Rocamadour is built on a cliff, and it should not work. The medieval village clings to the side of a limestone gorge above the Alzou river, with houses, chapels and stairways stacked one above another against the rock face, up to a castle at the top, and the whole thing looks like it is about to slide into the valley. It has been a pilgrimage site since the twelfth century, when the miraculous Black Virgin, a small wooden statue, and the relics of a hermit called Saint Amadour drew pilgrims from across Europe, among them kings and queens. Pilgrims used to climb the great staircase of two hundred and sixteen steps on their knees, and some still do.
At the top, the chapels hold the Black Virgin, as well as a sword said to be Roland's, the paladin of Charlemagne, stuck in the cliff. The village has been restored, and its lanes are lined with shops selling walnut products, honey and the local cheese, the Rocamadour, a tiny goat's cheese, round and creamy, with an appellation of its own. A lift takes you up from the lower village to the sanctuary if the steps seem too many. A good view comes from the castle path, with the whole gorge opening below.
The surrounding country is the Causse de Gramat, a dry limestone plateau of oak scrub, stone walls and sheep, with underground rivers and caves, including the Gouffre de Padirac, a vast chasm with a river and boat trip underground, a few kilometres away. The plateau is quiet, empty and beautiful in its own way, with stone barns and small farms. The nearest towns are Gramat, eight kilometres off, with fuel and shops, and Gourdon, twenty kilometres. The Dordogne valley lies just to the north, with its castles and rich farmland.
The ride to Rocamadour follows the Dordogne for a long way, with the river looping between cliffs, castles and pretty villages, and the roads are gentle and winding, with a few narrow places. Summer is crowded here, and the village gets very busy at midday, so go early or late, and be careful on the steep hairpin approach. Park below and walk up. After a long ride, a plate of confit de canard, a glass of Cahors wine and a walnut tart is hard to better.