Rocamadour (Part 1)- Pilgrimage site of Royalty
Gaze in wonder at the stunning cliffside Medieval village of Rocamadour, a pilgrimage site of Saints and Royalty for almost 900 years, being part of the St James’ Way to Santiago de Compostela.
Read on to discover more
The evocative sacred site of Rocamadour, named for Saint Amadour, is located in Southwestern France, in the former province of Quercy. Overlooking the valley of Alzou, and carved into the side of a 150m high cliff, this is a destination that should definitely be on your bucket list. Described by a local Quercy saying:
‘The houses over the stream, the churches over the houses, the rocks over the churches, the castle over the rocks’.
Although cave drawings have been found that date this location back to Paleolithic times it was the Middle Ages when Rocamadour came to be known as a place of worship. There are three levels of the village and these relate to the three orders of society, the knights at the top, the church in the middle, and the lay workers at the bottom. As with a lot of historical sites that date back to the early Medieval period, pillage and fires have destroyed many documents, therefore the earliest texts that survive only go back as far as the early 12th century when it was mentioned that a small chapel was built into the side of the cliff. It was during this time that Rocamadour became a major pilgrimage site for Christians from all over Europe, being part of the St James’ Way to Santiago de Compostela.
Prior to any overseas travelling, I have always sat back here in Australia and thought how sad it was that we have lost so much of the documentation associated with many of these locations, and while I do still feel that to a certain degree, actually visiting some of these incredible places, the documentation was the last thing on my mind. My question to you is, why do we really need to know that tangible texts exist? When you stand in the midst of a structure that fills you with such wonder that you actually feel the goosebumps running up and down your body, your own imagination paints a picture so vivid you need no documentation to turn back the clock hundreds of years.
Probably the most significant happening for Rocamadour occurred when an inhabitant of the area instructed his family to bury him at the entrance to the shrine. According to the account of Robert de Thorigny, the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel and a chronicler of the time, they had not been digging very long before a body was found, astounding by the simple fact that it was intact and perfectly preserved. Rocamadour had found its saint! When the body was moved close to the altar, extraordinary miracles began to occur, and the many legends of Saint Amadour began to develop. In effect, it was probably the 12th-century equivalent of a very successful PR campaign.
The popularity of Rocamadour as a pilgrimage was further enhanced by the 12th-century book Livre des Miracles which was written by a monk from the sanctuary, and describes the 126 miracles that occurred at the sacred site. Many famous figures made the pilgrimage, including Henry II and his queen Eleanor in 1159, in order to thank the virgin for her healing, as well as Eleanor’s nemesis Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in 1219. Other notable visitors to the site were the Count of Flanders and Phillip of Alsace in 1170, Géraud I, abbot of Seigburg, Germany in 1181, and during the Albigensian Crusade both Arnaud Amalric, the papal legate, and Simon de Montfort, leader of the crusading forces. In 1244 Louis IX and his mother Blanche of Castille made the journey and over the following decades Charles IV, Philippe de Valois and Louis XI.
In closing, Rocamadour is a remarkable historic pilgrimage site that offers visitors the chance to experience first-hand the rich history and natural beauty of Southern France. Whether you are a devout Christian or simply looking to experience one of the most stunning places in the world, Rocamadour is a must-see destination that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Keep an eye out for the next instalment of my Rocamadour blog The Sanctuaries (Part 2)
Does this make you want to visit immediately, take a look at our Plantagenets in France tour where we will visit this as well as other incredible historic sites in France.
Max
Rocamadour photo © Plantagenet Discoveries
