Cite Religieuse, Rocamadour

Set halfway up a cliff in the Alzou canyon, Cite Religieuse can be reached by walking up Grand Escalier stairway or by paying a nominal fee to take an elevator down. Visitors who take the elevator miss the landing 140 steps up, which has a fine view of this fort. At the top, see the 11th-century Place St. Amadour, paved with white stone and surrounded by 7 chapels set inside 12th-century buildings, including St. Sauveur Basilica, St. Amadour crypt, and the chapel of Notre-Dame, with its famous statue of the Black Madonna. Don’t miss the superbly intact frescoes from the 12th century in the Romanesque St. Michel chapel, which is built into the cliff face. Plan my day in Rocamadour using traveler tips and tourist information provided by Inspirock.