A few words on Lot Department

Geography

The department of Lot is the southwest piedmont of Central Massif. The most part of its territory is constituted by calcareous soils. However, the northeast quarter, near the department of Cantal, rests on a granitic and schistose substratum constituted by the old Hercynian base and presents a higher relief (the peak is situated to Labastide-du-Haut-Mont, with 783 m high). The beech and the pedonculate oak are the two dominant forest species. Moors with Scotch broom and heather are frequent. A narrow strip of clayey-marly loams, the Limargue, stands between the limestone plateaux and the acid and poor soils of this last area known under the name of "ségala quercinois" (the word ségala was used for a soil on which only the rye could grow). In the Western and Southern margins of the department, on can encounter small areas covered with Tertiary grounds, either of type sandy-marly detrital (area of Gourdon), or of type marly limestones (Causse Blanc around Lalbenque). The most part of the department is covered by plateaux of dolomitized Jurassic limestones (surmounted by Tertiary marly rocks here and there): Causses of Martel, Gramat and Limogne. In spite of the prevalence of the Atlantic influences on the climate, the dryness brought by the substratum of dolomitic plateaux favors the development of submediterannean plants. The association Montpellier maple - Pubescent oak covers large areas. On marly-calcareous soils, blue aphyllanthes is not rare. The most important rivers are, for the first one, the Lot and its tributary, the Célé, and, in the North, the Dordogne and the Cère. The Lot meanders downstream to Cahors where the slope goes down gently.

 

History

The department of Lot contains many dolmens (but very few menhirs) belonging to the artenacienne culture (end of the neolithic, 3000 - 2500 B.C.). However, the human vestiges are far older, the most ancient rupestral paintings of the decorated cave of Pech-Merle going back up to 25000 years. At the time of the conquest of Gaul, the territory was occupied by the Gallic tribe of Cadurci which resisted against Caesar with obstinacy: it was on their land that the last battle took place in Uxellodunum (the site is claimed by the municipality of Vayrac as well as by the one of Capdenac). From Latin Cadurci, derives the word Quercy, province of the Old Regime which was the union of the current departments of Lot and Tarn-et-Garonne. After Caesar's victory, Quercy was included in the province of Aquitaine. In the Carolingian time, the Normans made incursions up to Figeac by sailing upstream the Lot which was navigable. In the XIth century, Quercy is united with the County of Toulouse. Richard Lionheart seized it but he restored it to Count Raimond VI of Toulouse. His successor gave his lands, included Quercy, to king of France by way of dowry for the marriage of his daughter. In 1259, Quercy fell in England. The province of Guyenne, ownership of the crown of England, was also attached by suzerainty to the crown of France. From this conflict of feudal interests was begining the One hundred years war, which was very fierce in this region (the bastide shape of villages dates from this time). During the Religious wars, the territory became divided into two parts: in the North, nestled around Cahors, High Quercy remained faithful to Catholicism, in the South, around Montauban, Low Quercy became Calvinist. The Revolution kept together the North and the South into the department of Lot. This is Napoleon, in 1808, who agreed at the request of the town councillors of Montauban for isolating Low Quercy into the department of Tarn-et-Garonne. Currently, the Lot department can be considered as a rural territory with a small mechanical sector (Figeac). Its agriculture has opted for quality by marketing terroir products (Cahors wines, foie gras, artisanal cheeses, truffles, etc.). Tourism is an important sector and in many places one can notice that preserving the landscape beauty has been taken into consideration. The inhabitants also like decorating with flowers their house.

 

Hiking characteristics

The patrimonial wealth is noteworthy. Prehistoric sites are numerous. Several magnificent castles go back to the Middle Ages. The site of Rocamadour is among the most visited in France. There are numerous family mansions in Renaissance style. Small farmhouses are often very beautiful, decorated with flowers and well-maintained. Villages with red tile roofs and clear calcareous stones give the impression of sweetness. Farms have very frequently a dovecote (it is the department of France where dovecotes are the most frequent). Considering the low altitude of this land, cross-country skiing is not possible. The flatness of limestone plateaus makes hiking easy in many places. Water has dug the rock in many caves that delight speleologists. Rivers are navigable and allow canoeing and kayaking for anybody.

 

French Internet sites for outdoor activities

A journey along the Lot river : valleedulot.free.fr
Speleo, canyoning, climbing and hiking : Quercy Aventure
For knowing everything about a friendly animal, the donkey : l'Anerie
Canoeing and kayaking on the Cère and Dordogne rivers : K.noe-nature