Rocamadour is the most amazing place - a town seemingly glued to the side of a cliff.
The name comes from Roc (apparently a reference to the cliff) and Amadour (the saint whose body was discovered at the site.) It was a major pilgrimage destination with pilgrims coming to pray to the black Madonna in the church Notre Dame Rocamadour.
For most tourists today it is a fascinating location, with an exciting access road including an awkward-for-buses curved tunnel, great views and a typical collection of small shops selling local products.
It almost has it's own train. Full marks for trying.
One thing we had not expected to come across was a rugby chapel. Yes really! The Chappelle St Louis was consecrated in 2011, just a week before the RWC2011 final in which the AB's beat France. (I think the date was a coincidence.) The chapel is a small space cut into the cliff and includes various rugby jerseys - mostly French club ones, but some internationals including one All Black jersey.
From what I can gather such chapels are not unknown in south and southwest France, the strongholds of French rugby.
En route we stopped at Cahor for lunch. Enjoyed some time with a nice Pharmacienne (lady chemist) who was patient with our limited language and helped us buy even more medicine for J's cough and breathing. Lunched on pain d'epice (the local gingerbread) and cheese bought at the market - a nice change from expensive cafe service - while sitting in the free sun on a free bench in a free park by a free fountain!
Did you know that Cahor boasts the last remaining fortified mediaeval bridge in the world? No? Well here it is, crossing the Lot River.
P.S. #1 - France was very quiet today as it is the May day holiday where most things are closed and many people are on holiday. On May Day you are allowed to sell bouquets of lily of the valley on street corners 'without tax', and there were very many doing so. Unfortunately the perfume sets off the dreaded cough so we did not buy!
P.S. #2 - for those ignorant like me and wondering what/why there would be a 'black' Madonna. Well apparently the colour black was considered auspicious by ancient pagans. Among other things it was a symbol of fertility, and new converts to Catholicism found it easier to worship a black Madonna for that reason. There are about 200 black Madonnas in France alone. There is at least one in Poland (from a visit 30 years ago) and who knows how many elsewhere.
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