Places of Interest . . .
St. Cirq Lapopie The unforgettable village of St. Cirq Lapopie is just five minutes or so away and is an absolute delight. Set perched on a hill overlooking the River Lot, you will find apart from the history this village has to offer, many gifts for family and friends. The narrow streets are lined with dwellings that offer local artisans' work from leather goods to jewellery, together with cafes and restaurants in which to stop and refresh oneself before ascending to the highest view point over the villages, roads and river below. Best to avoid the weekends in summer. 
Rocamadour Approximately an hour north, Rocamadour is a cliff-hugging medieval village and historic shrine that is perched on a limestone cliff rising 490 feet above the river Alzou. Looking out over the gorge, Rocamadour is devoted to the Virgin Mary and has remained for over nine hundred years a symbol of faith and hope; telling a story of religious belief and human endeavour. For those less energetic the village, built into the hillside, can be visited by using the little train that travels up and down, stopping at the shops and cafes. Leading from the village to the spiritual heart of Rocamadour is the Grand Escalier with 216 steps! The Abbots' Palace, formerly the palace of the Bishops of Tulle has been well restored and well worth a visit. Probably also best to avoid the weekends in summer! 
Château Cénevières
This relatively small family château is only a few minutes away and is well worth a visit. Usually one of the grandchildren will be your guide. Le Musée de Plein Air de Quercy - Cuzals This is a fascinating place to spend a few hours and experience a little of what local life would have been like during the middle-ages. Other towns within a 45 minute drive that are well worth a visit are the medieval Figeac and Villefranche-de-Rouerge.
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Cahors
Cahors is the principle town of the region and a visit to see the beautiful fortified Pont Valentré with its Devils tower is a must. Stroll around the narrow medieval streets of the old quarter, visit the Romanesque cathedral of St. Ètienne and enjoy the colourful market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings in the cathedral square. And, during your visit take time out to have a meal at one of the many splendid restaurants or just relax at a pavement café and watch the world go by. 
Grotte du Peche Merle
Close by to St. Cirq is Cabrerets where the famous Grotte du Peche Merle is found. Here you can witness one of the most beautiful legacies left to Europe by the painters and engravers among our prehistoric ancestors. Human figures, mammoths, bison, horses and other animals are found on the walls of these caves and human footprints can be seen at the bottom of a dry pool! As well as Stalactites and Stalagmites cave pearls or pisolites have formed - specks of grain or gravel carried down by the water and coated with calcite and polished by the running water that continues today. 
Toulouse The university city of Toulouse offers everything one would expect from a large city and is well worth a visit. With its beautiful historic centre, Toulouse is one of the most vibrant and metropolitan provincial cities in France. It is immensely pleasurable to sit at one of the cafe tables in the great square of Place du Capitol enjoying a crisp salad lunch and a glass of wine and watch life go by! The lanes of shops spiral out from the main square and are great fun to explore. The tourist office is just behind the Place du Capitol and with so much to do and see, allow a full day (or more) to do Toulouse justice. 
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