Durandal - The Sword in the Stone

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Geo: 44.7995, 1.61835

This morning we travelled to visit the cliff-hanging town of Rocamadour. Rocamadour is the second most visited historical site in France. The town is perched high above the River Alzou, which is a tributary of the River Dordogne, and is known especially for its historical monuments and its sanctuary of the Black Virgin Mary. For centuries it has attracted pilgrims from every country, among them kings, bishops, and nobles.

Rocamadour was first mentioned in 1172 in relation to the Miracles of Our Lady of Rocamadour. The town below the complex of monastic buildings and pilgrimage churches was traditionally dependent on pilgrims through the middle ages, who had to climb the massive stone stairs on their hands and knees and then seek forgiveness from the Bishop. Pilgrims still flock to the site, as do tourists in their thousands.

French legend suggests that the history of Rocamadour began with the arrival of Zacchaeus (from the biblical story), husband of St Veronica, who fled to France to escape religious persecution and lived out his last years here as a hermit. When in 1166 a perfectly preserved body was found in a grave high up on the rock, it was declared to be Zacchaeus, known in France as St Amadour.

The fort above the town was built to protect the Holy Churches of Rocamadour and the worshipping pilgrims.

Above the gothic doorway of the Church of the Sanctuary of the Black Virgin Mary, is a cut in the rock in which a sword is securely lodged, which purportedly is the legendary "Durandal", the famous sword of Roland, a knight in the army of Charlemagne. Roland supposedly used the sword to hold off a hundred-thousand-strong Muslim army long enough for Charlemagne's army to retreat into France.

Rocamadour also gives its name to a small goat's milk cheese.

We spent all day in the town, exploring the fort, the Churches and the many shops in the town and eating a good lunch. There are some mysteries to further explore in regard to the origins of the Cult of the Black Virgin Mary.

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Photos

A Chateau Precariuosly Perched on a Cliff
that we came across on our drive home.