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Stretching from the River Dordogne in the north to the serpentine River Lot near busy Cahors (and its renowned vineyards) and beyond, the Lot département offers an arresting landscape of limestone cliffs and canyons, hilltop towns and undulating hills carpeted in forests, fields or vines. Formerly the northern section of the old province of Quercy, the modern Lot is part of the Occitanie region, and makes for great exploring, especially if you have your own wheels.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Lot.
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High on a hilltop 150m above a hairpin bend in the River Aveyron, Najac’s fortress looks as if it's fallen from the pages of a fairy tale: slender towers and fluttering flags rise from crenellated ramparts, surrounded on every side by falaises (cliffs) dropping to the valley floor below. Its crumbling architecture is somehow beautifully preserved, and the view from the central keep is unsurprisingly superb.
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Enter the historic centre of Figeac at place Vival, where the tourist office occupies the Hôtel de la Monnaie, an arcaded 13th-century building where money was exchanged. Purchase the excellent leaflet Les Clefs de la Ville (€0.30) for a guide to Figeac’s medieval and Renaissance architecture. Rue de Balène and rue Caviale have the best examples of 14th- and 15th-century houses, many with wooden galleries, timber frames and original stone carvings, while rue de Colomb has fine Renaissance hôtels particulier.
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The Sanctuaires are seven beautiful 12th- to 14th-century chapels built into the rock-face and surrounding a central courtyard. You can see worn stones where pilgrims cycled between the churches. Chapelle Notre Dame is the highlight, containing the magical Vierge Noire (Black Madonna). Carved from walnut in the 12th century, she drew worshippers from across Europe in the Middle Ages. Overhead, the 9th-century iron bell is said to have rung on its own when somewhere in the world the Virgin performed a miracle.
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Discovered in 1889, the spectacular Gouffre de Padirac features some of France’s spangliest underground caverns. The cave’s navigable river, 103m below ground level, is reached through a 75m-deep, 33m-wide chasm. Boat pilots ferry visitors along 1km of subterranean waterways, visiting a series of glorious floodlit caverns, including the soaring Salle de Grand Dôme and the Lac des Grands Gours, a 27m-wide subterranean lake. You can book online – except for same-day tickets, which must be purchased at the cave.
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This museum is named after Figeac-born Egyptologist and linguist Jean-François Champollion (1790–1832), whose efforts in deciphering the Rosetta Stone provided the key for cracking Egyptian hieroglyphics. The mansion where he was born is now devoted to the history of writing, with exhibits ranging from illustrated medieval manuscripts to the evolution of Chinese characters. Audioguide recommended (€3), unless you read French.
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Not to be confused with the Château de Castelnaud, Castelnau-Bretenoux was constructed in the 12th century and saw heavy action during the Hundred Years War, before being redeveloped in the Middle Ages for newer forms of artillery. It is beautifully (and strategically) set on a promontory above the broad valley. Much of the fortress is in ruins, but you can climb the 15th-century artillery tower, which has great views, and visit 17th- and 18th-century residential rooms (by free guided tour in summer).
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Discovered in 1922, the 1200m-long Grotte de Pech Merle is one of the few decorated caves found around the Lot Valley. It has several wonderful galleries of mammoths, bison and dappled horses, as well as unique hand tracings, fingerprints and human figures. Look out for the beautifully preserved adolescent footprint, clearly imprinted in the clay floor. Reserve ahead by phone or online in peak season (ask for an English tour); visitors are limited to 700 per day.
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Feeling energetic? The return walking loop from Autoire's waterfall (around 1km) passes by a spur trail that climbs another kilometre up to the base of the limestone cliffs, where you'll find the ruins of a 12th-century fortification. Occupied during the Hundred Years War, it's also known as the Château des Anglais. More impressive than the ruins are the fabulous panoramas from this perch – the trail continues along the cliffs in both directions, providing a bird's-eye view of both the waterfall and Autoire.
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The seven-span Pont Valentré, on the western side of the city, south of the train station, is one of France’s most iconic medieval bridges, built as part of the town’s defences in the 14th century. The parapets projecting from two of its three tall towers were designed to allow defenders to drop missiles on attackers below. On the bank opposite the bridge, the Fontaine des Chartreux, dedicated to the city’s Gallo-Roman goddess Divona, was the city's original centre.