Things to do locally near Le Moulin sur Célé

Local Things To Do

Things to do Locally near Le Moulin sur Célé

The house has a plenty of information on things to do in the local area. This is in a basket under the table as you go into the main house.

It includes local restaurants (in various price ranges), shops, markets, antique/bric-à-brac emporia, fairs and festivals, museums, medieval villages, towns and castles, as well as cultural and sporting activities of all kinds in the surrounding area.

The Croissant Run

The valley first thing in the morning and at dusk is sublime.

The seven minute drive to the boulangerie in Marcilhac-sur-cele is never a chore.

The road follows the river along the valley west, it’s a fantastic drive.

Be sure to get there nice and early and make your order for the rest of the week as they tend to sell out!

Organic Vegetable Farm Shop

The organic vegetable farm shop is a stone’s throw up the road to Brengues. It has a fantastic selection of the most wonderful, fresh local vegetables.

Turn right out of the drive, carry on a mile, do not take the first right across the bridge to Cajarc, carry on up the road another half mile and you will see a hamlet on your left. Drive up into the hamlet and park, there’s usually someone around.

Hiking in the National Park

The parc naturel regional des Causses du Quercy surrounds le Moulin. It has many well marked foot paths throughout the ‘blue path’ system. There are many ordinance survey maps of the local area showing the foot paths in the sitting room. These take you from Le Moulin around the Valley or further afield. A slightly longer two hour walk for instance starts at Marcilhac-sur-Cele (the next village west down the Valley) and follows the valley ridge towards Le Moulin before dropping down onto the river and finally back to Le Moulin (this is a blue-path route).

For the more intrepid walkers go online and you can pick up the well-trodden, ancient pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela in north west Spain.

Horse-Riding in National Park

We also highly recommend horse-riding with the local stable in the national park. It is very wild countryside above the valley for a half or full day outing.

Patrick will be glad to arrange this for you.

Cycling along the River Road

A bicycle ride following the river road has always been a huge hit with guests. The cycling is of course very easy and there are plenty of places to explore, swim and have picnics. There are picnic straw bags on the coat rack of the main house. We recommend putting a few goodies, a bottle of wine and spending the afternoon peddling gently along the river road.

Bicycle hire is found here at Monvelo in Livernon

Telephone number +33 (0) 565 114 045

Prices range between €13 and €35 per day depending on what you want (€35 being an electric bike). Clients should phone one week or two in advance to book the bikes.

Marion can also arrange this for you so please feel free to get in touch!

Cajarc – The Square

SUPPLIES

Cajarc is the local town for supplies. It has a beautiful square which has a very good market every Saturday.

The square has a number of high quality boulangeries, charcuteries, wine merchants, delicatessens, a pharmacy, a garage, tabac and a couple of boutique style shops.

It is extremely handy being a 15 minute drive away and serves up a great selection of food.

There is also a Supermarché which is open every day.

Cajarc – Old Town

SWIM AND ICE-CREAM

Behind the square is the old town which is extraordinarily beautiful, old and ramshackle. This is certainly worth a wander around and if you go a little farther you hit the river Lot on the other side of the town which is wider and slower – it’s a great stop off for a swim and ice cream after shopping in the square.

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie

Arguably France’s most beautiful village is a 29 km drive down D41. Saint-Cirq-Lapopie appears to cascade down a steep hill into the river Lot.

The drive along twisty roads is almost as beautiful as the town itself and gives me goose bumps thinking about the first time I saw it!

The Wildlife

Of particular excitement are the red squirrels. They are all over the area and can usually be found in the garden without too much searching. There are splendid butterflies and wood peckers swooping around the garden who have made Le Moulin their home.

The region is also well known for its wild boar, which are regularly down by the river bank snuffling for goodies, the evidence of their food gathering is easily spotted all over the grounds. The local chasseurs unfortunately keep the wild hog from taking over, much to Patrick’s delight.

Cahors – Capital of The Lot Department

The ancient city of Cahors is within an hour’s drive – its 14th century fortified bridge is of particular interest. The region around Cahors is widely known for its red wine, once rivalling the finest Bordeaux in terms of quality and price. There is a market on Saturday and good café life and sightseeing all week.

Cabrerets Cave Paintings

Pech Merle is a cave which opens onto a hillside at Cabrerets – about 35 minutes away by car. It is one of the few prehistoric cave painting sites in France that remain open to the general public. Extending for more than a mile from the entrance are caverns, the walls of which are painted with dramatic murals dating from the Gravettian culture (some 25,000 years BC).

Download our brochure and rate card to send to a friend or refer to later:

BROCHURE RATE CARD

Local Things To Do