Visit Rocamadour, medieval city of the Lot
Near Camping La Plage in Meyronne
Rocamadour, by the Dordogne river
less than an hour from Camping La Plage in Meyronne
Less than 25 minutes from Camping La Plage in Meyronne, Rocamadour is one of the Lot’s major highlights: a vertical village, clinging to the Alzou canyon, famous for its medieval city and sanctuary.
A major pilgrimage site and a stop on the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), Rocamadour impresses upon arrival: sloping streets, stone houses, and panoramic views of the valley.
Cultural activities: the sanctuary, the basilica, and the mythical 'climb'
The cultural heart of Rocamadour is the Sanctuary of Notre-Dame: a Marian city built into the cliffside, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Camino de Santiago.
To access it, you can climb the Grand Staircase of Pilgrims (216 steps) and emerge onto the sanctuary esplanade: a ‘postcard’ experience to do at least once.
Once there, don’t miss the Saint-Sauveur Basilica (Romanesque/Gothic) and the special atmosphere of the sanctuary’s chapels.
Activities to do in Rocamadour
Rocamadour is also a very complete ‘family’ destination:
Le Rocher des Aigles: ornithological park with raptor and parrot shows
La ForĂŞt des Singes: immersion in a park where you can observe over 150 Barbary macaques in the wild
La Maison des Abeilles: living and interactive museum (exhibition, education, observation, hive products)
La Grotte des Merveilles: prehistoric cave known for its parietal paintings (approximately 25,000 years old) and classified as a Historic Monument.
Hiking: Compostela itinerary
Rocamadour is very popular with walkers. The town is on the ‘Rocamadour route’ variant linked to Compostela: you arrive via the GR®6 then continue after Rocamadour on the GR®46 (a very popular route for its arrival ‘through the Alzou valley’).
Even without going for several days, the simple idea is to walk between L’Hospitalet (top of the site) and the city, then descend towards the valley: guaranteed viewpoints.
Access from Camping La Plage in Meyronne
Itinerary:
From Meyronne, allow approximately 15.2 km and 22 minutes by car to reach Rocamadour (depending on the route).
Practical tip: enter “Rocamadour – L’Hospitalet” into your GPS to arrive at the parking areas and easily access the sites (sanctuary, activities, viewpoints).
