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
- Saint Namphaise, the hermit
- 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, settled in a cave in the cliff, in the Lot Valley, near Montbrun. He was accompanied by a female monkey, known in Occitan as a «mounine».
This hermit was soon accepted by a large part of the local population, who came to bring him provisions. Among his frequent visitors were Ghislaine, daughter of the Lord of Montbrun, and Renaud, son of the Lord of Gaïfié, who soon fell in love with one another.
Mr Ogier, Lord of Montbrun, did not look kindly upon the affection his daughter Ghislaine was soon developing for Renaud, the son of his great enemy, the Lord of Gaïfié. So Ogier is said to have told his daughter Ghislaine: «I’d rather see you throw yourself off the cliff than marry that lad.».
Distressed, Ghislaine went to confide in the hermit Cidoine and ask for his advice, whereupon he devised a ruse. He sacrificed his monkey, which he had dressed in Ghislaine’s clothes, and threw it from the top of the cliff. As a result, Lord Ogier, to whom the bloodstained clothes were brought, believed his beloved Ghislaine to be dead.
Cidoine then brought the truth to light and revealed to the Lord of Montbrun that his daughter Ghislaine was still alive. It is said that it was thus that he gave his blessing to the lovers, and that their betrothal 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 upon Satan for help, and a pact was sealed. If the Devil managed to come to his aid and complete the building, he could claim the architect’s soul. Under the terms of this agreement, the Devil was bound to fulfil all the architect’s requests and could not refuse.
The Valentré Bridge was rising before their very eyes, and the architect decided to save his soul. He gave the Devil a sieve and asked him to fetch water for his workers. Naturally, the Devil was unable to bring back any water. The demon, furious, then swore to take his 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 the bridge’s restoration, immortalised this legend by having a stone carved to depict a little devil trying to tear a stone from the bridge… but with his fingers stuck in the joints between the stones!
Saint Namphaise, the hermit
In ancient times, at the end of the 8th century, a man of faith named Namphaise lived on the Quercy limestone plateaux.
This companion of Charlemagne, weary of war, chose to lead the life of a hermit, devoting himself to prayer and to helping the local peasants. Keen 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 breath, the hermit, aided by God, hurled his hammer towards the heavens. It fell several leagues away, at Caniac-du-Causse, to mark the spot where Saint Namphaise wished to be buried.
It is still said today that the relics of this holy hermit can cure those suffering from epilepsy and grant fertility to any woman who passes beneath 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 that he 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.
MyBut the sword did not yield. It is the rodear which visit brisa, at the spot now known as the « Brèche from Roland«, which is no less than 40 metres wide and 70 metres deep.
Voyant that‘it do porvhas not break Durandal, Roland appela, please help Saint Michel. The archangel then spoke to Roland, who sent Hardandal as far as he could.
We know what happens next; it’s at from one hundredaines from kilomètres from there, in the sanctuaire from Rocamadour, that 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 La Pierre Martine, they spotted Satan and his henchmen carrying sacks filled with the souls of poor people from the Quercy region whom 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 he would dig out on the plateau, and if they succeeded, the souls would be set free.
Satan then stamped his heel hard on the ground, which collapsed. A gaping chasm then appeared Padirac chasm. Whilst the devil gloated, already imagining his opponent would fail, Martin set off on his mule. The mule, sustained by Saint Eutropius, to whom the saint had just prayed, leapt and reached the other side of the chasm.
And so, following his wager with the Devil, Martin set the souls of many people from Quercy free.
Satan, defeated, leapt into the Padirac Chasm that he had just created, to return to his home!