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Visit the Archeosite des Fieux site 20 minutes from us.

80,000 years ago when prehistoric men roamed the Dordogne valley in pursuit of big game.

The Archéosite des Fieux compiles the traces of human occupation which extends over several tens of millennia. North of the Causses du Quercy, close to a bend in the Dordogne, it was an important hunting ground and a temporary habitat, from Neanderthals to modern humans (known as Cro-Magnon). A wildlife trap for the first, shelter and place of artistic expression for the second, the Fieux are an exceptional site for understanding the material and spiritual life of prehistoric men, over a long period of time.

The traces and remains extend over different loci, excavation sites which each tell of different areas of human occupation. The result of this research led to Les Fieux being included in the supplementary inventory of Historic Monuments on February 3, 1993.

As for the decorated cave, classified as a Historic Monument since January 17, 1967, it is contemporary with other testimonies of Quercy cave art, such as Pech Merle or Cougnac, with perhaps an older phase, exceptional for the region.

The archaeological discovery of Les Fieux was also a long human adventure, from the discovery of the cave in 1964, until the resumption of excavations in 2006. But this open-hearted site, meticulously excavated for 50 years, has perhaps only not yet revealed all its secrets.

Discovery circuit - Activities offered with the visit every day (adults and children)

Sessions at 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m.

Without reservation

New: accompanied discovery of the site

Demonstrations & interactive activities around fire lighting, flint and bone tools, musical and communication instruments, cave art, hunting weapons and propeller shooting.

The "children's corner" - Additional creative activities for children

Workshops at 4:00 p.m. By reservation (limited places)

Monday Thursday :                        making a pendant (necklace) from 5 years old

Tuesday & Friday: introduction to excavation techniques from 7 years old (likely to be replaced by mammoth modeling in the event of very high heat)

Wednesday & Sunday: creation of a grease lamp from 5 years old

SATURDAY : mammoth modeling in clay from 7 years old

Life-size investigation game Préhist'homicide (""Préhist'Origines"" evenings)

Monday to Friday at 7:00 p.m. (July 10 - September 1)

Shock in the Fieux... The shaman has been murdered!

Take part in a major field investigation... Time is running out... 1h30 to collect clues, find the weapon and the crime scene and apprehend the culprit. Surprise on arrival…

In 51 BC Julius Ceasar fought one of his last battles of the Gallic War , around the oppidum of Uxellodunum . Next to Saint Denis near Martel.

It was the last major military confrontation of the Gallic War, it notably completed the action of Caesar in the region, who took advantage of his victory to spare the lives of the vanquished while cutting off their hands, so that everyone knew what it was costly to challenge his authority.

The battle constitutes the final point of the pacification of Gaul and its definitive passage under Roman domination. The battle resulted in a Roman victory, after several weeks of confrontation around the city and major castramification work.

Thanks to the calm waters of the Dordogne, canoeing is a leisure activity accessible to everyone, provided they know how to swim without assistance and are at least 6 years old.

The river welcomes 4 types of participants each year:

1. beginners
2. amateurs
3. the experienced
4. the daredevils

Thrill-seekers choose a departure from Argentat-sur-Dordogne where the narrow river allows you to navigate some beautiful rapids in class 2. From Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, the Dordogne widens, the current calms down and the first limestone cliffs are taking shape. The river is class 1, the easiest. The villages on the banks follow one another: Carennac, Gluges, Saint-Sozy, Lacave…

So how does it work ?

Canoe rental companies offer their services at more than 30 bases located along the river in Corrèze , Lot and Dordogne. It is often preferable to park your vehicle at the departure base. A shuttle system is planned to bring everyone back upon arrival.

Most rental companies offer half-day (usually 14 km) or full-day (between 14 km and 28 km) excursions. Paddlers opting for the shortest route are free to take their time and make the most of their day on the river by taking picnic breaks, swimming, etc. You just need to be on time for the shuttle from return selected.

Located in the heart of the Dordogne Valley, near Rocamadour and Padirac, the Gramat Animal Park brings together 1000 wild and domestic animals of 150 different European species.

Go on an adventure and explore the 42 shaded hectares of the Animal Park!
A protected natural environment, emblematic of the Causses du Quercy where fun and educational will make you experience a unique day.

With family, friends, escape!

Authenticity, tranquility, fresh air and wide open spaces await you for an unforgettable day.

Reserve your room at www.hoteldesvoyageurs.eu.

See you soon

Sylvie and Meindert

Hotel des Voyageurs

Rocamadour

The Rocher des Aigles, nestled in the heart of the Causses du Quercy regional natural park in the arid landscape of Rocamadour, offers a wild and preserved setting, an invitation to travel: the discovery and learning of a world where the notion of otherness plays a primordial role.

The raptors and parrots invite visitors to share their reality, far from showing an illusory show where the multiple reflections of the trompe l'oeil lull a conditioned imagination, they reveal during their aerial prowess the intact part of their wild nature; a challenge for birds born in captivity? Captivity, this is a term that offends sensitivity while translating a reality based on facts: many species are still threatened, some are on the verge of extinction, others have disappeared, faced with this observation the conservation of species must be the mission of zoological parks, but conservation requires a framework.
Birds preserved and protected in captivity, that is to say in a given setting, are living symbols which can allow the reintroduction of species into the wild.
Captivity should not be understood as a total deprivation of freedom, but as a compromise: some men destroy, others rebuild, it is up to the heirs of past errors to bring about a new reality.

At Rocher des Aigles, women and men live daily with their protégés, the birds have made this place where visitors enter their territory, they are at home: whether in the aviaries, on the block or in the sky , hence the famous adage: ""you are here in bird territory"".

The little shadow that can be seen in the sky, emblem of a philosophy, is a bearer of hope, it means not only that the bird has accepted man but also that it trusts him, it is living proof that reciprocity between man and animal is possible, it is proof that human technique which respects the integrity of animals is constructive, finally it is a guarantee of authenticity for the visitor who, while making a singular experience, experiences the sensations of an untamed and fascinating nature, which will always lead on the paths of humility and knowledge.

The Padirac chasm is the monumental entrance to a natural cavity, located in the Lot in France, with a dimension of approximately 35 meters in diameter. At the bottom of this chasm, 103 meters deep, flows an underground river which runs through part of a large network of more than 55 kilometers of development.

The Gouffre de Padirac is 18km from us, about 15 minutes by car.

Reserve your tickets online.

With the tomb of Amadour, the Black Madonna attracted crowds of pilgrims to Rocamadour.

Discover, in 6 anecdotes, unusual miracles, a staircase climbed on your knees, and an extraordinary story of a bell that rings by itself!

1 - The Black Madonna of Rocamadour

76 cm high, carved from a piece of walnut wood, time has patinated it, so much so that it has turned it completely black...

To preserve her, it was necessary to cover her hands and face with silver.

It is still found today in the Notre-Dame chapel of the sanctuary!

Tradition says that we owe it to the work of the hermit Saint Amadour, from whom the rock takes its name.

In fact, Amadour would be the pseudonym of Zacchaeus , converted by Jesus Christ then came to Gaul to end his life...

2 - The largest pilgrimage in the West

Rocamadour is one of the largest pilgrimages in the Christian West: on certain days, there are 30,000 faithful in the city!

The greatest came: Saint Louis and his mother Blanche of Castile in 1244, before the Crusades, Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1170...

Not forgetting Sancie de Navarre, whose tragic (but true) story led her to pray to the Black Madonna.

3 - The pilgrim's path

Before you can access the precious Black Madonna, arm yourself with patience!

Before that, the pilgrims actually had to climb a staircase of 216 steps, which they climbed on their knees, blowing an Avé at each step.

Religious people give them the catenulae, small chains symbolizing the sins that bind them.

And to be able to travel in times of war and arrive safely at Rocamadour, the pilgrims wore sportelles, an oval medal representing the Virgin and Child!

4 - Miracles

From 1172, the Black Madonna witnessed an incredible number of miracles.

Incredibly, these miracles were carefully recorded by a Limousin monk in a book written in 1172, The Book of Miracles !

A work bringing together 126 naive and touching stories, which tell unusual stories, such as:

• ""Dried arm healed by the Virgin"";
• ""Of a nobleman who escapes the precipice"";
• ""Of a knight whom his enemy could not wound"";
• ""Woman cured of a nasal polyp""…

5 - The Virgin of Sailors

In the chapel, pilgrims left ex-votos (offerings in gratitude for a favor obtained), more particularly models of boats for the sailors saved from certain death.

Because the Virgin Mary is usually associated with sailors: her first name means ""star of the sea in Hebrew"", Maris Stella in Latin. But even more so that of Rocamadour.

Strange, for a Virgin so far from the sea!

Its reputation is such that even in Quebec, the largest parish is dedicated to Notre-Dame de Rocamadour.

Indeed, Jacques Cartier, discoverer of Quebec, had his crew cured of scurvy after a mass in the Lot, here in 1536!

In Brittany, she is revered as the patron saint of seafarers, just as in Portugal and Spain, Rocamadour being an obligatory passage on the way to Compostela.

6 - The bell

The Virgin of Rocamadour is associated with the small iron bell from the 10th century which rings each time a sailor implores the Virgin and is saved at sea.

It sounds alone, without strings or tricks!

Nearly 120 miracles have been attested.

The last time the bell rang? In 1612, after the sinking of a Breton boat

The human presence in Rocamadour dates back to the Upper Paleolithic (Grottes des Merveilles). In this site dedicated to Marian worship from its origins, a modest oratory was built, undoubtedly by the first hermits installed in a large rock shelter.

Thanks to the visionary intelligence of Abbot Géraud d'Escorailles, Rocamadour took on a European dimension. Indeed, from 1152 the Abbot encouraged the construction of Churches in the cave where it all began.

In 1166 the very well preserved body of one of the first hermits, Amadour, was discovered. It is thus shown to pilgrims.

From 1172, 126 miracles are listed. Devotion to Saint Amadour was born and added to Marian worship without ever supplanting it. The pilgrimage was a great success, the city developed. The town is mainly made up of a single street of 1 km. Donations pour in and allow the beautification of the sanctuaries. Four hospitals were built to accommodate these pilgrims.

Climbing the grand staircase, kneeling at each step to pray, is part of the pilgrim's approach.

The fortified houses on the valley side constitute the ramparts against the various attacks and wars which ravage the region. In the 16th century, religious wars were particularly harmful to Rocamadour.

1562, the warlords Bessonie and Marchastel, pillage the place, destroy the body of Amadour and the religious furniture.

Society evolves and major pilgrimages are abandoned. In the 19th century, thanks to the bishops of Cahors and Abbot Chevalt, Rocamadour came back to life and the restoration was carried out in the taste of the time, which had a romantic fascination for the Middle Ages (Viollet le Duc, Prosper Merimee, Victor Hugo ....).

In Rocamadour above the sanctuary of the Black Virgin we find the Durandal sword in the rocks. Durendal is the name of the mythical sword which would have belonged to the knight Roland, a knight from medieval literature.

Roland is Count of the March of Brittany, and above all nephew of Charlemagne. The legend from the Song of Roland has it that Durandal was given by Charlemagne to Roland. Charlemagne kept the sword Joyeuse and a copy of Joyeuse can be found in the bar of Hôtel des Voyageurs in Rocamadour.

When Roland crossed the Pyrenees to fight against the Saracens in Navarre, he commanded the rearguard that the Saracens attacked at the Roncesvalles pass, following Ganelon's betrayal.

Roland and his men resist to the last. Wounded to death, Roland finally sounds his olifant, calling Charlemagne to his aid. Legend has it that Roland tried to break his sword Durandal on a rock so that it would not fall into the hands of the Saracens, but it was the rock that broke, opening Roland's breach.

Roland then called the archangel Michael for help, then threw his sword towards the valley. It then miraculously crossed several hundred kilometers before embedding itself in the rock of Notre-Dame de Rocamadour.

In Canto XIV of Roland Furious, Ariosto declares that Durandal was first the sword of the hero of the Trojan War Hector, before being that of Roland.

The sword Durandal is still in the rock despite the frantic attempts of ambitious young people to get it out of the rocks.

You exit the passenger hall and, depending on the day and time, a magnificent steam locomotive or a powerful diesel engine is at the head of the train, ready to take you on a fantastic journey.

A round trip of 13 km, more than 80 meters high on the ledge, to discover the Dordogne Valley and its admirable panoramas.

On the heights of Rocamadour, come and discover 150 Barbary macaques in total freedom in a 20-hectare park. You will be amazed by the proximity of the monkeys and the ease of observation.

Guides are at your disposal to answer all your questions and will help you discover the specific behaviors of this species.

The festival is designed as a true ""link"" between the sacred and artistic creation, between the architectural heritage and the musical heritage of Rocamadour. The vocation of promoting sacred music was obvious for this city-sanctuary whose Saint-Sauveur Basilica and the Saint Amadour Crypt are listed as UNESCO world heritage sites. A city of vertigo and an exceptional heritage for perfect acoustics which give that unique touch of magic to each concert. Rocamadour Festival August 15 to 26:

16 days with several concerts per day including: Nicola Procaccini, Ensemble la Sportella, Roberto Alagna, Renaud Capuçon, Consuelo Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera of Versailles and many other famous artists.

Be quick and book your tickets at https://www.rocamadourfestival.com and reserve your room at www.hoteldesvoyageurs.eu.

An astonishing spectacle!

For 30 years, the 4th weekend of September, the Montgolfiades de Rocamadour have taken place. At the heart of a dizzying site, surrounded by vertical cliffs and a sweeping 360° panorama, hundreds of hot air balloons take off from all horizons. An unmissable and unique event in Europe!

September 28 and 29, 2023, 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.: Hot air balloons take off from the Alzou Canyon at the foot of the City.

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In 90% of the rooms we installed air conditioning this winter.

Our customers can also be more comfortable in the middle of summer with heatwave periods.

The air conditioning is reversible and this also increases comfort on slightly cooler days in spring and autumn.

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This winter, we installed fiber at the hotel to improve the network for WiFi in the rooms. WiFi is free for you and you can find the codes in reception.

This way you stay connected, for leisure, fun or to give opinions on our hotel.

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Good news for our customers. Since 2018 we have not increased the prices of drinks for the bar and terrace at our hotel.

A coffee from 1.40 eur, a beer (26 cl.) from 2.60 eur and a glass of wine (white or regional rose 10 cl.) from 2.50 euro and a glass of wine regional red from 3.20 (10 cl.)

Take advantage of the low prices for a pleasant stay.

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The sun is waking up, the birds are chirping a little more and spring is in the air.

We look forward to welcoming you back to our hotel this season.

We will be open again on April 1st and we are finalizing preparations for the season; new lighting on the terrace, some paintings here and there and air conditioning in 9 of the 10 bedrooms.

Reserve your rooms now!

See you soon

Sylvie and Meindert