"Hi, I posted this query several months ago and received some helpful advice regarding maps etc. so I am pleased to let you know that we have just arrived home after a very successful walk starting in Conques, detouring to Rocamadour and back to Cahors, and continuing on the route as far as Condom. We had amazingly hot sunny weather for all of our walking days bar one. Hotter than normal for the area according to the locals and fairly exhausting but we had a wonderful time and loved every minute.
The detour to Rocamadour was for us very worthwhile, but by no means easy. The guide books suggest you could do it in two days from Figeac to Rocamadour and two days from Rocamadour to Cahors. NOT TRUE. Even if the accomodation was available which is really is not, any normally fit person (we are both in our early sixties) would be foolish to attempt it in less than three days up and three days down. The first day from Figeac to Lacapelle Marivel is a tough unrelenting climb particularly for about 6 klm in the middle and seemed much longer than the 19klm in the guide book.
The second day to Gramat was easy and pleasant and the third day from Gramat to Rocamadour is very tricky but beautiful. The tricky part is the final 7 klm along the river bank of the Alzou. A beautiful path for the most part but suddenly it just disappears and you must climb up and over the rocks at the side of the river!!! quite scary. At one point it is necessary to cross the river on a tree trunk "bridge" with a lesser tree trunk at a higher level to hold on to, quite a feat with a full backpack. However the first sight of Rocamadour made it all worthwhile. Yes it is one of the most visited tourist sites in France but even so it is a wonderful destination and we were not disappointed. We stayed for two nights and had a well earned rest. Like many of these "tourist sites" the tourists, for the most part, leave on their buses and the evening/night time experience is beautiful. The second phase of the detour was not too difficult but fairly long days. Much of the trail is in oak woods which was good for shade from the hot sun but also provided plenty of insects to feast on us, which they did! For the entire two days from Rocamadour to Labastide Murat and on to Vers we met no other walkers/pilgrims whatsoever, a very underused route. The village of Vers at the junction of the Vers and Lot rivers is a delight. Shortly after Vers the route joins the Valley of the Cele route and continues along it into Cahors.
As far as we could discover there are no gites or any pilgrim/walker accommodation to speak of along the detour. We stayed in very small cheap hotels where the rooms were adequate , if old fashioned, and the food was splendid; average price demi-pension €65/75 for two people. It definitely pays to travel in pairs under these circumstances. The hotel in Vers was slightly more expensive but worth every penny. The entire detour is very well waymarked with the normal GR red/white signs and at no time were we in doubt of the route.
I hope this info will be of some use to anyone else thinking of taking the time to visit Rocamadour.
Bon Camino to all"
