Mysterious theft of the legendary sword Durandal in Rocamadour, France

The sword became famous through an epic of French literature

Police are investigating the suspected theft of a mythical sword that was found stuck in a cliff in the mountain village of Rocamadour in southern France.

Durandal was the famous sword of Roland, the protagonist of the Song of Roland, an epic poem and the oldest surviving major work of French literature.

The sword was stuck in a rock face in Rocamadour (Lot) until it disappeared on Saturday, June 22nd.

“We will miss Durandal. It is a part of Rocamadour. Rocamadour feels robbed of a part of itself, even if it is a legend, the fates of our village and this sword are linked,” said mayor Dominique Lenfant to the regional newspaper The Departure of the Midi.

However, the sword, a popular attraction among visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage city, is the “umpteenth copy” of the original, said Father Florent Millet, rector of the Rocamadour sanctuary. ActuLotwhich confirms that the replica has no historical value.

La Chanson de Roland (The Song of Roland) was written in the 11th century and tells the story of the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 during the reign of Emperor Charlemagne.

It describes how an angel brings the sword to Charlemagne, who passes it on to his nephew Roland.

The epic poem describes how Roland stood his ground, fending off Saracen enemies and allowing many of his troops to escape over the Pyrenees. He uses the sword to kill many men during the battle and then hides it under his body before he dies so it won’t be captured.

According to a local legend in Rocamadour, according to 12th century monks, Roland actually threw his sword rather than hiding it, creating a gap in the wall.

The locals are baffled as to how the thieves managed to steal the sword, which was embedded in the rock face high above the ground and attached with a chain.