Gouffre de Padirac
There are a couple of more touristy sites we wanted to see and do in the northern Lot area, two of which are in the same area so we decided to make a day of them on the motorbike, now that holidaymakers have departed. The first was the Gouffre de Padirac, a huge chasm and series of underground vaults, rivers and lakes created by underground water erosion and discovered in the late 1880s. The first area is reached by a staircase that takes you down 75 metres into the chasm and then you continue further underground via ‘tunnels’ and vaults to a boat boarding point.
From there we went on a punt-type boat along an underground river through the rock to a larger lake area, 103 metres below the surface. We were then able to walk further through to more huge vaults displaying classic underground rock formations created by water dripping over millions of years. The way out was the same way back, so another boat ride before tackling the staircase up to the surface. Fortunately, for the last part of the ascent it’s obligatory to take the lift – and we weren’t going to complain about that. The cave system actually extends for 19kms, so the public only gets to see a fraction of it and potholers are still exploring it to this day. A very impressive and well run site and even a very good restaurant on site for lunch.
As we headed to our next destination we realised that the road took us almost past the well known ‘Grand Site’ of Rocamadour and we just had time to look out on that from a viewpoint area. Claire visited the town that clings to the hillside about 8 years ago but Joe hasn’t been there, so may be in the list to go back to, particularly out of season.
Martel train à vapeur
On to our next destination of the medieval village of Martel for a trip on a steam train. The train runs on a section of the former Bordeaux to Aurillac line that was built in the 1880s – it was all happening in that time in this area. Martel was the heart of truffle commerce and the trains were used to transport this valuable cargo from this area until disease killed off the oak trees. Indeed the steam train is called ‘Le Truffadou’. The section of the line and the engines are now owned, restored and maintained by an association of employees and volunteers, like so many similar lines in the UK. The ticket office and waiting area includes a beautiful copper bar area which was removed from one of the ‘silver bullet’ Trans-Europ Express carriages that the association owns.
We had expected a fairly sedate trip through the countryside and the first surprise was the open carriages, their standard carriages although very suitable for these Covid times. The second was the incredible panoramas across the Dordogne valley as we wound our way down a drop of 120 metres, through tunnels cut by hand through the stone in the 1881 and 1882. We had a chance to look at it all again on the route back. Satnav gave us a creative route back to camp as well, determined not to take a straight road when a farm track was available!
Bonjour. It sounds as though you are in a different world post the return of the schools. How lovely! Your photos and descriptions of the Gouffres de Padirac brought back very happy memories for me. I went there with my parents many moons ago, but still have very vivid recollections of the depth of the caves and the boat ride across the lake. Lovely to see your adventure. Clare x
Hi Clare lovely to hear that you know the Gouffre as well. We kept thinking about what it was like for the people who discovered it all those years ago with no more light than a torch in front of them. Certainly noticing how much quieter everything is. Hope all well with you. C x