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Categories: Off the Beaten Track in France, Toulouse Area
This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on Patreon.
Today we take you to a small medieval village in the south-west of France called Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. Why talk about such a small village? Because it's stunningly beautiful. And it was voted as France's favorite village in 2012, which says a lot when you consider how many gorgeous villages there are in France!
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is in the department of the Lot in the south-west of France, right along the Lot river. It makes for a lovely day-trip from Toulouse, which is how we recommend you see it.
What You Need to Know About Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
The architecture in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is very different from what we see in Toulouse even though it's not that far. This area is also called Les Causses du Quercy, les causses meaning limestone cliffs, which also feature scrub forest and live oak. As a matter of fact, another name for live oak is "quercus". This is one area where black truffles love to grow. It's a dry area with little pasture land and most livestock is sheep. Because of all those limestone cliffs, you also find a lot of caves in the area, and prehistorical cave art, which we'll talk about in another episode.
Is It Worth Staying Overnight in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie?
You may wonder if it's worth staying overnight in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. I think it depends on what you're looking for. I like to stay overnight right in the center of cities so I can enjoy the night-life and have breakfast in the local buzz. If that's what you like too, then staying in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is not a good choice. There will be no night-life whatsoever in the village or near the village!
You may want to stay in nearby Cahors or Toulouse instead.
Cahors Hotel
Best Western Cahors Divona Hotel
Toulouse Hotels
Learn More: Destinations in the Toulouse Area
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Discussed in this Episode
- Scenic Drive Between Cahors and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
- Chemin de Halage or Towpath
- Les châteaux des Anglais: Bouziès and Brengues
- Renaissance chateaux: Château de Cénevières or Château deLarroque-Toirac
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Show NotesCategories: Off the Beaten Track in France, Toulouse Area
Another great blog. We were just in La Dordogne/Lot this past October and had a good lunch in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie from a restaurant overlooking the village. The sun was out and still warm enough to sit on the veranda. We will return for our third trip in June. We love the region.
The first time we drove the route from Cahor to Saint -Cirq-Papopie, I neglected to learn ahead how to turn on the rental’s headlights as I avoid driving in the dark in France as much as possible. I was unaware of the tunnels cut through the limestone. Sun glasses on, head lights off, lights in the tunnels off. An oncoming bus or car for that matter would not have improved our day as I was navigating on the center line in the tunnel.
I have learned my lesson.
LOL! You definitely want the sun glasses off and the lights on in those situations! Glad to hear you enjoy Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, it’s definitely a place I’d love to go back to.
I was the passenger in the car with no headlights! I could see neither the center line nor the tunnel wall on my right. Needless to say, we learned how to work the lights by the time returned to Monpazier. And thank goodness they had fixed the lights by our second visit.
Thank you for the great history lesson about this most beautiful village. I will get to look at it from a more knowledgeable perspective when we’re back next June.