GRAND TOUR OF QUERCY
5 jours / 4 nuits
This tour will take you to discover all the faces of the Quercy area: vast landscapes of the Nature Parc of “Causses du Quercy”.
“Causse” is a word referring to typical geologic formation of the area. In the English language it can be associated with the Scottish word carse. These carses are combined with breathtaking cliff along the Lot and Dordogne rivers, picturesque hillsides, vineyards and medieval villages. It is also home of some French finest gastronomy.
DAYS 1: THE LOT AND CELE VALLEY
After your breakfast, route to Cahors, a city beautifully set on a loop of the river Lot. Dating all the way back from the Romans, it is during the middle age that Cahors reached its Golden age and became a strong financial and commercial hub in Europe.
After lunch you will go to Bouzies to board on cruise on a traditional wooden boat. From there you can be amazed at the “voie de Halage”: Directly carved in the cliffs, these routes were used by cattle to tracked barges of goods. You will also get a breath-taking viewpoint to St-Cirq-Lapopie.
Visit of the medieval village of St-Cirq-Lapopie, which was elected “favorite village by the French” in 2012. It is beautifully nested on top of the cliffs overlooking the river Lot. Accommodation and diner
DAY 2: REGIONAL NATURE PARC OF CAUSSES DE QUERCY
After your breakfast, route to Figeac, the birthplace of Champolion, famous for his discovery of the Rosetta stone, exhibited today at the British Museum of London. In commemoration, a gigantic replica of the stone was made close to the museum of writing.
After lunch, route to Rocamadour through the “causse” of Gramat. Visit of the holy village of Rocamadour, a centre of Christianity. Built on 3 successive levels, Rocamadour is a place of legend and history where old stone houses, majestic towers and a castle keep cascade off the cliff into the Alzou Canyon. Accommodation and diner
DAY 3: DORDOGNE VALLEY
After breakfast, route to the Gouffre of Padirac. In an area honeycombed with geological caves, this one is topping the charts. It is a huge sinkhole leading down to an underground river where you will board on a punt boat leading by a guide who will take you to the discovery of this labyrinth of stunning formations, turquoise lake and chambers of stalactites and stalagmites.
After breakfast, drive through the picturesque Dordogne valley to the city of Souillac. Located at the door of the Perigord region, it is nicknamed “the city of 7 viaducs”. Souillac is very proud to host a wonderful and rich architectural heritage, like its Sainte Claire abbey. Accommodation and diner
DAY 4: LA BOURIANE
After your breakfast, you will discover another gem: the cave of Cougnac where you can marvel at 30 000 years old prehistoric paintings nested in an extraordinary setting of mineral vegetation.
After lunch, the afternoon will be dedicated to the visit of the medieval city of Gourdon : fortified doors, narrow streets and half timbering houses are parts of the historical city centre. Accommodation and diner.
DAY 5: VINEYARDS OF CAHORS
What a better way to end your stay than a tour and tasting of the best wineries of the Cahors wine area. Meet winemakers who with initiate you to the delicate art of wine tasting and making.
END OF OUR SERVICES
DO NOT INCLUDE: Inssurance, All services not mentionned in the program, Personal expenses,