Rocamadour Interactive Virtual Visit CD ROM Set in a spectacular canyon, 150 metres deep, Rocamadour is the site of one of the most celebrated pilgrimages of Western Europe.   Click to buy the Rocamadour: Interactive Virtual Visit" CD ROM Rocamadour clings to the rock face high above the tiny river Alzou in the Lot, SW France. In 1166 the uncorrupted body of a hermit was discovered beneath the threshold of the troglodite chapel. He was named as Amadour, and his resting-place Roc-Amadour.  The Pilgrimage to Notre Dame de Rocamadour Historians believe that the pilgrimage to Rocamadour began before the end of the first millennium. Rocamadour is a major site of the black madonna - La Vierge Noire - and a staging point for pilgrims following the Way of St James to the shrine of St James at Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. This is known as le Chemin St Jacques in France and as el Camino in Spain Notre Dame de Rocamadour is renowned for freeing captives, as too are the black madonnas at Mauriac and Orcival. She also promotes fertility. A model boat which hangs in the sanctuary of ND de Rocamadour is a votive offering testifying to the safe deliverance of mariners who invoked her in time of trouble at sea, and a bell which hangs in the roof of the sanctuary rings miraculously to calm storms when she is invoked by mariners who are in danger. Below the bell there is a plaque listing the dates of the occasions when this has happened. One ship is said to have thus been miraculously carried to Santiago de Compostella. Click to buy the Rocamadour: Interactive Virtual Visit" CD ROM The town is on seven levels, so echoing the seven levels of consciousness of Man. La Voie Sainte gave access to the cité, via La Porte de l'Hospitalet, La Porte du Figuier and La Porte Salmon - thence to L'escalier des pèlerins, with 216 steps, which is at the foot of the château abbatial. Pilgrims climbed the steps on their knees - one of the major stages of the pilgrimage, before entering the sanctuaries.  Les sanctuaires are at the heart of the religious "cité", with it's seven chapels and churches also echoing the seven spiritual levels of Man. Le parvis de Notre-Dame, at the entrance to la chapelle Notre-Dame, was once covered with paintings - vestiges of which still exist. La chapelle Notre-Dame is the sanctuary of La Vierge Noire de Rocamadour - one of the world's most celebrated Black Madonnas. Covered with blackened sheets of silver, this is the 12th century reliquary statue of  Notre-Dame de Rocamadour. L'épée de Roland, thrust in the cliff-face close to the roof of  la chapelle Notre-Dame, is Durandel - the legendary sword which was one of the attractions of the pilgrimage.  Pilgrim badges - known as sportelles - are still sold here. Ancient sportelles from Rocamadour have been found in rivers throughout Europe, possibly as votive offerings testifying to the safe return of the pilgrim from a perilous pilgrimage. Click to buy the Rocamadour: Interactive Virtual Visit" CD ROM   What others have said: "Les photos sont magnifiques - j'eleve mon chapeau à vous!" ("The photos are magnificent - I take my hat off to you!") IF, Office de Tourisme, Rocamadour This is ideal background preparation for a visit to Rocamadour - so many wonderful things I would have missed if I had not explored with the help of your CD ROM beforehand. Thankyou. PS, France  "Rocamadour !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is an amazing trip I have been here all morning - 8-12.30 - trundling round the streets, stairs, chapels etc. and I need to go back to it probably several times to take it all in. There's an incredible amount of work gone in to this, and I get a lovely feeling of ! OH ! so thats where that path led and ! OH ! so I'm back here now, so where does this way go? (Additional benefit - I'm not out of breath from climbing the stairs and paths)." NH, Cornwall "I was entranced by the music" BD, UK Click to buy the Rocamadour: Interactive Virtual Visit" CD ROM The "Rocamadour: Interactive Virtual Visit" CD ROM with text in English & French includes 350+ original photographs with interactive links so that you may explore as you like - you can choose to go left or right, ahead, upwards, or behind. The 17 'Guided Visits', with original sound tracks by Magical Sounds offer an overview of the principal routes and sites in and around Rocamadour. If you plan to visit Rocamadour the "Rocamadour: Interactive Virtual Visit" CD ROM will help you to ensure that you won't miss anything! For the armchair traveller - what better way to explore Rocamadour than with "Rocamadour: Interactive Virtual Visit" CD ROM! Explore Rocamadour! £18 free delivery worldwide     Subscribe to our Newsletter and receive a free Rocamadour Virtual Visit demo!   Name: Email: