The core of this section is formed by the old provinces of Haut Quercy and Quercy: the land between the Dordogne and the Lot and between the Lot and the Garonne, Aveyron and Tarn. We have extended it slightly eastwards to include the gorges of the River Aveyron and Villefranche-de-Rouergue on the edge of the province of Rouergue. The area is hotter, drier, less well known and, with few exceptions, less crowded than the Dordogne, though no less interesting. The cave paintings at Pech-Merle are on a par with those at Les Eyzies. Najac, Penne and Peyrerusse have ruined castles to rival those of the Dordogne. Towns like Figeac and Villefranche-de-Rouergue are without equal, as are villages like Cardaillac and St-Antonin-Noble-Val, and stretches of country like that below Gourdon, around Les Arques where Osip Zadkine had his studio, and the Célé Valley. Again, without transport, many places are out of reach. Some consolation, however, is the existence of the BriveToulouse train line that makes Figeac, Villefranche-de-Rouergue and Najac accessible, while Agen, Moissac and Montauban are on the BordeauxToulouse line. Pages in section ‘Lot’: Rocamadour, Padirac, St-Cere, Gourdon, Les Arques, Cahors, Downstream, Figeac, Foissac, Cele, Aveyron, Montauban, Lauzerte, Moissac, Agen.
|