Village perchée en haut de la vallée du Lot — ©vue aérienne de Calvignac | © Cyril Novello|Lot Tourisme - Cyril Novello

Beautiful escapesin the Lot Valley

Larnagol and Calvignac: fortified sites

The Lot stretches along breathtaking cliffs, through wild landscapes dotted with architectural marvels. Typical villages line the river, and around a bend in the Lot, the panorama reveals two ancient fortified sites on either side of the bank: Calvignac and Larnagol.

Calvignac

and its geosite

Perched on a rocky spur almost 80 metres above the river, Calvignac dominates the Lot valley, offering magnificent views. An ancient fortified village, it once took advantage of its strategic position to keep watch over the surrounding area and maintain its position. Today, the village has preserved the remains of its medieval castrum, whose ramparts and church bear witness to its past as a viscounty of Quercy. Recognised as a geosite, Calvignac also showcases the rich geology and landscape of the Lot valley. A lovely curiosity to discover in the Lot valley!

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Larnagol

and its castle

Facing Calvignac, Larnagol dominates the other bank of the Lot.Nestling in the heart of the village, the 18th-century Château de Larnagol boasts superb terraced gardens and remarkably well-preserved interior decor, faithful to the French art of living. This authentic building, which is open to visitors, will delight heritage enthusiasts and lovers offlower-filled, poetic gardens alike.

Discovery of the Larnagol castle - ( Enfant de Profiter)

Fancy a fun walk?

Jeu de piste Baludik à Calvignac — ©Jeu de piste numérique Calvignac Appli Baludik

Fancy a fun walk?

Use the Baludik application to travel back in time and discover the village of Calvignac and its geosite! The route is punctuated by markers and illustrations to help you observe and understand the formation of the layers of rock that were superimposed over 170 million years ago. Download the app and get on board a time machine!

Sam & Falko

Calvignac and Larnagol in the background — ©aerial view of Calvignac | © Cyril Novello|Lot Tourisme - Cyril Novello

Souvenirs

a wine-growing past

In this section of the valley, the Lot meanders in a narrow pattern, underlined by slopes with very pronounced geological strata, above which only small shrubs and trees grow. In the 19th century, before the phylloxera crisis, numerous vineyards covered the slopes and valley bottoms. Vines were the main source of income in Calvignac and second only to tobacco in Larnagol. Their highly-regarded wines were transported via the Lot to Bordeaux during the golden age of river transport. A particular feature of these communes was the use of young boxwood leaves as fertiliser, after they had decomposed in the damp. This technique gave a unique boxwood flavour to the wines produced in the valley.

At the heart of the Regional Nature Park

From the Causses du Quercy

Classified as a Unesco geopark in 2017, the Causses du Quercy Regional Park boasts remarkable flora and fauna . Dry grasslands, caselles and low walls, Caussenard sheep and picturesque villages are all there for you to discover on your journey. The Lot and Célé valleys run through this protected area. Preserved from light pollution, the black triangle of Quercy, located in the Regional Nature Park, is an opportunity to contemplate the twinkling stars of the Milky Way!

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