The Dordogne: Places to Explore
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Cahors
Less touristy and populated than most of the Dordogne, the Lot Valley has a subtler charm. The cluster of towns along the Lot River and the smaller rivers that cut through the dry, vineyard-covered plateau has a magical, abandoned feel.
Regional information center. Just an hour north of southwestern France's main city, Toulouse, Cahors is the Lot area's largest town. It hosts the helpful regional information center, and makes a fine base from which to explore the Lot River valley, a 50-km (31-mile) gorge punctuated by medieval villages. 107 quai Cavaignac, Cahors, 46000. 05-65-35-07-09. www.tourisme-lot.com.
Here and on other routes—notably the GR46, which spans the interior of the Lot region, with breathtaking views of the limestone plateaux and quiet valleys between Rocamadour and St-Cirq-Lapopie—cyclotourisme (biking) rules supreme.
Cahors at a Glance
Elsewhere in The Dordogne
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