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Rocamadour (Municipality, Lot, France)

Flag of Rocamadour- Image by Olivier Touzeau, 3 June 2025

Presentation of Rocamadour
Flag of Rocamadour

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Presentation of Rocamadour

Rocamadour (604 inhabitants, 4,942 ha) is a commune in the Lot department. It lies in the former province of Quercy. It is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association. Rocamadour has attracted visitors for its setting in a gorge above a tributary of the River Dordogne and especially for its historical monuments and its sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which for centuries, dating back to the turn of the 12th century, has attracted historical and anonymous pilgrims from many countries.

The presence of prehistoric life is confirmed by a very ancient human habitation and caves adorned with paintings. Experts suggest the presence of a pre-Christian sanctuary. Several versions of the sanctuary's origins exist. One legend attributes the origin of the pilgrimage to Zacchaeus, who came to retreat there. Another tradition links it to a hermit, Saint Amadour, who spent many years in the Dark Valley and is said to be the origin of its name.

Rocamadour, whose origins date back to the 8th century, is a place of pilgrimage where crowds of devotees have flocked for centuries to celebrate the Black Virgin of Rocamadour, a sacred statue whose history and renown are deeply rooted in the local culture. Oral histories suggest that Roland, in 778, prayed to Our Lady of Rocamadour, leaving his testimony in the rock. The only certainty is that before the year 1000, the monks of Marcillac-sur-Célé officiated in a small chapel, welcoming pilgrims between their prayers. When Pope Leo IX wrote a bull concerning Rocamadour in 1050, the sanctuary's reputation was already firmly established. The protection of the Virgin Mary was then widely recognized, and had been for centuries, in the folds of the "Roca Major." In 1105, Pope Paschal II confirmed the transfer of ownership of the oratory from the Benedictine monks of Marcillac-sur-Célé to the monks of Saint-Martin de Tulle, initiated by Géraud d'Escorailles for the construction of the Sanctuaries.

During the 12th century, the pilgrimage, previously modest, quickly grew in size. In 1152, Géraud d’Escorailles, abbot of Saint-Martin-de-Tulle, undertook to expand the oratory where the statue of Our Lady rested into an imposing basilica, accompanied by a lower church (the crypt) and several chapels (Saint Anne, Saint Blaise, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Michael, and the Chapel of St. Louis, now called the Chapel of the Ovalie), thus giving the place an atmosphere of sacredness. The abbots of Tulle had a castle built there. Saint Amadour, whose perfectly preserved body was discovered in 1166 in front of the door of the new Romanesque chapel of Our Lady, became a fervent servant of the Black Virgin, attracting more pilgrims. This renewed fervor was reinforced by the publication of the Book of Miracles in 1172, attributing 126 miracles to Our Lady of Rocamadour. These pilgrims, from all walks of life, arrived from all corners of Europe, leaving offerings and testifying to their faith by invoking the miracles attributed to Our Lady of Rocamadour. Over the centuries, Rocamadour welcomed illustrious figures, including Henry II Plantagenet, who came in 1159 to express his gratitude for his healing. Rocamadour became the fourth holiest site in Christianity, after Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela. Saint Louis, accompanied by his brothers and his mother, Blanche of Castile, led the whole of France to Rocamadour in 1244. They climbed the "grand staircase" on their knees.

The monumental staircase of 216 steps is the most emblematic symbol of Rocamadour, inviting pilgrims to climb it as an act of devotion and purification. Although Rocamadour is located on one of the variants of the Way of St. James, it is considered a pilgrimage destination in its own right. During the Hundred Years' War, Rocamadour's fortifications were reinforced to repel enemy attacks. The ramparts were widened, and watchtowers were erected to monitor the surrounding area. Despite the fierce fighting that took place in the surrounding area, Rocamadour remained standing, a symbol of resistance against invasion. In 1562, during the turmoil of the Wars of Religion, the Huguenots ravaged the Sanctuary, setting fire to the buildings and showing no mercy to the relics of Saint Amadour. In an act of desperation, the locals managed to save some of the saint's skeleton from the flames, enclosing them in a reliquary that was hidden for many years. A fortified house and its ramparts were erected to defend the religious city and its inhabitants from the clifftop. A comprehensive defensive system protected the village, transforming the Sanctuary into a fortress.

The Great Pardon of 1428, established by Pope Martin V, was granted with Joan of Arc's victory over the English. After the Wars of Religion, the pilgrimage to Rocamadour declined in importance but continued to flourish locally, recalling the town's tumultuous past and its resilience in the face of adversity.

During the Revolution, the abandoned castle and churches of Rocamadour gradually fell into ruin, and the Sanctuary returned to the ownership of the Diocese of Cahors. By the 19th century, these buildings were in critical condition, threatening to collapse. An initial request for assistance was made to the Ministry of the Interior in 1830, requesting the protection of historic monuments, but received no response. It wasn't until 1858 that three abbots undertook restoration work, financed by a large lottery, which was finally completed in 1872. Abbé Chevalt, a disciple of Viollet-Le-Duc, took charge of the restoration of the Sanctuaries, while Abbé Caillau, healed in the miraculous chapel, oversaw the renovation of the castle to house chaplains and organized spiritual retreats with Abbé Pierre Bonhomme, parish priest of Gramat. Since August 25, 2016, the 850th anniversary of the discovery of Saint Amadour's body, pilgrims have once again been able to venerate the saint's relics, which now rest in the basilica. The basilica, along with the crypt of Saint Amadour, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rocamadour gives its name to a small goat's-milk cheese that was awarded AOC status in 1996.

Olivier Touzeau, 3 June 2025

Flag of Rocamadour

The flag of Rocamadour was observed with several other city flags in 2019 in Eguisheim (Haut-Rhin) when for the 59th Eguisheim Winegrowers' Festival, Mayor Claude Centlivre wanted to fly the flags of the "friendly" towns around the renovated old wine press (source: this article in L'Alsace newspaper).

The flag of Rocamadour is white with the coat of arms.
The arms are blasonned: Gules three chess-rooks argent, on a chief azure three fleur-de-lis or.

Olivier Touzeau, 3 June 2025