most sites are in french, with all or part available in english translation. some of the translations are computer-generated, often with entertaining results. |
french entree lot/quercy guide | an good overview, in english, of our area, with information on sights, history, customs and activities in the region. |
quercy tourism lot tourism |
two general tourism sites for the region, both with good information. the region's name, quercy, derives from the many oaks (quercus) found there. the quercy site emphasizes places and things to see; the lot site focuses more on activities and things to do. |
cahors tourism | official cahors city site with lots of information, but not very tourist friendly, as it's all in french. |
valleys of the lot and c閘?/a> | actually part of one of the quercy tourism sites above, this link describes some things near st- martin-de-vers. |
st-martin-de-vers | a little information on our village (in french) |
centre de pr閔istoire de pech merle | pech merle cave in cabrerets is one of the best prehistoric painted caves in france that is still open to the public; interesting cave features also. about 10 miles away. |
saint-cirq lapopie | perched on a cliff above the lot, this village is a popular tourist site that can be crowded in season. about 15 miles away. |
rocamadour | another very popular tourist destination, an important pilgrimage stop during the middle ages. about 21 miles. |
mus閑 de plein air du quercy | "williamsburg"-style park that recreates quercy farm life in earler times. about 12 miles away in cuzals. |
le parc animalier de gramat | wild animal park, emphasing animals that are found in the region (or were in prehistoric times). about 19 miles away. |
lalbenque truffle market | photos and description from our january 2003 visit. |
cahors | official tourism site of the largest city in the area. lots of information, but not very tourist friendly, as it's all in french. |
labastide-murat | the closest town with services to st-martin-de-vers (about 5 miles). |
marcilhac sur c閘?/a> | principal village in the picturesque c閘?/font> valley. |
saint-cernin du causse | small village near st. martin |
saint g?/a>ry | larger town on the lot with commercial services. |
soulom?/font>s | small village near labastide-murat. |
vers | village on the lot, about 8 miles away, with hotels (see below) and a few other services. |
saint-martin-de-vers | a piece written for a history of the region in 1926 (french only). |
gites (country houses generally available for rent by the week): | |
le couvent | former convent, in the village just a few steps from our house. |
la bonne vie, puy l'eveque | not really near us (about 45km west), but an excellent location for visiting the cahors wine region and the medieval town of puy l'eveque. owned by our friends kim and rob harvey. |
hotels/restaurants: | |
le belle vue/relais du pouzat, ussel | closest hotel/restaurant to us, about 4 miles away on d820. under new management since 2010. |
auberge de nadillac, nadillac | about 6 miles west and south. restaurant with very good food in small, out-of-the-way village; great value. no rooms. |
hotel kyriad - restaurant la garissade, labastide-murat | about 6 miles north. modern, comfortable hotel in an old building, with a very good restaurant. |
auberge rustica, cours | about 6 miles south. local cuisine, plus a malagasy menu. (the owner is from madagascar.) a few simple rooms also. |
la truite dor閑, vers | about 8 miles south. popular, family-run hotel and restaurant. nice setting at confluence of the vers and lot rivers. |
from here you can't see paris by michael sanders | describes contemporary life in a village about 20 miles west of st. martin, by an american author who spent a year there with his family. good background for anyone visiting the area. (note that la recr?/font>ation, the restaurant that is a focus of the book, has changed hands since it was written.) |
families of the vine by michael sanders | the same author writes about our local wine and the people who make it. |