The Lot

I really like getting out on the sea, especially the Atlantic Ocean but I do a lot of navigation on rivers too. France has very few lakes compared to New Zealand and the last time I was out on a lake in a boat was in Sweden in 1978! I first arrived in France in the Corrèze and Lot departments and ever since, try and get back here at least once a year. My brother-in-law lives in Figeac which make finding an excuse to go there much easier.

There are quite a few rivers here because this is quite a hilly (some would say small mountains) region leading on to the Massif Central to the east. Some are good for fast water kayaking and rafting, others more adapted to relaxed canoing. Canoe rental places are to be found along the Lot, Dordogne and Célé rivers with bus and trailer pickup at the end of a days paddling. There are spots where motor boats are allowed and the river is wide enough for water skiing and tubing.

You can come here to fish or look at old stone (I love the architecture of the old villages around here) and of course eat and drink! There are houseboats to rent on a section of the Lot river which is a pretty cool way of combining all of the above activities. I don't want to bore you with photos of the family so rather than a personal photo gallery here are some links to the tourist office's web site.

House boat rental
Canoing
Main page

Tony
May 2006