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abundant crops of maize, walnuts and tobacco. The tributaries of the Lot, fed by fierce streams from the limestone plateaux, disappear with a roar into great underground caverns, never to be seen again. The most spectacular settlement is Rocamadour, precariously perched high above the Alzou River gorge, where it has stood for nearly 900 years. During the height of summer, come early in the day to avoid the coach parties. At Cahors is the 14th century Pont Valentré, the longest fortified bridge in France, spanning 138 metres, with six main arches and three tremendous towers. Another 14th century bridge, with seven pointed arches, stands at Montauban, one of the earliest bastides in France. The Aveyron contains part of the Cévennes, a mountainous national park, and is distinctive for its clusters of dolmens, huge megalithic tombs marking burial sites above the ground. The 13th century castle of Najac has a unique row of high archères, slots in the battlements designed to allow three archers to shoot their arrows at once. Outside Millau is the world's tallest bridge, the viaduc de Millau, opened by former French President Chirac in 2004.
a French word meaning to boast, and a gasconnade was the tallest of tall tales. Their most famous son, d'Artagnan, who really did become Captain of the King's Musketeers, was born at Château Castelmore, near Lupiac. His statue stands proudly at Auch, the Gascon capital. The Ariège was once the heart of Cathar country, a religious sect persecuted as heretics by the Catholic church. Mirepoix was one of their fortified settlements, a 13th century walled town with many of its original houses preserved around a captivating main square. Foix is dominated by its 12th century château with three great towers, perched on a rock above the river. East of Foix is the starting point for the Path of the Cathars, a walking tour that meanders along a chain of ruined castles all the way to the sea. A Vatican tourist industry at its worst, or the threshold of a miracle: whatever you think of Lourdes, its name dominates the southwest of France and provokes a mixture of emotions. Every year, from March to October, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is the destination of vast pilgrimages from every corner of the globe. This heaving mass of the hopeful and the merely curious descends on the spring water from the grotto, believed to possess mystical healing properties. Certainly there have been extraordinary cures occasioned at Lourdes, at the very least the triumph of mind over matter. The town is always worth a visit, especially to see the beautiful candlelight and sacramental processions.
Gascony & Pyrénées
The Gascons had an unsurpassed reputation for embroidering the truth, so much so that gasconner became
REF AV10 CT14 CT21 CT24 CT26 CT32 DL10 DL12 DL16 DL17 DL22 DL25 DL28 DL29 DL33 DL34 DL43 DL51 DL53 DL54 DL59 DL66 DL67 DL68 DL70 DL72 DL73 DL77 DL89 DL99 DL104 DL112 DL115 DL116 DL118 DL122 DL127 DL132 DL133 DL139 DL140 DL142 PY12 PY19 PY21 PY22 PY23 PY27
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Map E3 B1 B1 B1 C1 B2 C3 E3 C2 C2 C3 D3 C2 C3 D2 C3 C2 B2 C2 D2 C2 C3 C3 C2 C3 C3 C3 C2 D2 D2 C2 C2 D2 C2 C2 C2 C2 C3 C1 C2 D2 D2 C5 C4 C4 D5 B5 C5
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Périgueux DL139 Tulle DL122 DL51 Brive DL127 DL112 DL142 DL99 DL33 Aurillac DL28 DL89 Libourne DL118 DL43 DL116 DL115 Sarlat Bergerac DL53 DL104 DL140 DL68 DL77 DL54 DL16-DL17 DL59 Figeac Langon DL70 DL10 DL12 Lo DL29 AV10 Lot t VilleneuveDL67 Aveyron Rodez sur-Lot Cahors DL132 DL66 DL73 DL25 Agen DL72 Montauban DL34 rn DL22 Ta
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