Village de Montmarsis

Go down to Gourdon for your supplies, by all means, but it’s worth planning a bit of time to wander around the fortified village too, taking in its medieval centre and gateways. Follow up with strolls around Sarlat-la-Canéda (half an hour’s drive), which has plenty to see among its more than 250 listed buildings, and a trot around the castle and famed stairway of Rocamadour (40 minutes). Even more ancient than all of those are the prehistoric paintings daubed on the walls of the Grottes de Cougnac (five minutes’ drive). Need something a bit more active? Try bounding across the inflatables at AquaMonkey waterpark (five minutes), saddling up for horseback outings (five minutes) or hikes along the trails in the Causses du Quercy Regional Natural Park (20 minutes). If you’ve got nippers along for the ride, you may also like to try a day at Monkey Forest animal park (40 minutes); if not, the wineries of the Cahors region beckon (45 minutes).