Cahors

On Thursday, July 28 I took the train from Carcassonne 170km north to Cahors. The old city of Cahors is on a horshoe bend of the Lot River. One of its most famous attractions is the Pont Valentre that is reputed to be one of the most photographed monuments in France.

The stairs up to the bridge towers are very well worn from centuries of use.

Climbing up to a nearby hill across the Lot River there are great views of the Old City. The tree lined Boulevard Gambetta divides the older city from the newer part.

The Cathedral de St. Etienne dates back to 1119.  It has a large cupola above the nave said to be the largest in France, and is covered with 14th century frescoes depicting the stoning of St. Stephen. ( Ahh those bloody christian stories.)

Kerstin joined me in Cahors on her birthday, July 30. She was lucky to be able to find a nice room in a b&b, Chez Pierre, for one night. Mr. Pierre suggested a hike along the River Lot and back into the hills. He thought the circular route was about 10km. It turned out it was almost 20km. Along the Lot river floodplain there are lush farms. Not only vegetables are grown but also tobacco,

flowers,

a field of sunflowers,

and anise.

Once we walked through the woods up to the ridge top circling back towards Cahors we were rewarded with lovely views of the typical S. French countryside.

During the summer months Cahors also offers many Estival activities. From Wednesday through Sunday from 10pm until midnight there was a fantastic light and slide show with music on the Pont Valentre. The whole bridge itself was the screen. All of the towers and the bridge roadway were alight with the ever changing light story. The Pont Valentre is only open to pedestrian traffic and the many visitors on the bridge become part of the lightshow. Words cannot convey the richness of the experience. It was certainly very different and very fun.

The next day we did a shorter hike in the downstream direction to the little village of Douelle. Crossing the Pont Valentre we climbed a steep trail to a ridgetop and walked along it for several km until we were overlooking the Lot Valley near Douelle. The best view is from the spot where paragliders launch themselves into the thermal updrafts. Depending on the weather conditions they can sometimes stay aloft for quite awhile before landing in a fallow field at the bottom.

I enjoyed my stay in Cahors savoring the long walks around the city as well as countryside. It is a charming place and well worth a visit.

On August 2 I took the train back to Stuttgart. It was a long day of travel and I was glad when I arrived. I returned to watch my grandchildren so my son Isaac and his wife Shanon could have a much needed holiday by themselves. They went to the Canary Islands for 6 days.

Next installment: Plum Village (Le village des pruniers)