, and above all nephew of Charlemagne. The legend from the Song of Roland has it that Durandal was given by Charlemagne to Roland. Charlemagne kept the sword Joyeuse and a copy of Joyeuse can be found in the bar of Hôtel des Voyageurs in Rocamadour.

When Roland crossed the Pyrenees to fight against the Saracens in Navarre, he commanded the rearguard that the Saracens attacked at the Roncesvalles pass, following Ganelon's betrayal.

Roland and his men resist to the last. Wounded to death, Roland finally sounds his olifant, calling Charlemagne to his aid. Legend has it that Roland tried to break his sword Durandal on a rock so that it would not fall into the hands of the Saracens, but it was the rock that broke, opening Roland's breach.

Roland then called the archangel Michael for help, then threw his sword towards the valley. It then miraculously crossed several hundred kilometers before embedding itself in the rock of Notre-Dame de Rocamadour.

In Canto XIV of Roland Furious, Ariosto declares that Durandal was first the sword of the hero of the Trojan War Hector, before being that of Roland.

The sword Durandal is still in the rock despite the frantic attempts of ambitious young people to get it out of the rocks.

You exit the passenger hall and, depending on the day and time, a magnificent steam locomotive or a powerful diesel engine is at the head of the train, ready to take you on a fantastic journey.

A round trip of 13 km, more than 80 meters high on the ledge, to discover the Dordogne Valley and its admirable panoramas.

On the heights of Rocamadour, come and discover 150 Barbary macaques in total freedom in a 20-hectare park. You will be amazed by the proximity of the monkeys and the ease of observation.

Guides are at your disposal to answer all your questions and will help you discover the specific behaviors of this species.

The festival is designed as a true ""link"" between the sacred and artistic creation, between the architectural heritage and the musical heritage of Rocamadour. The vocation of promoting sacred music was obvious for this city-sanctuary whose Saint-Sauveur Basilica and the Saint Amadour Crypt are listed as UNESCO world heritage sites. A city of vertigo and an exceptional heritage for perfect acoustics which give that unique touch of magic to each concert. Rocamadour Festival August 15 to 26:

16 days with several concerts per day including: Nicola Procaccini, Ensemble la Sportella, Roberto Alagna, Renaud Capuçon, Consuelo Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera of Versailles and many other famous artists.

Be quick and book your tickets at https://www.rocamadourfestival.com and reserve your room at www.hoteldesvoyageurs.eu.

An amazing spectacle!

For 30 years, the Montgolfiades de Rocamadour have been held on the 4th weekend of September. In the heart of a dizzying site, surrounded by vertical cliffs and a 360° panorama, hundreds of hot air balloons from all over the world take off. An unmissable and unique event in Europe!

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 27

8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m .: Hot air balloons take off from the Alzou Canyon at the foot of the city.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 28

from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Activities and Flea Market, school square (ASSCA-Récréaroc).

8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m .: Hot air balloons take off from the Alzou Canyon at the foot of the city.

Don't miss this unique spectacle and book your rooms in time.

Sincerely

Sylvie and Meindert

Hotel of the Travelers

Rocamadour

In 90% of the rooms we installed air conditioning this winter.

Our customers can also be more comfortable in the middle of summer with heatwave periods.

The air conditioning is reversible and this also increases comfort on slightly cooler days in spring and autumn.

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This winter, we installed fiber at the hotel to improve the network for WiFi in the rooms. WiFi is free for you and you can find the codes in reception.

This way you stay connected, for leisure, fun or to give opinions on our hotel.

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The sun is waking up, the birds are chirping a little more and spring is in the air.

We look forward to welcoming you back to our hotel this season.

We will be open again on April 1st and we are finalizing preparations for the season; new lighting on the terrace, some paintings here and there and air conditioning in 9 of the 10 bedrooms.

Reserve your rooms now!

See you soon

Sylvie and Meindert