Only 5 miles from our French self catering villa there’s an impressive 13 meter deep lock – at the Villeneuve hydro electric power station
And upstream from our holiday home barn conversion is the pretty ecluse de Lustrac – a lock and mill in the middle of the river
Very close to our French villa there’s canoe hire and boat rental at Chateau Rogé and marina. Turn right on the D661 Villeneuve road by the sign to La Grace [the leisure site sign is actually facing the other direction!] and follow the road as far as you can go
www.ville-villeneuve-sur-lot.fr/base-de-roge.php
Chateau de Rogé has basket ball, golf, archery and canoeing for 10-16 year olds in the weekday school holidays
Even if you don’t enrol, it’s a good place to have an ice cream on a hot day and watch all the boating nonsense. Or just walk round the beautiful grounds
If you do rent a boat, you can get up and downstream for about 45 minutes; downstream through the 13 meter deep Villeneuve hydro electric power station lock; or upstream through the ecluse de Lustrac – a lock and mill in the middle of the river. You can also hire boats from Port de Penne by the hour, half day, day
Both locks are worth a visit by car if you don’t have a boat. Take one of the lefts on the road to Villeneuve past LeClerc to find Villeneuve lock and hydroelectric station. Drive down to the river from the village of Trentels on the Fumel road to find the Ecluse de Lustrac
There’s another canoe place a little further upstream on the Lot @ Puy l’Evique – but the Dordogne is much better for canoeing
About an hour’s drive from our French villa, on the way to Sarlat on the D60, there are loads of places to canoe and swim in the Dordogne, for example Pont de Vitrac, or a little closer @ Cenac
http://goedhart.tripod.com/dordogne.html
There are 3 man made lakes near our French Villa each with a sandy beach for swimming
Beauville is the best and the prettiest with a cafe and diving area
http://www.les2lacs.info
Montaigu-de-Quercy and Montcuq both have beaches
Why not go to Montaigu-de-Quercy beach on Saturday after the market
Or Montcuq beach on Sunday after the market
http://www.tourisme-montcuq.com/la-baignade.html
There are many lakes in the area of our French Villa suitable for walking, swimming and relaxing
Montaigu-de-Quercy and Montcuq both have municipal-run lakes each with a beach – why not go to Montcuq lake on Sunday after the market
http://www.tourisme-montcuq.com/la-baignade.html
St Beauzeal is a hidden away jewel – you drive up the side of the Marie de St Beauzeal. There’s also a pretty church and rambles
Beauville also has a lake – suitable for taking a disposable barbeque
http://www.les2lacs.info
Close to our French villa there are two Grottes featuring stalactites and stalagmites, both sites just off the road to Agen from Villeneuve sur Lot
- Les Grottes de Lastournelle is probably the best. Low key guided tour (in French) but you do see amazing natural formations. Take the Pujol road from Villeneuve and you can stop in Pujol on the way for a walk round. Market Sunday
http://dejagrand.infobebes.com/htm/sorties/sortie_fiche.asp?id_sortie=730
- Les Grottes de Fontirou
http://www.grottes-fontirou.com/accueil.htm
Take a look inside
La Rouquette French barn conversion
You can fish on most lakes in France with a day ticket – Billet Peche Journalier. There are 2 lakes nearby on the other side of valley from La Rouquette French self catering holiday home – between Massoulès and Penne d’Agenais
Get your day ticket from any Tabac or the fishing shop in St Sylvestre
Stocked Trout Lake – Les Etang de Riol
On the way to Sarlat – just after Daglan on the D60 from Villefranche – is a lake stocked with trout. You pay by the weight caught
There is a speciality duck and foie gras restaurant in Frespech, about 10 minutes from our French holiday cottage though we’ve never been
Its name is Occitane – La Taulejada 05 53 41 23 24
It’s inside the walls of the old bastide and you can dine outside in good weather
Chez Khadi 05 53 95 40 85 on the main road in Lacardayreabout 10 minutes south of La Rouquette French barn conversion
It’s definitely sitting in – so good for a day when the weather’s not so good, but excellent food cooked by the resident North African chef. Try the vegetable soup.
Again watch out for Tuesday or Wednesday closure