Montcuq
The Vía Podiensis
Montcuq is a hilltop town dominated by a 12th-century donjon, a 24-meter tower that's all that remains of the medieval fortress. Climb to the top for views across the Quercy Blanc in every direction. The town has a compact, attractive center with stone houses cascading down the hill.
Yes, the name. In French, it's famously homophonous with a phrase meaning my backside, and the town has leaned into the joke rather than running from it. But there's substance behind the comedy. Montcuq has proper services: bakery, grocery, pharmacy, restaurants, gites, and hotels. The Tuesday market is lively.
Montcuq's strategic hilltop position made it a prize during the medieval period. During the Albigensian Crusade, Simon de Montfort besieged and captured the castle in 1212. The town changed hands repeatedly between the French and English during the Hundred Years' War. The Cathar connection runs deep in this part of the Quercy, and Montcuq was one of many fortified towns caught between the northern crusaders and the southern lords who sheltered the heresy.
The donjon you see today is a 12th-century survival. Most of the rest of the castle was destroyed during the Wars of Religion in the 16th century.
From Montcuq the path heads southwest toward Lauzerte through rolling farmland. The terrain is gentle with moderate undulations. You'll pass through several small hamlets with limited or no services. The landscape is open and agricultural, with long views.
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