Pilgrim Routes |
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The Way or pilgrimage route of St James of Compostella
The discovery of the tomb of the Apostle James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John the Evangelist, changed the appearance of a small Roman settlement in the northwest Iberian Peninsula that, with the passing of the centuries, had become a necropolis; it was also a turning point in the spiritual history of a continent that set about building a road in order to reach the precious relic.
The pilgrimage to Santiago soon became the most outstanding and most profoundly experienced religious phenomenon of the Middle Ages, a fact that was recently recognised by the European Parliament, which designated the Way the First European Cultural Itinerary, and by UNESCO, which declared it a World Heritage route.
This route from the French-Spanish border was – and still is – taken by pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela. Some 1,800 buildings along the route, both religious and secular, are of great historic interest. The route played a fundamental role in encouraging cultural exchanges between the Iberian peninsula and the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages. It remains a testimony to the power of the Christian faith among people of all social classes and from all over Europe.
The via Podiensis passes through the Lot and the Tarn et Garonne departments and this explains some of the area’s most spectacular historic sites, including the following.
Less than one hour’s drive from Cubertou:
- Cahors (47 km), fortified medieval bridge, Cathedral & cloisters
- Lascabanes (59 km), d'Escayrac church
- Montcuq (45 km) – delightful Sunday street market
- Lauzerte (45 km), well-preserved « bastide »
- Moissac (60 km), not to be missed Romanesque sculpture (abbey and cloisters)
Less than one and a half hour’s drive from Cubertou:
- Varaire (84 km), Saint Jacques church and hospice
- Marcilhac-sur-Célé (91 km) : abbey (and famous mid-July jazz festival)
- Sauliac-sur-Célé (91 km), curious Chapel of Notre-Dame du Roc-Traoucat (the hollow rock)
- Cabrerets (82 km), 13th century castle
- Saint-Cirq-Lapopie (78 km) – spectacular rocky site dominating the Lot river
- Auvillar (102 km), unusual octagonal covered sqaure
Less than two hours' drive from Cubertou:
- Figeac (114 km), birthplace of Champollion with its large scale replica of the Rosetta stone and delightful medieval streets
- Béduer (112 km), and the castle of Barast
- Gréalou (109 km), with its Romanesque church and the dolmen of Pech-Laglaire
- Cajarc (101 km), and the Sainte-Marguerite chapel
- Espagnac-Sainte-Eulalie abbey (100 km)
As you explore the area, you will find pilgrims of all nationalities, many of them displaying the sea shell and staff symbolising the pilgrimage route