Situated in the Dordogne valley in the Upper Quercy, not far from Black Périgord, the town of Souillac is renowned for its Sainte-Marie abbey church of Romano-Byzantine style. This work of the 12th century possesses a superb chevet, as well as a magnificent carved portal. The bell tower, which dominates the picturesque old town, is all that remains of the ancient Saint-Martin church.

In July, the city of Souillac hosts the Sim Copans festival, a musical event dedicated to jazz.

Capital of Bouriane, the city of Gourdon is also a medieval town with a church and old town to be discovered. Its fortified gate dating from the 14th century leads walkers to the Majou street and to its houses. At the top of the city, a viewpoint offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside of Bouriane. Chestnut and hazelnut trees are a special feature of this region.

Dominated by its seven towers, Martel is a medieval town boasting a rich architectural heritage. Its mansions, such as the Raymondie mansion and its bell tower, its charming old residences, its Gothic church, its covered market hall on the main square and its pleasant narrow streets make it a must when visiting the Quercy.

Perched on a cliff, the fortified town of Domme overhangs magnificently the Dordogne valley. Its fortifications, its 17th-century covered market hall, its caves, its promenade running alongside the cliff and its viewpoint offering an exceptional view of the Dordogne valley will enchant the walkers.

The magnificent formal gardens of Eyrignac manor house are the perfect place to wander around and daydream. Visitors can admire the superb topiary and magnificent rose garden.

Sacred town and important pilgrimage site, the village of Rocamadour is perched on the side of a limestone cliff and towers majestically over the Alzou canyon. What a wild and unspoiled environment! Famous for its sanctuaries and more especially for its Black Virgin, Rocamadour attracts every year a large number of visitors and pilgrims. Moreover, the village of Rocamadour is the second most visited attraction in France after Mont-Saint-Michel! Having climbed 216 stairs of the main staircase leading to the church square, pilgrims and walkers discover the seven sanctuaries of Rocamadour, among which the Notre-Dame chapel, the Saint-Sauveur basilica and the Saint-Michel chapel. Unmissable, the Notre-Dame chapel or miracles chapel contains a statue of the Black Virgin dating from the 12th century. Near this chapel is Saint-Amadour's tomb. The former popes' palace, whose entrance is also situated on the square, is home to the Sacred Art museum and its collection of religious works from the town. From the top of the medieval village, or to be precise off the ramparts of the ancient fort, the view of all of Rocamadour, the Alzou canyon and the unspoiled landscapes surroundings the Regional Nature Park of the Quercy Limestone Plateaus is amazing.

In Rocamadour, walkers can also admire beautiful mineral concretions, as well as 20,000 year-old cave drawings during the visit of the Cave of Marvels (Grotte des Merveilles).

Situated in the heart of the Black Périgord, Sarlat-la-Canéda is an essential place to visit for the architecture fans. Its medieval old town is the perfect place to wander around with its maze of picturesque narrow streets and Gothic and Renaissance mansions, such as the Plamon mansion, the Magnanat mansion, and the Vassal mansion. The Saturday market is particularly lively and should not be missed!

Situated at the foot of a cliff along the Dordogne River, the village of La Roque-Gageac offers visitors a network of narrow streets, a troglodyte fort, tropical vegetation and a small church that dominates the valley.

A former viscountcy now registered on the list of the most beautiful villages in France, the town of Turenne has kept many traces of its rich medieval past: the 13th-century castle, the Seneschal's house, the Mauriolles door and the Canons' house are among the remarkable reminders of its history.

Lovers of old buildings can't fail to be thrilled by a walk around the village, along the steep, narrow streets lined with pretty houses that will lead you up to the majestic castle perched on top of the hill. The fiefdom of the Lords of Turenne, this historic monument is open to any visitors wishing to explore its imposing remains. You are greeted by two high towers separated by a magnificently flowery garden: the Treasure tower, an old 14th-century keep housing a lovely guardroom with a pointed arch vault; and the Caesar tower, an old 13th-century watchtower which offers a superb view over the surrounding green countryside from the top of its spiral staircase.

Further down from the castle, you can discover the Capuchins' monastery chapel, now restored and used as an exhibition space, and the 17th-century Collegiate Church of Our Lady of St. Pantaleon, with its magnificent gilded wood altarpiece from 1678, 19th-century coloured windows and porch bell tower standing over 30 metres tall.

Located at the heart of the Corrèze causse on the Way of St. James, at the crossroads of the GR46 and the GR480, the village of Turenne is also the starting point or a waypoint for hikers.

Overhanging the Dordogne River, these gardens are lovely to walk around: peaceful, scented paths meander through hand-clipped box hedges and offer a magnificent view of the Dordogne valley and the charming village of La Roque-Gageac.

The village of Beynac-et-Cazenac is really photogenic, with its hilltop castle dominating the Dordogne river and its beautiful flower-decked houses. It is a delightful village to walk around! In the summer, the village hosts the Musical Nights of Beynac, a festival offering classical music concerts.

Located in the Upper Quercy, to be precise in the Dordogne valley, the village of Carennac is listed as one of the most beautiful in France and indeed boasts numerous interests. Among the assets of this charming medieval village are the ancient typical stone houses, the 16th-century castle, the Saint-Pierre church of Romanesque style and its remarkable carved tympanum, and the cloister of the half-Romanesque half-Gothic priory, which is conducive to meditation. The chapter house of the priory is home to a statue of the Entombment of Christ dating from the 15th century.

Natural cavern of 33 metres in diameter and 75 metres deep, the Padirac chasm located on the Gramat Limestone plateau, formed when the roof collapsed. In the heart of this cavity, 103 metres below ground to be precise, flows a underground river. Visitors descend 75 metres via a lift or staircase and go to the end of a gallery where they board boats for the first leg of the guided tour by river. 500 metres further, the visitors continue the circuit on foot through a series of beautiful rooms: the Salle du Lac de la Pluie (Rain Lake) and the pendant-like Pendeloque (giant stalactite), the Salle des Grands Gours with a lake, and then the Salle du Grand Dôme with its impressive 94-metre-high ceiling. All these natural formations are awe-inspiring.

Perched amid peaceful, green countryside along a rocky overhang, the medieval town of Curemonte has certainly earned the Most Beautiful Village of France label in many ways, with its old stone houses, Romanesque churches and majestic castles. The place that's also known as "the village of three" will charm you with its three churches, three castles, three calvaries and three fountains. A record for such a small village!

As you stroll along the picturesque streets, you can not only enjoy the delightful atmosphere of the place, where time seems to have stood still since the medieval era, but also admire some magnificent façades like those of the castles of Saint-Hilaire (14th century) with its square towers, La Johannie (14th) in a manor style, and Les Plas (16th) with round towers. On either side of the main square, you can take a look at the grain hall from the early 19th century and the Church of St. Bartholomew, topped by a bell-gable with three bays. Inside the church, you can see the remarkable painted wooden altarpiece dating back to 1672.

In the heights of the village, be sure to stop at the orientation table in order to enjoy the wonderful views over the roofs of Curemonte and the unspoilt landscape all around.

Dominating several valleys, which are the Dordogne valley, the Bave valley and the Cère valley, the hilltop village of Loubressac forms a harmonious architectural whole its castle, its church and its old stone houses with very picturesque brown-tiled roofs. The village also offers to its visitors a magnificent view of the surrounding valleys.

In the municipality of Montignac, at the foot of the Lascaux hill, which contains the original cave whose interior was closed to the public in 1983 for conservation reasons, the International Centre for Cave Art - Lascaux IV presents a complete replica of the decorated cave classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In this latest replica, open to the public since 2016, new techniques are used to showcase this important prehistoric site. Behind the glass doors of a huge, modern, semi-underground building spanning 8,000 m², none of whose walls are straight, originally-shaped rooms welcome visitors for an unusual experience.

The centre uses its preferred medium of digital technology to show off and enhance the cave art. From the heights of the belvedere, equipped with your digital tablet, you can leap back 20,000 years to admire the Vézère Valley and the wildlife of the time. Then in the shelter, take a trip to 1940 and follow the four teenagers who started this fabulous adventure, contemplating their amazing discovery as if you were there yourself.

In the Lascaux Studio (Atelier de Lascaux), discover eight big walls in a huge room, displaying the cave's main works of art. Several scenographic exhibits are on offer: swipe your tablet screen to discover the various works in virtual reality, share the tactile experience of the first humans by using their tools and techniques, become aware of the fragile balance of the cave through an immersive experience, and handle objects from the archaeological excavations carried out in Lascaux.

The Theatre of Cave Art will take you into a series of small rooms where a play in three chronological acts is staged. Topics covered include 19th-century doubts about the authenticity of the decorated caves, the working practices of two famous Prehistory specialists, and the techniques used by contemporary archaeologists.

With your 3D glasses on, in front of two giant screens, continue your journey in the underground realm by watching the film "Lascaux and the World", to admire Lascaux and other decorated caves around the world. Finally, in the Imaginary Gallery, you can explore the ties that have been formed between cave art and contemporary art by admiring images and artworks exhibited on a wall of 90 screens.

At Lascaux IV, you will find a unique experience that will shake up your temporal reference points, combining the mystery of an ancestral art form and the contribution of technology. An in-depth exploration for all ages that puts Lascaux back on the world cave art stage.

The Lascaux Cave, in Montignac, Dordogne, was discovered by chance in 1940 by four teenagers, one of whom had seen his dog slip into a nearby hole. He went after it and inadvertently uncovered one of the most important decorated caves of the Palaeolithic. This incredible cave, known as "the Sistine Chapel of Prehistory", was closed to the public in 1963 for its own protection, then became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Open to visitors since 1983, Lascaux II, the first replica of the original cave, presents the two most famous galleries: the Hall of Bulls and the Axial Diverticulum, where you can admire 90% of the paintings. The two museum areas tell the fascinating story of human evolution and tools, with recreations of prehistoric Lascaux. Step back in time on the same hill as the original cave, in the authentic natural setting of the Vézère Valley.

Not far from here, the International Centre for Cave Art - Lascaux IV, at the foot of Lascaux hill, is a complete replica of the famous cave. Since 2016, visitors have been invited to step inside the surprising architecture of its huge, semi-underground building, where they can contemplate, understand and really gain a feeling for cave art. New technology offers a unique experience by immersing you in this exceptional world in a very original way. Trained guides, digital tablets, themed rooms, games, and films on a big screen will all help you travel back in time to be immersed in the captivating atmosphere of early humans' underground world!

To complete your visit, Le Thot Park in Thonac offers a chance to discover cave art by exploring various areas on the theme of humans' relationship with animals in Prehistory. Just 9 kilometres from Lascaux, the exhibition area, animal park and various workshops invite you on an unforgettable journey through time and space. You can explore the daily life, gestures and techniques of Cro-Magnon man. The interactive time mirror experience will show you the species that he lived alongside, hunted and painted in his cave galleries, and the animal park offers an educational walk amid the living descendants of animals from that time. Plenty for visitors of all ages to enjoy!

Built from the 12th to the 17th century on a hill overhanging various valleys, the Castelnau-Bretenoux fortified castle situated in Prudhomat is an imposing red stone medieval fortress boasting a keep and ramparts. The castle and its furnished interiors are open to visitors.

Situated in Cabrerets in the peaceful Célé valley, the decorated cave of Pech-Merle is an important prehistoric site. Discovered in 1922 and opened to the public since 1926, the cave indeed contains remarkable cave paintings in its numerous concretions. It is in a magnificent place surrounded by stalactites, stalagmites and draperies that the visitor amazed by all these natural wonders can contemplate an incredible series of prehistoric artworks, such as drawings, paintings and silhouette engravings of humans, horses, mammoths, bulls and bears.

The Amédée-Lemozi museum adjoining the cave offers a presentation of Prehistory in the Quercy as well as an analysis of the paintings of the Pech-Merle cave.

The former fiefdom of the Counts of Turenne, the medieval village of Collonges-la-Rouge, nestling some twenty kilometres to the south of Brive-la-Gaillarde, surrounded by peaceful, green countryside planted with chestnut and walnut trees, will enchant you with its picturesque charm and its famous red sandstone.

From the old grain and wine hall built in the 16th century to the magnificent houses with thackstone and slate roofs, through the Flat Gate (Porte Plate) and the fortified church, you're sure to be won over by the beauty of this famous Corrèze town with its twenty-five towers. Lovers of beautiful stone buildings can enjoy a stroll along its pleasant streets lined with smart façades. A genuine journey through time, a walk around the village will not only show you the remarkable Church of St. Peter, with its splendid 12th-century tympanum carved out of white Turenne limestone and its imposing gabled Romanesque bell tower, but also some lavish 15th and 16th-century houses crowned with towers and turrets. Vassinhac castle with its elegant mullioned windows, the Ramade de Friac house flanked by two watchtowers, Benge castle with its machicolation remains and its graceful Renaissance window, or Maussac castle and its pretty doorway with a canopy are among the architectural treasures that you can admire on your walk.

In this place, officially listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, you can also visit the Chapel of the Penitents, which dates from the early 15th century, or the picturesque Mermaid House (Maison de la Sirène), which contains a small museum of popular arts and traditions with a reconstruction of a period interior.

The village of Autoire is nestled in an impressive cirque formed by high limestone cliffs. Small manor houses with turrets, delightful fountain surrounded by typical houses and river below contribute to the charm of this site. Near the village, a beautiful 33-metre high waterfall!

Built on a peninsula by the River Lot, the old town of Cahors offers a pleasant atmosphere with its narrow streets and its architecture. Symbol of the city, the Valentré bridge built in the 14th century is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This magnificent fortified structure with arches and cutwaters is the only bridge in the world to have three towers! You can get a perfect view of the Valentré bridge from the pretty riverbank or on board one of the boats which navigate the meanders of the River Lot.

In the lively old town, the majestic Saint-Etienne cathedral, topped by two domes, possesses a beautiful Romanesque portal with carved tympanums. Not far, the public garden Olivier-de-Magny lined by beautiful old houses, the Roaldès mansion, and the numerous narrow shopping lanes make Cahors a very pleasant place, especially since the medieval town is also a gastronomic centre with among others its famous red wine.

From the top of a rock dominating the unspoiled landscapes of the Lot valley, the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is among the most remarkable sites in France. An entirely listed village, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie also appears on the list of the Most Beautiful Villages of France.

Fascinated by the charm of this place, as so many other artists and writers did, the poet André Breton chose to live there. This cliffside village is indeed particularly photogenic, with a harmonious group of beautiful stone houses with brown-tiled roofs and its fortified Gothic church, which stands on the edge of the high rock. Perfect for a stroll, the beautiful flower-filled narrow streets of the village are lined with craft workshops and art galleries. Happy walking!