What to see and do in Cahors in the Lot

Any walker who follows one of the French pilgrim trails to Santiago de Compostela in Spain is guaranteed a heady mix of natural landscapes and beautiful buildings. But few can compete with the Pont Valentré that spans the river Lot at Cahors.

A major landmark on the Via Podensis from Le Puy-en-Velay in Auvergne, this medieval bridge with its three defensive towers is a wow from any angle, but especially when reflected in still blue water. Open to traffic until 1983, Pont Valentré is now purely pedestrian and wherever I stand, I simply can’t resist another photo says Gillian Thornton as she takes a train trip through the Lot.

Pickled in the past Cahors is full of charm

North-west of Toulouse in the Occitanie region of South-West France, Cahors is the principal town of the Lot department, surrounded on three sides by steep hills and nestled inside one of the many tight meanders carved out of the landscape over the centuries.

The native Gauls worshipped Divona, goddess of underground water, at a gushing spring here beside the Lot – a site now known as the Fontaine des Chartreux – but it was the Romans who founded the town of Divona within the meander where three roads met.

Arrive by road today and Cahors is an ideal base for exploring the beautiful Lot Valley. Or take the train from Toulouse in less than 90 minutes, just one of many route options on the Occitanie Rail Tour. Whatever your mode of transport, the family-run Hotel Terminus (terminus-1911.fr) is well situated opposite the station and just ten minutes’ walk from the historic old town. Expect Art Nouveau stained glass, traditional atmosphere, and seasonal dishes in the Bistro 1911.

What to see in Cahors

I start by picking up a free map at the Tourist Office in Place Mitterand, separated from the historic Old Town by Boulevard Léon Gambetta, a broad thoroughfare on the line of the medieval ramparts. Gambetta’s father ran a grocery shop beside the Cathedral and young Léon, born in 1838, went on to become a lawyer and republican politician who played a prominent role in the Third Republic from 1870.

Next door to the Tourist Office, the Cahors Malbec Lounge (vindecahors.fr) is the go-to spot for understanding the Lot Valley’s famous wines. Not just red, I discover, but white, rose and sparkling too, served here in traditional local glasses that incorporate a ring of glass in the stem. Choose from four tasting options from 6 to 16 euros per person.

Guilhem, my wine guide, explains that of the 70 domaines and 180 wine makers within Appelation Lot, 80% are independent, the others part of a co-operative. And whilst the grapes are mostly Malbec, blends can include up to 30% of other local varieties. The Malbec Lounge showcases up to six domaines each week to help visitors find their favourite and maybe book a vineyard visit.

Tasting over, I turn my back on the Old Town for a while and head west for the short walk across the isthmus to Pont Valentré, built – very slowly – in the 13^th Century close to the Fontaine des Chartreux. With its six arches and three imposing towers, this unique medieval bridge is listed by UNESCO as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.

On a small grassy bank beside the first tower, I’m surprised to find rows of vines that turn out to be more than just an advertisement for the area’s liquid treasure. ‘The Garden of Inebriation’ is the start of the town’s Secret Gardens itinerary, a self-guided trail of 21 themed plots that are an intrinsic part of local life. Launched in 2002, they gained Remarkable Garden status in 2006 and are maintained on eco-friendly principles. Organic matter is recycled; beds regularly mulched; and plants chosen for their suitability to climate and soil. Pick up the free annotated trail guide.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Divona retreated to land on the eastern side of the isthmus. Enclosed with a ditch and ramparts in the 7^th century, the town grew steadily in importance thanks to its road and river trade links, attracting merchants, bankers and medieval entrepreneurs. Stroll today through the heart of the historic town and you can still see their imposing houses with arcades for shops and workshops at street level and elegant windows above, the accolade of oldest property in town going to the half-timbered corner house at 12 Rue de la Daurade.

The nearby Cathedral of St Stephen boasts two of the largest cupolas in south-west France and an ornate carved tympanum as well as vestiges of medieval wall paintings. And I find several Secret Gardens nearby including a colourful Moorish Garden with its bright mosaics and running water; the raised beds of the Monks’ Kitchen Garden; and the Flower Garden providing altar flowers for the Cathedral. For an allergy-friendly restaurant with a different menu every day, try Restaurant Marie Colline nearby.

I have another treat in store before leaving Cahors. Crossing back across Boulevard Gambetta, I come to the Henri Martin Museum (museehenrimartin.fr), reopened in May 2022 in the former Bishop’s palace after major refurbishment. This unmissable museum is dedicated to the celebrated post-Impressionist painter, born in 1860 in Toulouse and a lifelong lover of the Lot countryside. In 1900, Henri Martin bought the Domaine de Marquayrol, 23 km from Cahors where he spent five months every summer painting local scenes.

The new-look museum brings together on three floors an eclectic range of exhibits acquired by the City of Cahors including archaeological finds, work by artists from the Quercy region, and a collection based around Léon Gambetta. But pride of place goes to Martin himself. Visitors to Toulouse may already know his huge wall paintings inside the Capitole building, but this enchanting museum boasts the largest public collection of his works, amongst them scenes of Cahors and the Lot Valley.

Inspired by Martin’s paintings, I need no further excuse to head east along the river for a welcome return to one of his favourite subjects. St Cirq Lapopie is classified amongst France’s Most Beautiful Villages, named after the child martyr Saint Cyr and one of the three feudal families who administered the village. No car? Catch the bus linking Cahors with Figeac and walk up to the village perched high above the Lot.

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie

St-Cirq-Lapopie buzzes by day with visitors come to browse the small galleries, eat at the restaurants, and just soak up the medieval atmosphere of houses from the 13^th to 15^th Centuries. But only a couple of dozen people live permanently in the steep cobbled streets that lead to the ruined hilltop chateau. Book a room and you can have the village to yourself.

I dine on delicious confit duck leg at the Gourmet Quercynois, rightly popular for its authentic regional cuisine, and stay in a huge room with valley views at Maison Lapopie (maison-lapopie.com), a delightful B&B that offers tranquillity in the extreme. The owners live off site, so your key awaits you in the door and breakfast arrives in a picnic basket to enjoy at your private window table.

Next morning, I take a quiet stroll through deserted streets before heading back down to river level for a tranquil towpath walk towards Bouziès, departure point for seasonal river cruises. Then I’m back on the road for the scenic drive to Figeac (read about Figeac in The Good Life France Magazine Issue 38 – it’s free!).

Find out more at Cahors Vallee du Lot Tourism

By Gillian Thornton, one of the UK’s leading travel writers and a regular writer for The Good Life France Magazine and website.