What to do in the Lot? 7 must-visits

You prepare a holiday in the Lot And you wonder what to visit first? Since Camping & Village Vacances La ChêneraieIn Saint-Géry, seven major sites in the department are less than 60 km away: Cahors, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, the Pech Merle cave, the Célé valley, Rocamadour, the Padirac gulf and Figeac.

Here's what you need to see on each one, the distance from the campsite and the time to plan on site.

The 7 visits at a glance

Site	Distance from the campsite	Timeframe
Cahors and the Valentré Bridge	12 km	Half a day
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie	15 km	Half a day
Pech Merle Cave	22 km	2 hours
Célé Valley	from 22 km	One day
Rocamadour	40 km	Half a day
Blow of Padirac	45 km	2-3 hours
Figeac	55 km	Half a day

1. Cahors and the Valentré Bridge (12 km)

The Lot Prefecture is the closest visit to the campsite. Its emblem, the Valentré Bridge, is a 14th century fortified bridge whose three towers dominate the river. It is registered in UNESCO World Heritage Site under the Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle roads.

In the old town, push the door to St. Stephen's Cathedral and its domes, then stroll through medieval alleyways. The market is held on Wednesday and Saturday morning at the foot of the cathedral: the opportunity to taste Quercy products and Cahors wine, made from the Malbec grape variety.

The Valentré bridge in Cahors, above the Lot

2. Saint-Cirq-Lapopie (15 km)

Perched on a cliff a hundred meters above the Lot, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is classified among The Most Beautiful Villages in France and was elected French favourite Village in 2012. We come there for its medieval houses, its artisan workshops and the view from the ruins of the castle.

Below, the Ganil haulage path, carved in the cliff between Bouziès and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, offers an easy walk along the water. In summer, arrive early in the morning or late afternoon: the village is very popular in the middle of the day.

3. Pech Merle Cave (22 km)

In Cabrerets, the Pech Merle is one of the rare prehistoric adorned caves still open to the public in France. The guided tour reveals paintings over 20,000 years old: mammoths, horses, bisons and negative hands.

The number of visitors is limited every day to preserve the paintings. Book your tickets in advance, especially in July and August.

4. Célé Valley

After Cabrerets, the road goes up Célé Valley between high limestone cliffs. The villages succeed: Marcilhac-sur-Célé and its abbey, Espagnac-Sainte-Eulalie and its half-timbered bell tower. The valley is part of the Causses du Quercy Regional Natural Park.

It is also one of the best places in the Lot for a downhill canoeing, accessible to families. Count a full day to combine the road, a swim and a walk on the water.

5. Rocamadour (40 km)

Climbing to its cliff above the canyon of Alzou, the city of Rocamadour floor on three levels: the village, the shrines, then the castle. Pilgrims climbed there from the Middle Ages through the 216 steps of the Grand Escalier to reach the chapel of the Black Virgin.

Before leaving, taste Rocamadour, the little goat cheese AOP that bears the name of the village.

The city of Rocamadour hangs on its cliff

6. The abyss of Padirac (45 km)

Au Padirac abyss, we descend to 103 meters underground before embarking for a boat ride on the underground river. The visit ends in the room of the Grand Dome, whose vault rises to 94 meters.

The temperature remains around 13 °C all year round: plan a warm garment, even in the summer. The site is open from spring to autumn and online booking is recommended.

7. Figeac (55 km)

Hometown of Jean-François Champollion, who deciphered the hieroglyphics, Figeac devotes to him the Museum Champollion, The World Scriptures. Right next door, the place of the Scriptures is covered with a giant reproduction of the Rosette stone.

The medieval centre, with its merchant houses and its open attic called sunhos, is easily visited on foot.

Our tips for organizing your visits

Group by sector. The Pech Merle and the Célé valley take place on the same day, just like Rocamadour and Padirac.
Reserve the caves. The Pech Merle and Padirac often display complete in summer.
Leave early. Saint-Cirq-Lapopie and Rocamadour are more pleasant before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
Save time for camping. A half-day visit leaves in the afternoon for the swimming pool.

For other exit ideas, see our page Tourism in the Lot.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you only have a few days, start with Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Out and its Valentré bridge, Rocamadour. These three sites give a good overview of the department and are all located 40 km or less from Camping La Chêneraie.

Count a week to see the seven sites of this article without running, alternating visiting days and rest time at the campsite. Over a weekend, focus on Cahors and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, 12 and 15 km away.

The Padirac abyss and his boat ride, Pech Merle cave and a descent in canoeing On the Célé are the outings that most like families.

The Camping & Village Vacances La Chêneraie, in Saint-Géry, is located between Cahors (12 km) and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie (15 km). You will find cottages for 2 to 8 people, mobile homes and camping pitches.

Stay in the heart of the Lot

Air-conditioned cottages, mobile homes and pitches: choose your accommodation in La Chêneraie and radiate to the most beautiful sites in the department.

What to do in the Lot? 7 must-visits around the campsite