Tales & Legends from the Lot

He ethas a fois...

In the past, in the Quercy, lors from longues evenings hivernales, the familles visit reaissaient alors autor the chimney. The more anciennes histoires éyourient alors rachaveées, from contes and légendes which faisaient shareie intégrante from the culture populaire.

We rachavehas également from croyances populareas, from recits without origine connue. Toutes ces histoires éyourient transmises from genération at genération.

Read the following captions below:

• Le Saut de la Mounine
• The devil on the Valentré Bridge in Cahors
• The hermit Saint Namphaise
• The Durandal sword of Rocamadour
• The Devil of Saint Martin and the Gouffre de Padirac

Obviously, the legend that interests us most is that of la Chevrette blanche de Cabrerets (click to read it)just above our gîte!

Legend of Saut de la Mounine

It would be a shame to go to the Viewpoint at the Mounine jump without knowing this legend.

Cidoine, a hermit on his way back from Santiago de Compostela, took up residence in a cave in the cliffs in the Lot Valleynear Montbrun. He was accompanied by a guenon, known in Occitan as a "mounine".

This hermit was soon accepted by a large part of the population, who came to bring him food. Among his frequent visitors were Ghislaine, daughter of the Lord of Montbrun, and Renaud, son of the Lord of Gaïfié, who soon became infatuated with each other.

Monsieur Ogier, Seigneur de Montbrun, did not take kindly to the tenderness his daughter Ghislaine soon developed for Renaud, son of his great enemy, the Sire de Gaïfié. Ogier is said to have told his daughter Ghislaine: "I'd rather see you jump from the rock to the monk than marry that boy".

Unhappy, Ghislaine went to confide in and seek advice from the hermit Cidoine, who then devised a stratagem. He sacrificed his guenon, to which he had given Ghislaine's clothes, and threw it off the cliff. So much so that Lord Ogier, to whom the blood-stained clothes were brought, thought his beloved Ghislaine was dead.

Cidoine then revealed to the Seigneur de Montbrun that his daughter Ghislaine was still alive. It is said that he then gave his blessing to the lovers, and the engagement was soon celebrated.

The devil of the Pont Valentré legend in Cahors

While the architect of the famous Valentré Bridge proudly built his work at Cahors above the Lot, he was faced with a major challenge. Work was progressing too slowly.

So he called on Satan for help and a pact was sealed. If the Devil managed to help him and complete the building, he could claim the architect's soul. According to the agreement, the Devil had to meet all the architect's demands and could not refuse.

The work on the Pont Valentré was growing by leaps and bounds, and the architect decided to save his soul. He gave a sieve to the Devil and asked him to fetch water for his workers. Of course, the Devil was unable to fetch any water. The Devil was furious and swore revenge.

When only an upper corner remained to be built to finish the central tower, Satan sent a little imp who tore out the last stone every night... so that the bridge could never be finished.

When you visit the Pont Valentré, keep an eye out: the architect Paul Gout, who was in charge of restoring the bridge, immortalised this legend by having a stone carved representing an imp trying to tear the stone from the bridge... but his fingers being stuck in the joints of the stone!

The hermit Saint Namphaise

In ancient times, at the end of the 8th century, a man of faith named Namphaise lived on the Quercy limestone plateaux.

This acolyte of Charlemagne, tired of war, chose to lead the life of a hermit, devoted to prayer and helping the peasants of the region. To protect them from drought, Namphaise dug lakes to collect water.

But the devil, jealous of such strength and hateful of such virtue, unleashed a raging bull that gored Namphaise to death.

With his last breaths, the hermit, aided by God, threw his hammer to the heavens. The hammer landed several kilometres away, in Caniac-du-Causse, where Saint Namphaise wished to be buried.

Even today, it is said that the relics of this holy hermit heal epileptics and bring fertility to any woman who passes under his reliquary.

The legend of the sword Durandal at Rocamadour

Perhaps you've heard the story told in Roland's song?

Roland of Roncesvalles was the doveu from Charlemagne and commandant from sound arriera–garde. It is said to was youé dyears a embuscade tendue by the Sarrasins on the collar from Ronthisvat.

As he saw death approaching, Durandal refused to see his magic sword Durandal fall into the hands of his Saracen enemies. Il tentthen from the briser on a rodear.

Myis the sword didn't give way. The the rodear which visit brisaat the place now known as the “Brèche from Roland"It is no less than 40 metres wide and 70 metres deep.

Voyant that‘it do porvhas not break Durandal, Roland appela with the help Saint Michel. The Archangel then intervened with Roland, who sent Hardandal as far as he could.

The rest is history. from one hundredaines from kilomètres from there, in the sanctuaire from Rocamadourthat the sword visit planta dyears the roexpensive, at–dessus from the porte from the chapshe Our–Dame. She remains there to this day...

The Gouffre de Padirac, the Devil and Saint Martin

As Saint Martin and his mule were returning from a mission to Pierre Martine, they spotted Satan and his companions carrying sacks filled with the souls of poor Quercy residents that they had just bought.

A challenge of honour then ensued between the Saint and the Devil: Satan challenged Saint Martin and his mule to cross an obstacle that he would dig into the Causse, and if they succeeded, the souls would then be freed.

Satan then smashed the ground with a strong heel strike, causing it to collapse. The gaping Padirac chasm. While the devil was laughing, already imagining that his adversary was up to no good, Martin set off with his mule. The mule, supported by Saint Eutrope whom the Saint had just prayed to, jumped up and reached the other side of the hole.

And so, following his wager with the Evil One, Martin freed the souls of many Quercy residents.

Satan, defeated, jumped into the Gouffre de Padirac that he had just created, to return to his pen!