French Escape Accomodation

Activities

The vacation rental is a great base to explore much of South West France in easy day trips, including Lourdes and the Millau bridge.

The Village

Montcuq was a thriving village as far back as Roman times and you can still climb the 12th century tower which looks onto the holiday house. It is on the famous pilgrim route of St Jacques de Compostele (the Camino pilgrim route of Santiago de Compostela), which leads all the way into Spain and is the centre of hundreds of kilometres of marked walking tracks.

Montcuq comes alive every week (twice a week in summer) at the local market, with colourful stalls selling everything from local produce such as cheese, wine and fruit, to spices, handicrafts, Limoges china. The village also has a tourist office and a choice of shops, including supermarkets, a chemist, a newsagent (who sells English-language newspapers), an English-language bookstore, banks etc.

Montcuq has tennis courts, a swimming pool and a lake with a beach, playground and cafe.

Sports

For the more active there are a range of sports available including golf, tennis, riding, fishing and walking. For lovers of rugby, this region is the heart of French rugby. Boating enthusiasts will enjoy the local rivers and canals.

Local Beaches and Swimming

Just outside Montcuq there is a swimming pool. A little further up the road there is a plan d'eau with sandy beach, café and playground.

At Montaigu-de-Quercy there is a huge, artificial lake with a sandy beach, mini-golf, pontoons and pedallos.

Chateau de Bonaguil (near Fumel)

In the 18th century, this magnificent, prow-shaped castle was sold for 100 Francs and a bag of walnuts.

There are guided tours in summer, but the castle is easy to explore on your own. In summer, plays are put on in the castle grounds and it is lit up until midnight.

Cathar Castles

Take a weekend to visit these ruined fortresses dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, perched high on rock pinnacles. Castles include those at Foix, Montségur, Peyrepertuse, Quéribus, and the magnificent Carcassonne.

Carcassonne

Open all year, with regular tours in French and English. From ancient Gaul until the 19th century, Carcassonne was at the centre of history. Now on the UNESCO World Heritage List,Carcassonne is a regional capital and tourist attraction. Stay in the old city itself, where there are hotels to suit every pocket. On 14 July the city has a firework display. During summer there are night shows, jousts and performances. The city often hosts plays and operas within the castle.

Bastide Towns

Visit the bastide towns of Quercy. Perched on the tops of hills, they are recognisable by their half-timbered houses and colonnaded squares. Some bastides, such as Montjoi, developed around a church, but most, such as Lauzerte, Castelsagrat, Tournon d'Agennais, Cordes and Montauban, developed around the castle.

All the bastide towns are within one hour of Montcuq.

Caves

Gouffre de Padirac. For centuries, this chasm, which plunges 100 metres through the limestone, was regarded as the entrance to hell. Take a gondola across the underground Rivière Plane to see the spectacular Salle du Grand Dome - the size of two Notre-Dame Cathedrals. There are huge stalactites, and tools dating from around 50,000 BC.

Pech Merle. The finest painted prehistoric cave still open to the public. Numerous drawings of humans, animals such as mammoths, bison, horses and bears, and symbols such as hand outlines and circles dating from around 12,000 years ago.

St Cirq Lapopie

The prettiest medieval village in Quercy is perched spectacularly on sheer cliffs overlooking the River Lot.

Food & Wine

Local Cuisine

The cuisine of South West France is hearty and farm-fresh.

Goose, duck (confit or maigret), cassoulet, foie gras, charcuterie and Toulouse sausage are regional specialties.

Fish, seafood, lamb, pork and free range chicken are readily available and of excellent quality. The best known local cheese is the goat milk Cabecou, but there are a wide variety of other sheep and cow milk cheeses produced locally and available at the weekly markets.

Traditional desserts often use local walnuts or prunes.

The supermarkets on the outskirts of Cahors have a wide selection of good quality local produce. Montcuq also has a supermarket and there is a convenience store only a few steps from the house.

Local Wines

The wines of the South West fall into two groups - Bordeaux and the Haut Pays. The Bordeaux appellations include 3500 red and white wines. The Haut Pays wines are the Côtes de Duras, Buzet (a light quaffing red), Cahors (a heavier, Merlot blend), Bergerac and Montbazillac (a sweet white). The local Côte de Quercy is a very drinkable vin de pays. Rosé is a popular apéritif in summer.

The tourist office in Montcuq has maps of the local wineries, where good wine is available by the litre. Local wine and spirit producers always have stalls at the weekly markets and are keen to chat about their vines and produce.

Eating Out

Choice varies widely in our region, from the heavenly barbequed chickens in onion sauce available from the Montcuq market each Sunday, to the elegant Le Balandre in the Hotel Terminus at Cahors, and the sumptuous Château de Mercuès featuring the famous wine cellars of GeorgesVigouroux. We like Le Rendez-Vous near the market in Cahors. Montcuq also has plenty of restaurants and cafes, all serving cheap, good quality meals in the south-west style.