Rocamadour - Dordogne (Lot) travel guide

You are here: Visit Dordogne Towns to visitRocamadour

Book Hotels

Reserve online, pay at the hotel

'Best price guaranteed' by booking.com

Visit Rocamadour

Rocamadour is on the eastern edge of the area, across the border from the Dordogne into the Lot department. Each year the small village of Rocamadour (population around 600), in the Parc Naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy, receives more than a million visitors. Why so popular?

Firstly because Rocamadour is an important pilgrimage destination, and has been for 1000 years. Built on the site of a shrine to a Madonna, the shrine became famous for its healing powers, and soon became a stop on the pilgrimage path to Santiago de Campostela

The second reason is because of the beautiful and dramatic setting of the village, climbing up a cliff side.

Rocamadour is the second most popular site in France.

Things to do and see in Rocamadour

Rocamadour has several highlights well worth exploring, although it is the 'village as a perfect unity' which is really the big attraction.

The village is essentially just one paved street, lined with medieval houses, several of which are notable and many of which are impressive, and passing through stone fortified gateways - the Porte du Figuier and the Porte Salmon are the two main gateways.

Rocamadour The Grand Escalier (216 steps, once climbed by pilgrims on their knees) leads from the village to the sanctuaries above, and L'Hospitalet, with its views of the old town. If you can persuade your children to climb all the way up the Grand Escalier without complaining you are doing a fine job!

The sanctuaries include the Chapelle Notre Dame - home to the Black Madonna - and the basilica Saint-Sauveur; the Saint-Michel chapel; the Palace of the Bishops (Palais des Eveques) and three chapels.

If you still have some energy (or have taken the lift rather than walked) continue onwards and upwards along the shady path towards L'Hospitalet, final destination for the pilgrims and a great place for some stunning views across the region.

It has to be admitted that a million visitors a year to a small village means that Rocamadour is very often over busy, and you should visit early morning or out of season if at all possible. But crowds or not, it remains unmissable if you are in this part of the Dordogne / Lot region.

Also to visit in and near Rocamadour

Not to be missed near to Rocamadour are the Gouffre de Padirac - one of our favourite caves in France.

Also practically within the village itself, the caves at 'Grotte Prehistorique des Merveilles' are popular for both the rock formations and the 20,000 year old cave paintings they contain (entrance 100 metres from the Rocamadour tourist office). These are open April to November, 10.00-12.00 and 14.00-17.00 and 9.30-19.00 in July and August. The visit takes about 40 minutes.

Also in Rocamadour is the 'Maison des Abeilles', the Bee house, where you can learn about the historical importance of bee-keeping in the region.

If you are travelling with children the Foret des Singes at Rocamadour is a forest where more than 100 monkeys live in relative freedom. Wandering through the park there are various opportunites to observe the monkeys close up.

The most beautiful villages of Loubressac and Carennac are close to Rocamadour as is the wonderful town of Martel.

On the river between Rocamadour and Calès there is a mill that you can visit. The Moulin de Cougnaguet is an impressive medieval mill that is still operated today