Of these the most vivid is that at Sarlat-la-Canéda, held among the fine medieval and Renaissance houses built

7 Parc Naturel Régional Des Causses du Quercy Explore swathes of wild limestone plateau, carved by imposing rivers and dotted with grazing sheep.

Further downstream things begin to quieten down again as the valley flattens out towards Villeneuve-sur-Lot. Despite unattractive modern suburbs, the town has a decent supply of hotels and restaurants, and with the river sliding through

The principal northern gateway to the Dordogne and the Lot is the charming city of Brive-la-Gaillarde (usually shortened to Brive), whose cosy café culture exudes the spirit of the south, a hint of pleasures to come. West lies Périgueux, where an extraordinary Byzantine-style cathedral stands

9 Rocamadour Cliff-side pilgrimage town which will take your breath away – if you avoid the peak-season crowds.

The main gateway to the Upper Dordogne valley is Souillac, a busy little town whose major attraction is its domed abbey church. A short distance upstream, an attractive back road strikes off along the River Ouysse, a minor tributary of the Dordogne, heading southeast to the spectacular pilgrimage town of Rocamadour, whose seven religious sanctuarie

17 Cahors Trapped in a tight meander of the Lot river, glorious Cahors is steeped in history, from the richly decorated double-domed cathedral to the fortified Pont Valentré.

On its western edge the Causse de Gramat suddenly gives way to a lovely area of gentle wooded hills known as the Bouriane. Again, there are no must-see sights, though its capital, Gourdon, a once-prosperous town built of butter-coloured stone, is worth a stop-off,

River trips The Dordogne and Lot’s many rivers offer superb water-bound activities, though it’s hard to beat a gentle canoe paddle along the Vézère river, and in particular the stretch between Montignac and Les Eyzies.