3 1/2 Days in Cahors

[artnbarb]

Our limited time in Cahors is really starting to worry me, and I'm hoping you all can give me some advice about how to make the best use of our limited time. We'll be driving from St Cyprien on Sunday, May 8th ( yes, another French holiday!). We won't be able to check into our rental - in the center of Cahors - until 4, and I'd love to arrive early, park the car and just wander around Cahors, but I don't feel comfortable leaving our luggage in the car. Of course this would be an issue no matter where we stop along the way, so how to make use of this time?

We'll be based in Cahors Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday we'll head back to Barcelona for our flight home. Three days??!!! That's such a short time for everything we want to see and do. We have a reservation at Pech Merle for Monday at 9:45 a.m. Other than that, we don't have anything scheduled. Here's what's on my wish list:

* Peche Merle, in the morning, with a stop at St Martin de Vers on the way back
* Villages we want to see - St Cirg la Popie - Calvignac - Figeac
* wine country west of Cahors - but that could take an entire day, so is it a good use of our time? Yes we like wine, but.....
* Seeing Cahors itself, and the medieval bridge. Can we do this on Monday afternoon/evening after we tour the caves and visit St Martin de Vers?

Any suggestions about how to make the best use of our limited time in this gorgeous and fascinating area would be most welcome..

 

[Pauline]

I always worry about leaving luggage in the car on travel days. Could you visit the wine country on your travel day? Then you would be parking at wineries and there would not be a problem with luggage in the car.

Or stop somewhere along the way - but pick a place where you won't have to worry about luggage.

Google Maps says it is a 1hr 15min drive from Saint Cyprien to Cahors - not that far. You could stop in one or two small towns along the way. I don't worry about luggage so much in a smaller town.

We visited a cute town with an historic abbey south of Saint Cyprien, but I can't remember the name. I can look up my info if you want me too.

For your days out, I think you could add St Cirq to your Peche Merle day - it is very close. You could have lunch there (we did).

Can you take a photo of the Cahors medieval bridge for me? We did not get to see it - although we were in the town - because I didn't know about it until we left.

 

[artnbarb]

Our travel day is Sunday, and also a French holiday, so I'm guessing the wineries won't be open - but I could be wrong! When we drive from Carcassonne to St Cyprien - also on a Sunday, and also a French holiday! - we'll plan to leave Carcassonne later, and will (hopefully) be able to leave our luggage at the hotel until we're ready to leave town. For the drive to Cahors I'm still confused and concerned. We may be able to meet with Dana and her husband for lunch, which would work out great, since they're west of Cahors, meaning we'd drive through wine country on our way into Cahors. We'll have to see how that works out. Still haven't heard back from my Air B&B host about dropping off our luggage early.

Yes, please, I'd love to know the name of the town with the abbey - one can never have too many cute villages on the list! As I told a friend last night, I'm sure we'll see lots of amazing places, and many of them will probably be because we're lost! At least if I see a name on my list I'll know getting lost was worth it!

And yes, I will take a picture, or two, or 10, for you.

 

[artnbarb]

@Dana has come to our rescue and helped solve our Sunday dilemma! We'll drive from St Cyprien and meet Dana and Michael for a nice, long lunch, then we'll get to drive through wine country on our way to Cahors! It's a win-win-win-win for us - Great company, great lunch, nice drive, and we don't have to worry about arriving in Cahors too early or what to do along the way! Thanks Dana, we're really looking forward to meeting you and Michael!

 

[Dana]

I think the medieval Abbey Pauline mentioned might be Cadouin. Well worth a visit, anyway! Looking forward to meeting you, Barb- remember to arrive hungry!!

 

[artnbarb]

Absolutely! The Sunday lunches in France sound like what we were used to in Italy!

 

[Pauline]

Everyone is getting to meet @Dana before I do!! That sounds like a good plan Barb.

Yes, Cadouin! We liked the abbey and the small town.

 

[artnbarb]

Everyone is getting to meet @Dana before I do!! That sounds like a good plan Barb.

Yes, Cadouin! We liked the abbey and the small town.

Guess you'd better get busy planning that vacation! And thanks for the Abbey/town recommendation.