Description:

Geography

Cahors is the capital of the Lot department, situated just over an hour north of Toulouse.  It is contained on three sides by a huge udder shaped turn in the river Lot, which is known as a presqu'île (peninsula).

It is best know these days as the centre of the “black wine” production in the area, so called due to it’s very deep, nearly black, red colour.

Tourism

Cahors is a popular destination in the Lot and Midi-Pyrenees, drawn by the many old buildings, such as the Valentre Bridge, Saint Etienne Cathedral and the medieval quarter of the old town.

The Valentre Bridge was started in 1308 and finally completed in 1318.  It is an extremely rare example of a fortified bridge and is used as a symbol of the town.

There are many old buildings to see in the town including the remains of a Roman amphitheatre.  A visit to the tourist office will help you plan your route around the town to see them all.

The town is also infamous for allowing bankers of the middle ages to charge interest on loans, which at the time was seen by the church as a sin and Cahors has been synonymous with sin ever since.

Economy

Up until the middle ages, Cahors was an important town with trading links to Bordeaux and beyond, but since that period its significance has declined.  These days, wine production is important in the area, but also tourism.

Transport

Driving to Cahors is very easy as it is situated just off the A20 motorway that runs north to south between Toulouse and Limoges.  Cahors also has its own train station with direct links to Paris and Toulouse.

Flying to area is catered for by a number of airports.  Rodez, to the east in the Aveyron department offers flights to Dublin and London-Stansted, while newly opened Brive has flights to London City Airport.  To the south, Toulouse offers International flights and serves many cities in the UK.

Check our travel pages for more information on getting to the Midi-Pyrenees.

Check out Guide2MidiPyrenees for Property in Midi-Pyrenees, Events, News, Classifieds, Places to Stay, Midi-Pyrenees Attractions and Business Directory.