A mythical sword that has been embedded for centuries in a French cliff face has mysteriously vanished. Known as Durandal, it is considered southern France’s equivalent of Excalibur, the legendary blade pulled from stone by King Arthur to ascend the British throne. Authorities in Rocamadour, a village in southern France, are stumped as to who […]
Rocamadour feels as if it has been robbed of a part of itself, he told La Depeche, a French newspaper. “The destinies of our village and this sword are entwined.” Legend has it that the “indestructible” Durand belonged to the legendary knight Roland, a nephew of the emperor Charlemagne whose exploits are recounted in the 11th-century epic poem The Song of Roland. It was said to be the sharpest sword in existence, able to slice through boulders with a single strike. Read More