Cajarc
The Vía Podiensis
Cajarc sits in a natural amphitheater of limestone cliffs on the north bank of the Lot, about 155 m above sea level. After the austerity of the causse, it feels like arriving somewhere. The town has a compact medieval center, good services, and real character.
Francoise Sagan was born here in 1935 at 45 Boulevard du Tour de Ville. She published Bonjour Tristesse at 19 and remained attached to Cajarc all her life. President Georges Pompidou owned a property on the causse above town and continued visiting after his election in 1969. The Maison des Arts Georges et Claude Pompidou, a contemporary art center with national recognition, was established in his honor.
In the old town, look for the Hebrardrie, a 14th-century palace with Gothic courtyard windows classified as Historic Monuments, and the Chapelle des Mariniers, whose apse is shaped like a ship's bow to cut the river current during floods. The 1842 suspension bridge connects to Salvagnac-Cajarc across the Lot.
Saffron has been cultivated on the causse around Cajarc since the Middle Ages, and local producers still maintain the tradition. The Africajarc festival in late July draws 25,000 people for music, dance, and art celebrating African cultures.
Services: bakery, grocery stores, tourist office, accommodation from gites to hotels including La Peyrade on the heights above town. The Saturday market is a good one. The EDF dam creates a 3 km stretch of flat water on the Lot that's popular for swimming and water sports.
Cajarc's central street follows the route of an ancient Gallo-Roman road. The town prospered as a river port on the Lot, which was a major trade route connecting Aquitaine to Auvergne. The Hebrardrie was built in the 14th century by Aymeric d'Hebrard, who also restored the Church of Saint-Etienne.
In the 19th century, phosphate quarrying brought new wealth. The suspension bridge was completed in 1842, replacing a ferry. Francoise Sagan, born Francoise Quoirez, was born here on 21 June 1935. In the 20th century, the presence of Sagan, Pompidou, and visiting intellectuals earned Cajarc the nickname the little Saint-Tropez of the Lot.
From Cajarc the path climbs steeply back onto the Causse de Limogne, one of the great limestone plateaux of the Quercy. You'll follow sections of the Cami Ferrat, an old Roman road built on Caesar's orders that connects Cahors to Caylus. The next two days cross dry, sparsely populated country with limited water and services. Fill your bottles and carry food.
Accommodation in Cajarc.
| Gîte d´étape communal de Cajarc 23*€ 20 |
| Gîte d´étape Le Pèlerin 17€ 20 |
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