Lot Valley , France

The river Lot is a river relatively little known outside France, though its valley has stretches of scenic beauty which fall little short of the grandeur of the Tarn valley.
The Lot rises at an altitude of 1,400m/4,600ft on Mont Goulet in the Cévennes, flows through the whole of the southern Massif Central and after traversing Quercy joins the Garonne in the Agenais (the region round Agen) after a total course of 480km/300mi. In earlier times it was an important navigable waterway, linking Auvergne and the town of Cahors with Bordeaux. It is now popular with canoe and kayak enthusiasts, who find excitement in traversing the gorges between Espalion and Entraygues - though the less expert will do well to keep below Entraygues.

The Pont Valentre - crossing the River Lot at Cahors

The scenery of the Lot valley alternates between the gently beautiful and the wild and rugged. The roads which run through the valley give visitors an excellent opportunity of enjoying the scenery of this most characteristic of French rivers and seeing its towns and villages.

Chateau Bonaguil and restaurant below

The most striking section of the valley is in the Gorges du Lot, the succession of gorges which, particularly between Estaing and Pont de Coursavy, challenge comparison with the gorges of the Tarn. Here the valley is caught between walls of rock some 300m/1,000ft high. At Entraygues-sur- Truyère the Lot is joined by the Truyère, with the impressive Gorges de la Truyère, which cut through the hills of Auvergne to the Viaduc de Garabit, interrupted by a number of imposing dams and beautiful artificial lakes; for much of the way, however, the road runs at some distance from the river. There is also a dam in the Gorges du Lot, at Golinhac, near Estaing.