Activities near Le Paradis:
We have our own website - please contact us for details.
There are canoe rental locations up and down the valley. Our favorite operator takes us upstream a few kilometers, so that we get to cruise past the house - we always stop for a beer - it's hard work after all! From Sauliac the current takes you a few kilometers further down the valley back to the base camp.
A local organization called Les Amis du Cele offer outdoor activities of all kinds, including caving, canoeing, rock climbing, astronomy, and nature-based courses. Horse riding, microlight, and paragliding are also available locally.
Larger towns nearby:
There are three attractive large towns nearby, all of them about 40 minutes drive from Le Paradis. To the wast is Cahors, the main town of the Lot, with its famous bridge, the Pont Valentre, claimed by some to be the most beautiful bridge in the world. To the east is Figeac, an 11th century market town with attractive shops set among its narrow streets, a covered market and the Champoleon museum. To the south-east is Villefranche-de-Rouergue on the river Averon, with its beautiful central square, surrounded by a maze of narrow streets.
Closer to home is the small town of Cajarc, which has an attractive circular layout. It houses all the essentials: a medium sized supermarket, several boulangeries, several grocery stores, a butcher, a supermarket, a pharmacy, a dry cleaner, and several restaurants and cafes.
Local villages:
Our neighboring villages are Cabrerets and Marcillhac. Each have a good general store, a post-office, a boulangerie and a restaurant. Cabrerets is home to Pech Merle, a cave system containing impressive artwork from 25000 years ago. Unlike the more famous caves at Lascaux to the north, at Pech Merlre you get to see the actual paintings - this is a must for anyone interested in art or in human history. Marcillhac was an important town at the height of the pilgrim era, and boasts an impressive abbey, now partly in ruins. Throughout the summer both villages host small markets.
There is a very attractive, well stocked market at Limogne to the south every Sunday morning. It is excellent for fruit and vegetables, spices, and olives, but there is also meat, cheese, and bread. For those that arrive on Saturday and who don't have time to get to a supermarket, or for those who simply prefer shopping in a market, this is the ideal place to get stocked up.
Other Activities:
canoeing, pot-holing, astronomy (v dark), wild flowers, wine tasting
