is well situated is well situated opposite the station and just ten minutes’ walk from the historic old town. Expect Art Nouveau stained glass, traditional atmosphere, and seasonal dishes in the Bistro 1911. I start by picking up a free map at the Tourist Office in Place Mitterand, separated from the historic Old Town by Boulevard Léon Gambetta, a broad thoroughfare on the line of the medieval ramparts. Gambetta’s father ran a grocery shop beside the Cathedral and young Léon, born in 1838, went on to become a lawyer and republican politician who played a prominent role in the Third Republic from 1870. Next door to the Tourist Office, the Cahors Malbec Lounge is the go-to spot for understanding the Lot Valley’s famous wines. Not just red, I discover, but white, rose and sparkling too, served here in traditional local glasses that incorporate a ring of glass in the stem. Choose from four tasting options from 6 to 16 euros per person. Guilhem, my wine guide, explains that of the 70 domaines and 180 wine makers within Appelation Lot, 80% are independent, the others part of a co-operative. And whilst the grapes are mostly Malbec, blends can include up to 30% of other local varieties. The Malbec Lounge showcases up to six domaines each week to help visitors find their favourite and maybe book a vineyard visit. Tasting over, I turn my back on the Old Town for a while and head west for the short walk across the isthmus to Pont Valentré, built – very slowly – in the 13 th Century close to the Fontaine des Chartreux. With its six arches and three imposing towers, this unique medieval bridge is listed by UNESCO as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. On a small grassy bank beside the first tower, I’m surprised to find rows of vines that turn out to be more than just an advertisement for the area’s liquid treasure. ‘The Garden of Inebriation’ is the start of the town’s Secret Gardens itinerary, a self-guided trail of 21 themed plots that are an intrinsic part of Cathedral, Cahors Le Jardin Mauresque– Moorish 'Secret Garden Henri Martin/ Vignes en automne © City of Cahors, A Laoudouar Henri Martin/ La Bastide © City of Cahors, A Laoudouar local life. Launched in 2002, they gained Remarkable Garden status in 2006 and are maintained on eco-friendly principles. Organic matter is recycled; beds regularly mulched; and plants chosen for their suitability to climate and soil. Pick up the free annotated trail guide. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Divona retreated to land on the eastern side of the isthmus. Enclosed with a ditch and ramparts in the 7 th century, the town grew steadily in importance thanks to its road and river trade links, attracting merchants, bankers and medieval entrepreneurs. Stroll today through the heart of the historic town and you can still see their imposing houses with arcades for shops and workshops at street level and elegant windows above, the accolade of oldest property in town going to the half-timbered corner house at 12 Rue de la Daurade. The nearby Cathedral of St Stephen boasts two of the largest cupolas in south-west France and an ornate carved tympanum as well as vestiges of medieval wall paintings. And I find several Secret Gardens nearby including a colourful Moorish Garden with its bright mosaics and running water; the raised beds of the Monks’ Kitchen Garden; and the Flower Garden providing altar flowers for the Cathedral. For an allergy-friendly restaurant with a different menu every day, try Restaurant Marie Colline nearby. I have another treat in store before leaving Cahors. Crossing back across Boulevard Gambetta, I come to the Henri Martin Museum, reopened in May 2022 in the former Bishop’s palace after major refurbishment. This unmissable museum is dedicated to the celebrated post-Impressionist painter, born in 1860 in Toulouse and a lifelong lover of the Lot countryside. In 1900, Henri Martin bought the Domaine de Marquayrol, 23 km from Cahors where he spent five months every summer painting local scenes. The new-look museum brings together on three floors an eclectic range of exhibits acquired by the City of Cahors including 92 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 93
