After breakfast at our hotel, we were off on another day trip. The plan was to head east, more or less following the path of the serpentine Lot River as we did so. But, for a while, we travelled south instead, and lost some time getting back on track. This was because, as the navigator, I had a hard time finding the secondary roads we preferred. It was a frustrating start to our day.
Still, had we been on the right road, we would have missed this circular tower standing in a field in Lalbenque, a common sight in the Occitanie region. Known as le Pigeonnier de Mercadiol, it is a 200 year old stone pigeon house. The birds enter and exit the building through its small windows and their guano is collected as a powerful and natural fertilizer.
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| Saint-Cirq-Lapopie as seen from the east |
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| A shot of the village from the window of the car |
My woes as the navigator continued when we approached Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. I saw a parking lot, but I suggested there would be another one closer so we continued past it. That mistake led to more time lost as we drove past the village on narrow roads and travelled a distance before we could turn around. At least, I was able to snap the pics above from the window on our way back to that parking lot.
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| The village welcomes us. |
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| Walking a narrow street down into the town |
Finally we had arrived at one of the most celebrated villages in the entire country, nicknamed, "the Pearl of the Lot Valley". Of course, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is listed among "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France"; in fact, it consistently is rated among the top five. Our many photos will show you why this is so.
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| Bob walking down into Saint-Criq-Lapopie |
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| Hello lovely village |
Parking is above the village, out of sight. From there, the only way to access it is on foot. We followed a path to the cobblestone streets that seemed to be always going either uphill or down. No matter where we were, there was an invitation for a photo.
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| A small courtyard |
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| Bob on a path above part of the town |
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is a medieval community frozen in time. The houses here date from the 12th to the 15th centuries. They share terracotta roofs, which add to the beauty of the skyline, although they differ in their construction materials. We saw half-timbered and stone houses here, as well as wooden ones.
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| We are moving up here |
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| Tiny perfect village |
We decided to climb to a high point in the village first. This gave us the opportunity to see it from above and from this perspective, its perfection is evident. I love that it is framed by trees and that its streets and alleyways do not follow a grid pattern. This is no bastide.
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| The view!! |
Once we neared the pinnacle of the village, we were in a position to take in the view. And what a glorious panorama it was! The River Lot meanders through fertile countryside and in the distance lie low hills behind farmland. One can imagine that little has changed here since the Middle Ages.
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| Another view |
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| Part of the wall of the Château des Cardaillac |
In this spot once stood le Château des Cardaillac, built by a family that were co-lords of the area. There is little left of this bastion, save the terrace we were standing on and parts of its walls. These have been incorporated into the village church where we went next.
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| Église Saint-Cirq |
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| The walkway to the church |
Église Saint-Cirq is dedicated to two saints, Saint-Cyr and Sainte-Julitta, his mother. A Gothic church built in 1522, it contains some art from an earlier Romanesque building that once stood here. Although we entered the church, we only took one photo of its choir and altar, below.
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| The 15th century stone church |
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| The choir and nave |
We had so much more to see. With this in mind, Bob decided to ascend even higher up Lapopie Rock, the cliff face on which the village sits, in order to gain a bird's eye view of it, as well as the valley of the Lot. One of his shots is below; another one, taken from a different perspective, begins this blog post.
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| Bird's eye view of Saint-Cirq Lapopie |
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| A small boat on the Lot |
On his descent, just below the church, he spotted the 17th century Château de Saint-Cirq which has been repurposed as a Bed and Breakfast. Nearby, another grand structure, Château de la Gardette, and its neighbouring building, now comprise an art museum, la Musée Rignault. Once the home of surrealist André Breton, today it houses the International Centre for Surrealism and World Citizenship
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| Château de Saint-Cirq |
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| Looking up at Château de la Gardette |
Meanwhile, I descended to the centre of the hamlet in order to wander here and there. The photos below give an idea of what it looks like. Absolutely everything is authentically medieval although some of the buildings have been repurposed as restaurants or shops.
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| A typical street scene |
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| Half-timbered house |
I have read that there are thirteen historical monuments in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie but I was not aware of this until after we left the village. As a result, I cannot point out which houses are more historically significant than others, except the aforementioned former home of André Breton, the oldest inhabited building in the village (13th century).
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| Unusually shaped house |
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| Half-timber and stone |
These old homes were once the workshops of humble boilermakers, skinners, and, especially wood turners, called "roubinetaïres" who specialized in carving the taps that fit the wine barrels transported by barge on the Lot River. Five generations later, one of their descendants continues that work in the village today.
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| Pretty laneway |
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| Another unusual house |
Early in the 20th century, Saint-Cirq Lapopie was "discovered" by Henri Martin, a painter. Thirty years later, André Breton moved into Martin's dwelling, making this place his summer home for 16 years, famously stating, "I have ceased to desire myself elsewhere". He was followed to this idyllic spot by more surrealists, writers, painters and artisans.
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| Shaded street |
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| Layers |
I know there are many, many photos included in this post, but believe me, we took even more. Around every corner, there was another beautiful scene, interesting building, or fascinating detail. Added to this was a bluebird sky as backdrop. The village was irresistible.
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| A garden |
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| Sunlit house |
Also, during our time in Saint-Cirq Lapopie, we were delighted by the many whimsical art pieces we encountered. All sorts of creatures had been fashioned out of common household objects. As I studied each one, I became aware of the dual nature of each piece–what it was made of and what it represented.
The artist, Pierre Prévost, named this exhibition "Un zozo(o) in Saint-Cirq", an ode to the poetic recycling of reality. Part of his message is to create awareness of the sheer volume of waste generated in the world.
These pieces were displayed just about everywhere–on the path, beside the church, along a fence. Some were large, others quite small, and, in some cases, they provided pops of colour to the village. We loved them!
According the Prévost, "[his] little bric-a-brac sculpture[s] are made in such a way that [they] strangely represent the living world." His work has also been described as fun and fabulous. I agree.
We were lucky to have visited Saint-Cirq Lapopie when we did, as this was a temporary exhibition running between April 5 and October 30. I am pleased that Prévost was given this opportunity to use his art to sell his message. I wonder what will replace it next year?
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| Stone house with wooden balconies |
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| Wagon Wheel |
Before we left the village, we focused on a couple of details, and I popped into some of the shops. I decided to purchase a bottle of wine from the Cahors region, a Malbec. This would be a special souvenir from a village I will never forget.
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| Beautiful old door |
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| It was hard for me to hold this up, but I managed. |
I think we made the most of our visit to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, but after about 90 minutes, it was time to continue our day trip. Back on the road, we followed the River Lot east for about 10 minutes, stopping briefly for a comfort stop at another small town, Cénèvières. The public bathroom was right next to an unusual stone structure, called a "borie". These charming huts are built entirely of stone-with no mortar–and were traditionally used as a shelter for shepherds, or a toolshed.
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| Le Borie |
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| Entrance gate to the château |
Just outside of this village, we happened upon le Château de Cénèvières, once a medieval stronghold. We parked the car, then walked along the road to the castle, only to find it closed. The grounds were accessible though, so we had a peek inside.
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| Le Château de Cénèvières |
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| Round tower nea the château |
This lovely building was embellished in the mid-sixteenth century after its owner had visited Italy and fell in love with Renaissance architecture. Had it been open, we would have been able to take a guided tour of ten furnished rooms from the 13th, 16th and 18th centuries. Instead, we moved on.
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| Walking from the castle to the car |
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| Calvignac |
Back on the road, we soon spotted a small community above us, so of course, we found a way to get there. This is Calvignac, one of the many hilltop villages that are so common in France. Unlike the others we had seen on our travels, this one was not a "Plus Beau Village".
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| The countryside |
Still, it was well worth a short visit. We very much enjoyed the view over the countryside from le Rocher de la Baume on which this fortified village sits, but we did not linger, in part because it was completely dead and we were seeking a place for our midday meal.
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| Part of the medieval fortifications |
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| La Pause in Cajarc |
We were soon back on the road arriving at Cajarc about 10 minutes later. When we found La Pause, a local restaurant, we secured a table before it closed for the afternoon. This time, we did not have to beg the staff to stay open for us, and enjoyed a couple of salads, before we took our leave.
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| Place de la Monnaie, tourist office |
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| Ceramic tile representation of Figeac |
We were keen to get to Figeac, an important stop on the River Lot, a half an hour away. Once there, we quickly found aparking in Place Vival right near the tourist office, which is housed in a fine historic building, l'Hôtel de la Monnaie, dating from the 13th century. Despite its name, it was never used as a mint. Nearby, Bob's eye was drawn to a piece of art on ceramic tile, a representation of the medieval town of Figeac itself.
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| Narrow cobblestone street |
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| Tower of Palais Balène |
We were excited to explore this town further, following the walking tour posted in is central square. We navigated narrow pedestrian-only streets, stopping at several important historical buildings on the way. Above and below are photos of the Palais Balène, a 14th century private mansion that now houses a restaurant.
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| Le Palais Balène |
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| Bob photographing part of medieval Figeac |
Such medieval treasures are everywhere in this old town. Some of the ancient buildings, like those above and below, are arcaded, a common practice during those times. Like the Palais de Balène, most are repurposed as shops or local businesses.
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| Arcaded stone building |
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| Brick and half-timbered building, and a shop beneath it |
Soon we arrived at Abbatiale Saint-Sauveur, the largest of Figeac's churches. It has a very long and colourful history, going all the way back to 838, when Benedictine monks founded an abbey on this site. Originally under the authority of an older abbey in Conques, the Figeac group, resentful, entered into a rivalry with them, and for two centuries, both monastic brotherhoods engaged in reprehensible acts, such as stealing relics and falsifying documents. Finally, in 1096, Pope Urban decreed than Figeac would be attached to Cluny instead, ending the conflict.
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| Abbatiale Saint-Sauveur |
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| Side view of the church and war monument |
In the 12th century, a new building was erected. The exterior is Romanesque, as is the nave, but the transept and the choir are Gothic, built in the 13th century; a little later Gothic side chapels were added. Sadly, a fire set by the Huguenots destroyed much of the building in 1577, leading to several reconstructions in the subsequent centuries.
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| The vaulted nave |
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| Side aisle |
Although it is not a massive church, there is a grandeur to Saint-Sauveur, in part because of its vaulted Romanesque nave, which is made more beautiful by its lighting. On either side of the central portion, are lofty narrow aisles, also bathed in colour.
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| Soaring design |
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| La Chapelle de Notre-Dame de la Pitié |
Attached to the south transept is la Chapelle de Notre-Dame de la Pitié (Our Lady of Mercy), added in 1883. It was designed to replicate the monk's former chapter house which stood in this very spot during the 13th century. Its graceful ceiling, with its ribbed vaults and transverse arches, certainly brings to mind other chapter houses I have seen.
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| Stained-glass windows |
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| Wall of wooden panels filled with paintings |
Every wall is covered with art of one sort or another. Vivid stained-glass windows let in the light on the outside wall, while on the opposite side, carved wooden panels contain silver and gold paintings, the work of the Delclaux family of sculptors from Figeac.
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| The altar |
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| One of several representations of Mary's sorrow at the death of Christ |
Most of these works depict the passion of Christ, and Mary's suffering alongside him. The exception to this is the chapel's altar, where a relief of Christ and his apostles at the last supper invites visitors to take communion. The muted colours in this stunning room create a solemn atmosphere. It was definitely the highlight of our visit to Abbatiale Saint-Sauveur.
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| Mary walking past an ancient house |
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| Bob stands near an ancient house. |
We moved on from here, walking along the medieval streets of Figeac, and taking photos as we progressed. Here were many examples of "colombage" architecture, featuring wooden framework filled with stone, brick or plaster. Most were in outstanding condition, considering their age.
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| Still walking beside historic buildings |
Figeac has been designated a "City of Art and History". As such, its medieval buildings are maintained through a combination of municipal efforts, heritage protection, and private investment. As a visitor to this and other similar communities, I am very thankful that the French so value their history.
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| A very old door |
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| A narrow laneway |
Our walk uphill took us to a second important church in the town, Église Notre-Dame-de-Puy. Like Saint-Sauveur, it stands where an older place of worship once stood. In fact, the original church on this spot was founded by the first abbot of the monastery who wanted a place for visiting pilgrims to venerate Mary. Like its counterpart, its history is fascinating.
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| The steps to the Notre-Dame-de-Puy |
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| The west façade of Nore-Dame-de-Puy |
To replace the first building, a simple church was erected in the 13th century, during the time when the abbots were in control of the town. When Figeac freed itself from their rule a century later, powerful local patricians had funerary chapels added on to the existing building. In the late 16th century, Protestants took over the town transforming church into a fort. Finally, after this period ended, it was rebuilt more or less as it looks today.
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Walnut wood altarpiece
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| Altar dedicated to Notre-Dame de la Fleurie |
The interior has a magnificent Baroque altarpiece carved in walnut wood. On each side are canvases dedicated to the Virgin, one of the Assumption and the other of the Coronation. A second altar in a side chapel is quite ornate as well. Dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-Fleurie, it was recently restored.
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| Looking back over the town |
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| I pose in front of the church garden. |
Notre-Dame-de-Puy holds a dominant position over the town, and is surrounded by a garden. I can attest that the view from there is spectacular. We took a different route as we left the church, a stairway that took us directly back to the centre of the medieval town.
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| Heading back into the centre of town |
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| Place de Champollion |
We soon found ourselves in la Place de Champollion, a gathering spot for local people and visitors alike. Here the historic houses are quite grand. One of them was the birthplace of Jean-François Champollion who went on to decipher the Rosetta Stone, opening up the meaning of hieroglyphics to the world. Today, it is a museum which celebrates this man's achievements in Egyptology.
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| Musée Champollion |
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| Place carnot |
As we returned to our car, we passed Figeac's market area in Place Carnot, where at this time of day, some people sought shelter from the sun. I have said this frequently on this trip, but it is worth repeating: this was another beautiful day, with full sunlight and a gorgeous blue sky.
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| Montbrun |
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| We arrive at Pont Valentré |
Back on the road, we made very few stops on our return trip to Cahors. The only exception to this was Montbrun, when we switched drivers. We took the above shot there. Our return trip took quite a while as we followed the twists and turns of the River Lot, this time mainly on the north shore.
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| Vineyard in the foreground |
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| Reflection |
Light was fading when we finally arrived in Cohors. We made a beeline to the symbol of the city, Pont Valentré, parking on the right bank of the Lot, and approaching the bridge from that side. I took all my shots from this perspective, while Bob crossed to the other side. The first five photos are mine; the second five are his.
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| The central tower |
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| The entire bridge from the left bank |
A masterpiece of medieval architecture and among the most beautiful bridges in the country, Pont Valentré was built in the 14th century over a 70 year time span. Fortified with machilocations and crenelations, it played an important role in the 100 years war.
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| A shot from the right bank |
182 meters in length and comprising eight arches and three towers, it is a magnificent structure, a UNESCO World Heritage site. There is a legend associated with its construction. According to this story, the bridge's architect made a pact with the devil in order to get the structure completed in good time.
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| Arches and towers |
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| Weir near the bridge |
He promised Satan his soul as his part of the bargain, but when the work was nearing completion, the architect sought to save himself. During construction, the devil had to fulfill all the builder's commands, so when he was asked to fetch water for his workers with a sieve, and was unable to do so, he lost his rights to the architect's soul.
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| Right bank refection |
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| This path is for pedestrians only |
As revenge, Satan arranged for an imp to remove the northwestern cornerstone every night, arresting completion. This legend so appealed to the man who worked on the restoration of Pont Valentré in the late 19th century that he immortalized it with a carved stone depicting the devil with his fingers caught in the mortar joints. We did not see this little fellow but I have found a photo of it online, below.
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| My entrée |
For dinner that evening, we found a place close to the bridge, Chez Suzanne. When we showed up at the door, and asked if there were any tables available, we were given the last one. We did not realize until later that this was a Michelin restaurant. Our three course meal was beautifully presented and delicious.
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| Bob's entrée |
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| Valentré bridge at night |
Afterwards, as we left in the dark, I took one last photo of the bridge, now illuminated by purple spotlights. Then, we headed back to our hotel for the night. After another busy day of touring and walking over 15 000 steps, we were tired and ready for sleep.
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