Sarlat to Cahors

May 26, 2023

Shorts, Short sleeves, sandals and Souillac.,

For the final time we close the heavy oak door of the apartment on Lakanal and head out towards the start of the Voie Verte to Cazoulēs. It’s promising to be a hot day. We’ve decided to make our way down to the Lot region by cycling to Souillac and then catching a train to Cahors.

We start by taking a kilometre or so on the busy main drag before finding the start of the Voie verte. It’s obviously a popular route as there’s a couple of bike hire companies busy at the start of the trail. We also see the quarry that must be one source for the stone used locally.

One place from where all that yellow stone comes.

The path is leafy, cool, level and straightforward. Or so it seems, until we miss the turn for Cazoulēs, go a few kilometres further than we need to, and backtrack to find the missed turn which is surreptitiously posted so that only the most discerning will notice it.

We missed our turn in our eagerness to cross the Dordogne river on a bridge.

After that, it’s easy and very pleasant in the woods where we stop for a croissant break.

A croissant shared is a croissant halved. Equally.

Glimpses of pretty villages and farm houses are caught in the gaps between the trees from time to time.

Approaching Cazoulēs our horizon broadens.

Our first 2023 tunnel and it’s cool, very cool.

Towards the trail’s end, the river becomes visible and closer to the trail.

A once was station, with nostalgic photographs.

At Cazoulēs the Voie verte finishes but this is not to where we want to go, so we cycle towards the centre and the intersection with the D road to Souillac. The road runs briefly through what feels like a gorge; it’s on the smoothest surface so we race along and are soon at the roundabout turn for La gare. This is at the top of a steep hill, though it’s a mercifully short ride. At the station there are quite a number of wheely suitcase pushing students going home for the weekend presumably. Another public holiday coming up Monday!

A quiet moment at Souillac train station.

Loading our bikes and bags onto the train is the work of a few minutes and we’re on our way. It’s a short trip but still offers some beautiful views of green hillsides, mountainous rock outcrops and exotic buildings.

We have no trouble managing our way off the train at Cahors. A name we’ll need to practise saying if the SNCF announcer is anything to go by. Not only is our alighting easily managed, but right where we get off there’s a ‘Sortie’ gate wide open. We soon find the youth hostel that also accepts fogeys, and check in, store our bikes in their lockup and stash our bags in our little room. It’s probably a little different from the old days of Youth Hostels but the room’s got all we need, and there’s even a bar up top with great views of the Pont Valentrē.

Out walking in the town later, we remember coming here in 2005 , on our first European trip in 25 years. The bridge had been an attraction then too, but there was no flash Youth Hostel. It’s possible to pick up on a nice vibe in the town as we walk about. Businesses, which in other cities seem very quiet, are busy here and although there are lots of tourists, there are also lots of busy locals too. Sarlat, by comparison, seemed to be very much for the tourist. Of course, it could all just be the wonderful weather.

At dinner we sit at a table with three French women who have very little English, but with our peu of French we have an interesting chat. Like many visitors in Cahors, they are walking the Camino of St Jacques, and doing it in small segments. They generously share their wine and we drink a toast to ‘the road’.

Ann chats to a woman who’s just finished walking part of the Camino.

The cathedral has beautiful cloisters, but its interior is quite a mishmash of styles.

Today's ride: 43 km (27 miles)
Total: 1,298 km (806 miles)

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