Nothing to do with London. Today, I’m taking you back to my real home in south west of France to visit Rocamadour, one of the most beautiful French gems I’ve been to.
Last year was a very special summer. I celebrated my 30th birthday with my whole family and friends and it was the first time since I moved to London that I stayed almost 2 weeks for a proper break at home. The weather was so beautiful, the atmosphere so nice and chilled that I started to feel the need to explore a little bit my real home after having spent the last 3 years Visiting England, my other home.
A day out in Rocamadour
We decided to start with Rocamadour, one of the most famous touristic part of the South West, where I am from, but more precisely from the Lot area.
As I grew up not too far, it wasn’t the first time I went. It’s the kind of place you are forced to go to as a kid, but surely are not able to appreciate the beauty and rarety of the place. It was however the first time I requested to go, and I’m so glad I did.
Classified as a World Heritage Site by Unesco, it undoubtably had something to show us.
This is how the landscape looked look as we were approaching our final destination. Proper French countryside. Everything I love.
We then really quickly started to feel like the landscape was changing. The valey was below us and looked stunning.
Then this happened. We arrived at Rocamadour. No words to describe how gorgeous the city looks like from far. A city hanging in the cliff. Hard to think this is real. No surprise so many people come from so far to discover it. I suddently felt a rush of pride to be from that part of France.
After a few snaps, we decided to walk to the medieval city. A long walk under the sun with the valey still below us, looking beautiful as ever. It was all sunny and quiet. Pure paradise. It felt slightly unrealistic.
As we were approaching the city, the architecture started to be really impressive.
Visit Rocamadour : A bit of history
Back in the 12th century, Rocamadour was very famous for pilgrimage and was a famous religious spot in France. Famous Pilgrims including Kings from abroad used to come there, which leaves the city with plenty of secrets and stories to tell.
Everytime I visit a place with so much history I am always amazed at how incredible and sophisticated the architecture looks like. How everything can be so difficult nowadays when they had nothing to build it back then and still manage to do so much?
We take a stroll in the village and then decide to go up to the castle, originally built to defend the sactuary agains attackers, which the pilgrims used to reach by their knee (!). No such effort for us but still, walking up those stairs by 30 degrees in the middle of a sunny afternoon in south of France was hard enough. But every step was worth the view.
Voilà! The end of our beautiful escape to visit Rocamadour, French gems hanging in the sky for centuries. Highly recommended if you get a chance to go.
