These fascinating placeswhich have stood the test of time

Towns and villages with a medieval feel

Ancient fortifications, hilltop villages, towns with half-timbered houses, cobbled streets, Gothic palaces… Strolling through the heart of our ‘Land of Art and History’ is like stepping back into a rich past that beautifully blends architectural heritage with picture-postcard landscapes. Here,medieval architecture has left its mark. From Figeac, a thriving market town and a major stop on the Way of St James, to the picturesque villages of the Lot and Célé valleys, step into a time machine to discover a heritage that bears witness to the lives of our ancestors and centuries gone by!

The Splendour of the Middle Ages

Figeac

Lively and authentic, Figeac is a dialogue between the centuries. The town reveals a unique and rare heritage: medieval houses, Renaissance mansions, 18th-century bourgeois buildings… Different eras and styles blend harmoniously, giving the town a touch ofItaly in Quercy. The town was the birthplace of Jean-François Champollion, the famous Egyptologist, whose house has been transformed into a museum unique in Europe: the Champollion Museum – The Scripts of the World.

Figeac

Let’s wander through the centuries in the jewel of the Célé Valley. Let’s follow in the footsteps of the first monks and merchants of the Middle Ages. Let’s explore the extraordinary adventure of Jean-François Champollion, the man who deciphered hieroglyphs and a famous son of Figeac. Let’s set off to discover the town and its people today, with its squares, cafés and bustling market…

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The Lot Valley

Between landscapes and heritage

La Dolce Vita in Cajarc

Nestled within a cirque of high cliffs on the banks of the Lot, Cajarc exudes tranquillity in the shade of the plane trees. The town invites us to explore its narrow streets, picturesque houses and charming little squares. A fashionable holiday resort in the 1960s, Françoise Sagan ’s town is synonymous with culture and the good life.

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The hilltop villages of the Lot Valley

You spot them in the distance or come upon them unexpectedly as you round a bend in the river: the hilltop villages of the Lot Valley. Perched on rocky outcrops or on the edge of steep cliffs, these majestic villages are well worth the effort to reach. Often built as impregnable citadels, these gems now welcome us within their walls.

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Get away from it all in

our villages of character

In the heart of the Grand-Figeac region, you can wander from valley to village. From fortresses perched atop cliffs to towns nestled in the heart of a valley, let’s escape to these unmissable sites with their rich historical past.

The Most Beautiful Villages in France

One is perched on a rocky promontory, 110 metres above the Lot valley; the other offers, from the top of one of its three majestic towers, an exceptional view over the forests of the Ségala: Capdenac-Le-Haut and Cardaillac. These two exceptional villages, each brimming with character and listed amongst the Most Beautiful Villages of France, are – along with our countless other hidden gems – must-see attractions in our ‘Land of Art and History’, Grand-Figeac, the Lot and Célé Valleys!

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Secret villages in the Célé Valley

A well-preserved medieval market town where heritage goes hand in hand with charm, a priory and an abbey that have left their mark on history… Set amongst the sculpted cliffs and wild landscapes of the Causses du Quercy, the Célé Valley reveals villages that are truly authentic. Charming, alluring, secret or unspoilt, from Corn to Sauliac-sur-Célé, via Marcilhac-sur-Célé, these little stone treasures never cease to amaze us. Nestled in the bend of the river or hugging the cliff face, we love to stroll through them, recharge our batteries and even take a dip. Let’s follow the river’s course and listen to the stories these villages have to tell us.

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