St Cirq Lapopie

Saint Cirq Lapopie is one of the France's most beautiful villages. Nestling 100 metres above the cliffs alongside the River Lot, this medieval-style village is so pretty that it has been voted favourite village of the French in 2012.

It is a places to see in the Lot during your holidays, whatever the cost!

Getting to St Cirq Lapopie

How to get to Saint Cirq Lapopie by car

Located just 12 minutes from our gîtes in CabreretsOur travellers never miss it!

In St Cirq Lapopie, various parking areas are available (free in winter, €6 in high season). Free parking is available at the bottom of the village towards the campsite, from where it's a 15-20 minute walk up to the village.

If you are lucky enough to visit out of season, then car park P4 "Village" will not be full and will be the nearest (to do this, follow the arrows, go past the village, continue up the hill, and then find the entrance that will take you there).

During the summer season, it's highly likely that you'll have to take a few steps to get to the village. The capacity of the car parks will give you an idea of where you can park.

Walk to Saint Cirq Lapopie along the Chemin de Halage

Do you like walking, discovering unusual places and enjoying unique scenery? Then you'll love walking along the Lot from Bouziès to St Cirq Lapopie!

The walk takes just over an hour. You will then pass through the impressive furrow of the Chemin de Halage de Ganil, cut into the cliff for 300 metres at a height of 2 metres.

Along the way, you'll come across a superb bas-relief... But I won't tell you any more about it, just click to find out more. Towpath between Bouziès and Saint Cirq Lapopiewhich deserves its own page!

Note that you can make one trip on foot, and the other by boat.

Take the boat to Saint Cirq Lapopie

Take a gabare trip on the River Lot! It's a fantastic vantage point from which to admire Saint Cirq Lapopie.

The Cruises from St Cirq Lapopie offers a range of water-based packages, including the RANDO cruise, which allows you to set foot on land to visit the town and then return on foot along the towpath. You may also prefer to book a return trip by gabare.

What to see in Saint Cirq Lapopie

The best way to enjoy this beautiful village is to take a leisurely stroll. But I'd advise you to go to the Tourist Office to obtain a free visitor's guide.

You can explore this small, steep village on foot, clinging to the cliffs above the River Lot. Partially classified historical monumentIt's a feast for the eyes.

Its narrow cobbled streets and medieval facades dating from the 14th centuryWith its beautiful wooden doors, half-timbered and carved stone walls and pointed roofs, everything here is pretty and harmonious.

From numerous small craft shops The streets are dotted with potters, jewellers, woodturners and local produce...

Religious monuments in Saint Cirq Lapopie

• Church of Saint Cyr and Saint JulitteThis 15th-century building is a listed historic monument.
• Several chapels These include the lower chapel of the Way of the Cross, the bargemen's chapel, the cemetery chapel and the Sainte Croix chapel in St Cirq Lapopie.

The civil heritage of St Cirq Lapopie

• Ruins of 3 ancient castles
• Rignault Museum
• Daura Houseswith an exhibition of contemporary artists

The history of Saint Cirq Lapopie

The name Saint Cirq Lapopie dates back to 1269, when it was cited under the Latin name Sancti Cirici de la Papia. The parish church honours Saint Cyra young Christian martyr from the early 4th century, and his mother Sainte Julitte or Juliette.

The development of the fort at Saint Cirq Lapopie

The first castle was built by Oldoric, Viscount of Saint Cirq. It was well placed to avoid invasion.

Three lordly families shared the fort at the time: the Lapopie, Gourdon and Cardaillac families. These families built their castles here, and some remains can still be seen: a 13th-century tower, a main building and a free-standing enclosure dating from the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

• The Lapopie castle was located on the highest part of the rock, known as the "Rocher de la Popie".
• The Gourdon family are said to have built a tower.
• The Cardaillac château was further down the road.

It was in the 15th century that the families abandoned their castles.

A flourishing Middle Ages

Many of the houses in Saint-Cirquois were built between the 13th and 16th centuries. They are generally narrow and have a characteristic flat-tiled roof.

In the past, craftsmen made Saint Cirq Lapopie rich. The workshops of boilermakers, wood turners, including the famous "roubinetaïres", and pea painters followed one another in the narrow streets.

Wood turners "roubinetaïres in St Cirq made cooperage taps from boxwood, which were used to make barrels for wine. Cahors wine. There were no fewer than 38 woodturners in St Cirq Lapopie! Today, there is still one that you can visit in the village.

A major boating industry

At the foot of the cliffs, the Lot saw the passage of numerous boats that went down and then up again. They travelled down the Lot towards Bordeaux carrying cereals, Cahors wines and tobacco. On the return journey, they carried salt, dried fish and various manufactured goods.

The journey upstream was tedious, and meant going from one bank to the other. In the mid-19th century, hauliers dug out the cliffs between Bouziès and St Cirq Lapopie to make it easier for flat-bottomed boats to travel up the Lot. They pulled these boats by hand or with the help of horses.

Famous people from Saint Cirq Lapopie

• André Bretonpoet and writer, one of the founders of surrealism
• Pierre Daura, spanish painter
• Paul Paquereaupainter and theatre designer
• Henri Martinpost-impressionist painter
• Gérald Miquelformer Chairman of the General Council and Senator for the Lot