French 'Excalibur' sword disappears after 1,300 years wedged in stone

Despite local lore proclaiming it immovable, the sword has vanished from its rocky perch in the village of Rocamadour.

While King Arthur’s magical sword in the stone may be the stuff of legend, France has its very own mythical sword, Durandal.

However, despite local lore proclaiming it immovable, the sword has vanished from its rocky perch in the village of Rocamadour.

For over 1,300 years, legend has it that this 'French Excalibur' was lodged impossibly high in a cliff wall, secured not by magic but by good old-fashioned chains. But even those weren't enough to deter determined thieves, The Telegraph reports.

"We're going to miss Durandal," Mayor Dominique Lenfant told La Dépªche newspaper. "It's been part of Rocamadour for centuries, and there's not a guide who doesn't point it out when he visits."