Your drive through the Lot might take you to the village of St-Céré straddling the River Bave and near the Lot's northern border, complete with a park, a popular market square, and lovely medieval houses.  Most interesting, and giving the town of 3500 something of which they can be proud, the the castle of Saint Laurent les Tours is above the village on a hill and where artist Jean Lurçat operated a secret wartime radio for the French resistance.  Lurçat, who began his artistic career as a painter, is known for his revival of tapestries, and the first of 1000 tapestries he designed or made was in 1917 at the age of 25. He went to  Aubusson in 1939 establishing a center for producing modern tapestries, his work was exhibited throughout Europe through the 1930s, and two of his most noteworthy were made in the 1940s: the 'Apocalypse Tapestry'  and the 'Four Seasons'.  At the end of the war, Lurçat purchased the castle which he had come to love; it had not only been the choice for the Resistance radio broadcasts because of its high strategic position, but it was his workshop and home.  Lurçat's widow, Simone, continued to occupy the chateau after his death in 1966 and, when she sold it in 1986 to the General Council of the Lot, it was with the precondition that his workshop and a museum dedicated to Jean Lurçat would always be in the castle.  It is now a listed Monument Historique of France.  There is also a museum dedicated to his tapestries in Angers.

St-Cirq Lapopie is one of those 'must see' places during any visit to the Lot.  Perched above the River Lot, visitors can park their cars at the base of the hill and walk up to the village ~ it's not a steep climb.  Their Medieval festival will take place beginning the 9th of September with the first of five nights of Son et Lumière shows; the Crafts and Artisans Market will be open on the 12th and 13th with a lot of interesting activities and entertainers to put everyone in a Medieval spirit!

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France

There are six Plus Beaux Villages in Lot, and St-Cirq Lapopie is one of them.  The other five are Autoire, Capdenac-le-Haut, Cardaillac, Carennac, and Loubressac.  To qualify for this designation, a commune or village must meet strict criteria regarding a maximum population of 2000, at least two classified or protected monuments or sites, and proof that the entire village supports the village council in joining the organization. Each of these designated villages is well worth a visit.


Last, but certainly not least, is a visit to Rocamadour.  This is another perched village with a history involving pilgrims and the Black Madonna.  The town overlooks a deep gorge defying gravity as its houses and other buildings were constructed up the steep cliff in stages on the River Alzou's right bank.  The height is a dizzying 390 feet.  216 worn steps take you from the lower village up to the churches that are enormous structures half way up (an elevator is available as well).  The primary one is the pilgrimage Eglise de Notre Dame, originally built in 1479, and renovated over time.  Its main attraction is the wooden Black Madonna said to have been carved by Saint Amadour, the village's patron saint.   This drawing is of the Castle Keep.

Pilgrims would come here believing it was a place of miracles, and they would climb the steps on their knees as a form of penance.  But, people lived here long before the village existed in shelters under the overhanging rocks, and in 1166 they discovered the miraculously preserved body of Saint Amadour at the place where today's sanctuaries are located.

Durandel, the famous sword belonging to Roland, one of the twelve paladins in Charlemagne's court, is protruding from a rock wall.  It is said that Roland threw the sword in the air to stop it from getting into Saracen hands, and it lodged itself into the rock wall where it remains over the shrine of the town's patron Saint Amadour.

The Book of Miracles from 1172 told of Our Lady of Rocamadour would heal the sick, protect people at war, save sailors at sea and set prisoners free.  It is this history of miracles that still attracts people to Rocamadour, its church of Notre Dame, the Basilica of Saint-Sauveur, and many smaller chapels.  Whether you believe in miracles or not, you will think it is miraculous the way the town clings to the cliff side ~ quite an incredible feat of man using primitive methods and tools. Don't miss Rocamadour!                                                        
                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

Dramatic Rocamadour

Cuisine of the Lot

The Midi-Pyrénées region, of which the Lot is a part, may be best known for its cassoulet ~  shown below ~ a specialty one-dish meal made with pork, mutton or duck, with sausages, garlic, shallots and tomatoes, and simmered with cannellini beans (white Italian kidney beans).  There are other regional dishes such as Soufflé au Roquefort, served as a warm hors-d'oeuvre.  Made with crumbled cheese and stiffly beaten egg whites, it is then folded into a thick Béchamel sauce and baked in the oven until the soufflé has risen completely.  This recipe originated using Gruyère cheese, but it was made regional by the substitution of Roquefort.

There are many other meat dishes including Tournedos au poivre vert (beef fillets in wine sauce) and Tourte quercynnoise (a savory pie of duck liver and mushrooms, quiche filling and then sprinkled with truffles).  Truffles are an important part of the cuisine in southwestern France ~ truffle 'season' begins in November and ends in March.  Truffles are also found in Provence and Burgundy.  Pigs used to be used to find truffles under truffle oaks but often wanted to eat them; dogs are now more favored and they also go hunting with their owners for wild boar. 

The icy waters of streams from the Pyrénées bring fish down into the valleys providing ample varieties for use in the Lot cuisine.  For a starter of saumon mariné and a main course of truite aux amandes, or truite meunière, or truite grenobloise, drive to the incredibly beautiful speck of a village Vers, on the tiny River Vers on the way south to Cahors.  Here, along a scenic stretch of the D653, you will find the restaurant La Truite Dorée.  The village is just west of St-Cirq-Lapopie and is a member of the Logis de France association ~ we've enjoyed their restaurants for decades and can recommend that you try them whenever you can!
                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                    
Martel, which we mentioned earlier, has an historic, working walnut-oil mill, Moulin à Huile de Noix, operated by the Castigné family, and it can be found on Route de Saint-Céré in Martel.  It is a former hunting lodge that functions the year 'round, and visitors can observe how the milling is done.  In July and August oil is only milled on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  The farm shop sells both the walnut oil they produce and hazelnut oil as well as the traditional 'walnut wine' apéritif (vin de noix) so popular in Quercy.  It is open from April 1 to the 28th of October, and they request that visitors make reservations through their web site.  The Farm Auberge also serves lovely light meals.  Only French is spoken.

An important thing to remember is that local produce and products will result in the best cuisine.  The people of the Lot are not wealthy, yet they eat very well.  The food is rich and has high fat content, but their life expectancy is the highest in France!  Add a glass of the local wine from the menu, and you will be more than satisfied dining in the Lot.

    

         

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