Rocamadour

▪ village, France

      village, Lot département, Midi-Pyrénées région, southwestern France. Its buildings, overlooked by a 14th-century château, rise in stages above the gorge of the Alzou River. Rocamadour owes its origin, according to tradition, to St. Amadour (or Amateur), who chose the spot as a hermitage; it became a place of pilgrimage in the early Middle Ages. More than 200 steps lead up the rock to the sanctuary. The churches in the sanctuary include the Romanesque basilica of Saint-Sauveur and the 12th-century crypt of St. Amadour. The lower town consists of a long street with fortified gateways and a restored 15th-century hall. The chief occupations in the area are sheep raising and the sale of truffles, nuts, and lavender. Tourism is also significant. Pop. (1999) 614; (2007 est.) 633.

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