The Way of the Cross in Rocamadour, France

Visit The Way of the Cross

Between the Iron cross at the top of the cliff overlooking Rocamadour and the Sanctuary half way down the cliff is a winding path with the Stations of the Cross along its route.

Explore the Way of the Cross at Rocamadour

Rocamadour in the Lot department is a beautiful village and has been an important pilgrim site for centuries. The village and the Sanctuary still draws many thousands of tourists and pilgrims every year.

The Religious Sanctuary which is home to a statue known as the Black Madonna and also thought to be the burial site of Saint Amadour is half way down the steep cliff face which has a castle at the top and the village below.

Between the iron cross at the top of the cliff near the castle and the Sanctuary below is a winding path which follows the Stations of the Cross. The path starts at the Religious Sanctuary and winds quite steeply uphill.

There is a lift between the Sanctuary and the top and so you could take this and walk downhill if mobility is an issue.

Each Station of the Cross depicts one of the scenes of Christ's walk along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem on his way to Mount Calvary and his crucifixion. Each station has a small shrine with a picture of a scene from Jesus' walk to Mount Calvary and a small explanation of the scene.

Near to the end one of the Stations has been carved out of the rock and has large stone pillars supporting the structure. Inside is a statue of Jesus being placed in his tomb.

The final station is the large cross on the top of the cliff and from here and various points along the walk are some stunning views over Rocamadour and the valley.

Most of the walk is shaded by the trees growing along the valley sides and so even though it is quite steep it offers protection from the hot summer sun.

Once at the top you can visit the remparts of the castle that is here and then the best thing to do is to walk along the clifftop to L'Hospitalet which has plenty of bars and restaurants where you can stop for refreshments and has more great views over Rocamadour, indeed some of the best views.

The walk from L'Hospitalet along the Voie sainte is very pretty and leads back along the main street of the village and offers more lovely views of the charming buildings of Rocamadour as you walk along.

Attractions nearby

Rocamadour itself is a very beautiful village in a stunning setting and is one of the most visited sites of France. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Way of Saint James, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

The Sanctuary half way up the village is an important pilgrim destination and two of the churches are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The nearby town of Martel is beautiful and is famous locally for its seven towers.