You have 1 week, 10 days or more to visit the Lot ? So do not always stay in the same place ... The ideal will be to make a road trip in the Lot and combine a part in Aveyron. So you can discover new tourist sites every day, the different landscapes of Quercy and Rouergue and the most beautiful villages in France.
This is what I did in 1 week for visit the Lot and Aveyron thanks to a car tour which allows you to discover a rich and varied heritage, natural sites and landscapes among the most beautiful of France.
Along my circuit in Lot and Aveyron (route map below) I was able to rediscover the wealth of my region Occitanie (and yes, I am Toulouse and proud of it even with my accent so mocked !!!):
- Cahors and its Malbec vineyards,
- la Lot valley with Saint Cirq Lapopie,
- the beautifuls hilltop villages in Aveyron,
- le Conques treasure,
- the magnificent bastides of Rouergue,
- and the famous city of Rocamadour !
Visit the Lot and Aveyron - The unmissable
To be able to establish a route with the stages as most beautiful tourist visits of Lot and Aveyron, I had to list the most beautiful sites and villages in the region which (in my opinion) are unmissable places in Lot and Aveyron :
- Cahors
- Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
- cabrerets
- Pech Merle caves
- Sauliac-sur-Celé
- Marcilhac-sur-Cele
- Espagnac-Sainte-Eulalie
- Figeac
- Villefranche-de-Rouergue
- Najac
- Belcastel
- Conques-en-Rouergue
- Rodez
- Entraygues-sur-truyère
- Estaing
- Espalion
- Bozoul
- Rocamadour
Visit the Lot and Aveyron - Map of my itinerary
Visit the Lot and Aveyron - Stages of my circuit
Cahors and Saint Cirq Lapopie - D1
Surrounded by a loop in the Lot Valley, Cahors (capital of the Lot) is a town of art and history that I visited in one morning.
In high season, you can opt for a guided tour by small train of the old town and its famous Valentré Bridge. This medieval fortified bridge is World Heritage Site by UNESCO under the paths of Saint-Jacques de Compostelle.
After lunch, you can take the direction of Saint Cirq Lapopie 30 km from Cahors.
Perched above the Lot, this medieval village, elected favorite village of the French, is one of the most beautiful villages in France.
You can stroll there all afternoon and why not take a short hike along the Lot. For this, I advise you to take the towpath in Bouziès (right next to Saint Cirq Lapopie).
Carved into the rock along the river, the Chemin de Halage is an emblematic route of the Lot Valley. Beyond the beauty of the site with its grandiose cliffs, this site is the testimony of the inland waterway activity on the Lot (the horses pulled the boats from this path).
Which hotel in Saint-Cirq Lapopie?
In the heart of the Causses du Quercy National Park, opposite Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, the hotel Le Saint Cirq has everything you need to relax:
- wellness Center,
- indoor pool,
- hammam and sauna,
- outdoor pool,
- terrace overlooking the park and the medieval village.
More information about this hotel
Hilltop villages of the Lot - D2
This morning, we take the direction of Cabrerets (20 minutes drive) to visit the Pech-Merle cave which is qualified by experts as a true masterpiece of cave art. You can also visit a museum on prehistoric life and the history of the site.
Then you will take the road through the magnificent Célé Valley and you will stop along the way in the picturesque villages of Sauliac, Marcilhac-sur-Cele et Espagnac-Sainte Eulalie.
At the end of the afternoon, you will arrive at Figeac to dine there and spend the night.
Which hotel in Figeac?
To be in the heart of the old town of Figeac, I recommend the'' Hotel Mercure Figeac Viguier du Roy. You can enjoy its restaurant, swimming pool, garden with terrace ...
More information about this hotel
The most beautiful villages in France - D3
This morning you can quietly visit the town of Figeac, city of Champollion and writings where you can admire magnificent houses with half-timbered facades and sculpted decorations.
I advise you to borrow the Figeac keys circuit which allows you to make a complete tour of the city and its unmissable buildings in 3 hours.
Then you will take the road toAveyron to arrive at a large country house typical of Rouergue: Villefranche-de-Rouergue. It is distinguished by its regular plan, with streets that lead to the central square lined with covered. There, a beautiful collegiate church dominates the square. You can visit the Chartreuse Saint-Sauveur which is a 15th century Gothic architectural masterpiece.
My circuit continues with the gorges of the Aveyron following the river to get to Najac who is classified Most Beautiful Villages of France. With its royal fortress perched on the rocks, this village offers an exceptional panorama.
It is in this wonderful village that I advise you to spend the night.
Which hotel in Najac?
I recommend the Belle Rive logis to be in the heart of the Aveyron gorges, just 2 km from Najac. This beautiful hotel is located on the banks of the Aveyron and offers you a breathtaking view of the Château de Najac.
More information about this hotel
The most beautiful villages in France - D4
After Najac, today we continue to visit the most beautiful villages of France located in Aveyron.
After a 1 hour drive, you will arrive in the heart of the medieval village of Belcastel. Dominated by the ruins of a fortified castle, this village has preserved a magnificent 15th century bridge that spans the Aveyron river.
Then, it will take about 45 minutes to reach the essential stage of the Chemins de Saint-Jacques: to Conques !
Ranked among Most Beautiful Villages of France and Great sites Occitanie, Conques is a benchmark in Romanesque architecture.
You can spend the afternoon discovering all its treasures:
- Half-timbered houses,
- Bread ovens,
- Public fountains,
- Pilgrim's Bridge,
- Abbey of Sainte-Foy from the 11th and 12th century with its 250 capitals and stained glass windows by Pierre Soulages and its famous treasury, that of Sainte-Foy, a reliquary covered with gold and precious stones ...
Which hotel in Conques?
If you want to stay close to the medieval village of Conques, this is the Hervé Busset Hotel-Restaurant for you! This establishment offers an outdoor swimming pool and is located near a river (ideal for a short walk in nature).
More information about this hotel
Rodez and the surrounding villages - D5
On this 5th day, my tour will take you to the capital of Aveyron: Rodez. You can visit the famous Soulages museum and Rodez Cathedral.
Then you will take a long and very beautiful road of 90 km which allows you to follow the Lot valley and its gorges through villages of character:
Bozoul and its incredible hole (the Bozouls canyon is a geological curiosity, a hole 400 m in diameter and 100 m deep).
Espalion (Fortified castle of the lords of Calmont, its old Palace and its Pont-Vieux with the Alayrac bell tower).
Estaing (village classified as the most beautiful village in France with its castle and picturesque alleys).
Entraygues-sur-truyère (middle ages village with half-timbered houses dating from the 15th century, a castle and bridges from the 13th century);
Which hotel in Entraygues?
For a rest and relaxation break near the center of the village, I suggest theHotel la Rivière (swimming pool, fitness center, spa, sauna, hammam with aromatherapy and whirlpool…).
More information about this hotel
Rocamadour, the most beautiful village in the Lot - D6
My tour leaves today towards Figeac to continue in the Lot department towards a must-see site in France: Rocamadour ! From Entraygues, it will take 2 hours by road.
Perched on a cliff in the heart of the Causses du Quercy Regional Natural Park, the city of Rocamadour dominates the Alzou valley.
This medieval citadel has attracted pilgrims from all over Europe since the 7th century. They come there to admire the reliquary statue of the Black Madonna exhibited in the miraculous chapel of Notre-Dame and to pray the relics of the hermit Saint Amadour.
But it is not only religious who make the way to Rocamadour, thousands of tourists from all over the world visit this exceptional site in Occitania.
I have to say that Rocamadour is incredibly beautiful with its panoramic location, medieval houses and semi-troglodyte sanctuaries built on the sides of the cliff.
Which hotel in Rocamadour?
For the last 2 nights of this tour, I recommend a magnificent hotel full of charm and character: Best Western Beau Site.
It is ideally located in the heart of the medieval city and has free parking. With a panoramic dining room, the hotel's restaurant offers regional gourmet cuisine made from local products.
Want to discover other beautiful routes in the South of France?
here is my road trip from Montpellier to Perpignan
ou 3 days to discover the great sites in the Pyrenees
or my tourist circuit in Ardèche
about Gorges of the Hérault
about Tarn Gorges
about Gorges du Verdon
En Dordogne
or why not go to the Ocean side with a road trip in les Landes