Villeneuve-Vallée du Lot Tourist Office

Local legends occupy a unique place in the history of our destination. They are much more than just stories: they embody the soul of the villages and transmit beliefs, fears and hopes down the ages.

Each village has its own mysterious stories, often handed down from generation to generation. These stories have their origins in historical events, natural landscapes or the collective imagination of the inhabitants. They are also a window onto the concerns of past societies, evoking misunderstood natural phenomena or historical events, and revealing our ancestors’ efforts to make sense of the world around them.

Today, local legends continue to fascinate. They inspire and attract visitors who are curious to delve into these timeless stories. Their preservation is essential, as they are an integral part of our intangible heritage, reminding us that the need to tell and dream is universal.

Urban legends are modern tales that captivate and transform the collective imagination into a web of fantasies, often based on superstition.

our legends local

©Villeneuve Sur Lot Marion Carcel 13 Min|Foehn Photographie

du-bout-du-pont chapel VILLENEUVE-SUR-LOT

Legend has it that Notre Dame du Bout-du-Pont chapel was built in 1289.

The story goes that one day, some boats coming down from Quercy were suddenly stopped by a mysterious force on the Lot near the bridge. One of the boatmen decided to dive down to see what was holding them up. He reappeared with a statuette of the Virgin Mary. The barges were then able to resume their journey.

It was decided to build a chapel overlooking the Lot, a place of veneration and pilgrimage for all the boatmen.

Visit Villeneuve-sur-Lot on your own

miraculous source LAROQUE-TIMBAUT

During the Roman Empire, this spring supplied the thermal baths in Gallo-Roman villas.

On 28 May 778, the army of Roland, Charlemagne’s nephew, came down with the plague and stopped off in the Saint-Germain valley. Roland vowed to build an oratory if his men were cured by the water. The vow was granted and the troop continued on to Roncesvalles.

Today, a pilgrimage and festival are held on the last Sunday in May each year.

Visit Laroque-Timbaut on your own

English door PUJOLS

The Porte des Anglais, located in the medieval village of Pujols, listed as one of France’s most beautiful villages, takes its name from an oral tradition according to which the English fled through this passage during the Hundred Years’ War.

Visit Pujols on your own

miraculous source HAUTEFAGE-LA-TOUR

Hautefage-la-Tour has a sacred spring that runs beneath the church of Notre-Dame. Legend has it that the spring brings fertility to those who drink it, as Anne de France did.

Anne de France, also known as Anne de Beujeu, the eldest daughter of King Louis XI, was regent of France from 1483 to 1491. At the time, she was considered the most powerful woman in Europe. Despite all her power, she was unable to give birth.

So she drank water from the Hautefage-la-Tour spring and gave birth to a baby girl 9 months later.