Visit of Rocamadour

Rocamadour, a medieval city clinging to its cliff, a stone splendor illuminated by the fires of the setting sun: here is an image, tinged with eternity, that will remain in your memory.

Where is Rocamadour?

The campsite Le Temps de Vivre is located about 40 kilometers from Rocamadour, a world famous perched and semi-troglodyte village. You will reach the gates of the medieval religious city in less than an hour. You will be charmed by its mysterious and magical atmosphere as well as by the beauty of its architectural treasures.

The town is built in successive levels on the side of the cliff. Its houses, roofs and churches seem to be part of the rock that falls from the Causse de Gramat. This extraordinary village will take you back to another time, when you came from far away to venerate your Black Virgin. Rocamadour clinging to its cliff offers you a breathtaking view at night, a magical "postcard" to experience! Climbing the more than 200 steps of the main street will take you to the Basilica of Saint-Sauveur, the crypt of Saint-Amadour and six chapels, including Notre-Dame, which houses the famous Black Madonna.

Spend a relaxing vacation and visit in the best conditions the great sites of the Dordogne such as the town of Rocamadour. You will enjoy a refreshing stay and without constraints you will be able to go on day trips with the pleasure of finding your cozy comfort in the evening. Take advantage of your rental stay to visit the place of pilgrimage of Rocamadour, as well as the sites and family parks located at the doors of the medieval city: the Forest of the Monkeys, the Rock of the Eagles or the Cave of Wonders.
Rocamadour, an excursion not to be missed during your stay in Dordogne.

Rocamadour vacation rentals

Would you like to book a stay at a Dordogne camping located near Rocamadour?
Le Temps de Vivre campsite is your destination. Less than an hour from the medieval city, it will allow you to visit while being installed in a comfortable and cozy accommodation to rest after your visits!
Moreover, its geographical location is ideal for accessing many sites in the Dordogne valley.

What to do in Rocamadour

Rocamadour is a town perched on a rocky plateau overlooking the Alzou Valley and is a major point on the religious pilgrimage route. It is estimated that the town receives 1.5 million visitors each year. For pilgrims, Rocamadour is important for the shrine of Notre Dame de Rocamadour, which is a complex of religious structures located halfway up the cliff and centered on a statue of the Virgin Mary (the Black Virgin) and the tomb of an ancient saint, Saint Amadour.

Restored in modern times, Rocamadour is today the spiritual center of the diocese of Cahors and, once again, is an important town on the pilgrim route. Rocamadour is also a major tourist destination in France, famous for its AOC-awarded goat cheese. Here are the places not to be missed:

• Stroll through the medieval town : Rocamadour is a beautiful town to visit that cascades down from a cliff above the Alzou valley.
• Discover the sanctuaries: These are a series of chapels from the 12th to the 14th century that are located halfway up the cliff. The sanctuaries contain the most important relics of the city. There are 216 steps that form the Great Staircase that pilgrims climb on their knees.
• The relic of the Black Madonna: The famous Black Madonna is one of the two most important relics of Rocamadour. The statue is located in the Notre Dame Chapel which is part of the sanctuaries.
• The Miraculous Chapel: It contains the tomb of Saint Amadour who is said to have carved a hermitage in the rock. Suspended from the roof, it is one of the oldest known clocks dating from the 8th century.
• Basilica Saint-Sauveur : The Basilica Saint-Sauveur was built in the Romanesque-Gothic style from the eleventh to the thirteenth century. It is decorated with paintings and inscriptions recalling the visits of celebrities, including Philip the Handsome.
• St. Michael's Chapel: A 12th-century Romanesque chapel is sheltered by an overhanging rock; inside are well-preserved 12th-century frescoes. Outside is a courtyard with a broken sword believed to be a fragment of Durandal, once wielded by the hero Roland, one of Charlemagne's great warriors.
• Wonder Caves: An interesting cave of stalactites and stalagmites.

Les Montgolfiades: unmissable event in Rocamadour

The event takes place every last weekend in September. The picturesque charm and romance of 30 balloons floating in the sky, with the majestic town of Rocamadour in the background. There is something otherworldly about watching a hot air balloon drift across the sky. They evoke the spirit of adventure, romance and a lot of old world charm.

Every last weekend in September, 30 balloons from all over Europe take off in front of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Rocamadour.
You are in for a thrilling event as these magnificent flying machines take off in front of the medieval grandeur of the ancient town. in a festival of flight.
Named after the French engineers who made the world's first hot air balloon flight in 1793, the Montgolfiades de Rocamadour is a two-day festival held every last Saturday and Sunday in September.

For more than 30 years, it has been one of the largest hot air balloon festivals in Europe and this annual September event features two launches per day.
Hot air balloons take off as early as 8am and again in the late afternoon around 5pm as the sun begins to soften. For the curious, passionate or motivated, get up early to watch the pilots deploy and inflate their balloons.

Various entertainment is organized between the two main launch slots in Rocamadour itself. You can simply visit the ancient town for lunch, relax over a drink, or do a flea market while waiting for the balloons to fill the sky.