At the heart of the Causse de Gramat and at the gates of the Dordogne valley, Rocamadour, hanging on the luminous cliff overlooking the Alzou canyon, is a real challenge to balance. In a vertical array of secret rocks and brown roofs, the village is a prodigious overlay of houses and shrines: "The houses on the brook, the churches on the houses, the rock on the churches, the castle on the rock."
High place of Christianity since the Middle Ages, the medieval city offers many points of interest. Listed as UNESCO World Heritage, the shrines and in particular the chapel to the Black Virgin are offered to visitors after having climbed the 216 steps of the pilgrims' staircase. The shopping street of the city, lined with fortified gates, provides access to the Renaissance Town Hall, heart of this beautiful medieval city.
Coat of Arms: Three fleurs de lys d'Or on a background of Azure, and 3 rocks of chessboard on bottom of Maw (red) with the seals of the Consuls of Rocamadour of 1303.
AOC Rocamadour: AOC Rocamadour is a "pure goat cheese" made exclusively with raw whole milk, produced, processed and refined on the Appellation area in respect of tradition. It is creamy, unctuous and melting, revealing a smell of goat, cream or butter more or less pronounced with similar tastes. There is a thousand and one ways to taste the AOC Rocamadour: the Rocamadour is commonly enjoyed creamy, but, depending on taste, can be tasted dry, releasing more powerful aromas. Rocamadour can be stored in the bottom of the refrigerator or in a cool and humid place (around 10 ° C). Before eating, it is recommended to leave it for 1 hour at room temperature so that it regains its flavors and softness. The Rocamadour is a cheese that connoisseurs particularly appreciate because it pee: under his skin, we discover its creamy and temperature, its thin pearl skin.
The wines: The red Amadour (wine of the Lot country) is a pleasant wine to drink. Composed of 60% Merlot and 40% Malbec, its nose has great intensity and aromas of black fruits, morello cherry and spices. It is large in the mouth with fine tannins. It will be able to be kept 3 to 4 years. Pair with a Quercy salad, Quercy lamb or Rocamadour. The Amadour rosé (Lot wine), composed of Gamay, Merlot and Malbec, with aromas of white-fleshed fruits (pear, pineapple), acacia flowers and red fruits (cherry, raspberry), also seduces in the mouth by its size and freshness. Its quality was recognized at the Concours Général Agricole in Paris 2009 where the 2008 vintage was awarded the Gold Medal of the Lot Rosé Country Wines.
The foie gras: Close to Rocamadour, a farm raises each year 10,000 mule ducks for a production of foie gras and other regional specialties in the pure farm tradition and for the pleasure of gourmets.
The nut cake: The cake with nuts Rocamadour is a pastry, specialty of the regions of Quercy and Périgord. The walnut (since 2002 AOC Walnut Perigord), is the essential ingredient of this cake.
The Quercy lamb: The Quercy Farmer lamb is the product of a terroir (Causses du Quercy), a breed (Caussenarde du Lot), and a know-how that allows to produce throughout of the year lambs of "100 days". Raised for a minimum of 70 days with his mother, supplemented with a cereal-based ration, this lamb is farmed in sheepfold in a traditional and ancestral way.
Goat Milk Soaps: Goat milk fat molecules are exceptionally fine and are therefore easily absorbed by the skin. Goat milk soaps are known for their antibacterial properties that leave the skin hydrated and silky in a natural way. These soaps are frequently used in cases of dry skin, eczema...
