Catus is a Lot locality in the Occitanie region, 20 km north-west of Cahors.
The landscape of the vast 21 km² municipality evokes the natural region of Bouriane in the north and the terraces of the Lot valley to the south, the village having developed in the small valley of the brook Green dominated by causses.
Catus took off in the 11th century when a priory was installed in the abbey of Saint-Michel de Cluze in Italy. In the twelfth century, the town is fortified and a castle is built which serves as the residence of the prior. But the Hundred Years War will be synonymous with decline. From the seventeenth century, the priory is no longer a parish church and the castle and fortifications, it remains only ruins in the nineteenth century. At that time, however, the village is prosperous thanks to its agriculture, shops and crafts. It has up to 1700 inhabitants.
There are now only about 900, but Catus has retained some of its heritage and enjoys a green environment always appreciated. In agriculture (breeding, production of cheese and foie gras) was added a tourist activity related to the development of a recreational base that adjoins the lake formed on the Green south of the locality. A charming step for anyone staying in Quercy.
The remains of the medieval priory are the primary wealth of the heritage of the town. This is the case of the former Priory church restored in the 15th and 16th centuries, now dedicated to Saint-Astier. Its massive aspect is reinforced by the presence in its surroundings of the bases of old conventual buildings. The facades and roofs bordering the church square have been registered.
The most notable element, however, is the former chapter house converted into a sacristy. The geminate bays are visible from the outside and the pillars supporting the vault adorned with historiated capitals. One of them is the blessed ones who are allowed to go to heaven...
Always on the religious level, to see then, the church Saint-Hilaire in the hamlet of Salvezou, in the north of the locality. It is an old chapel dating from the 14th and 16th centuries. Its simple architecture with a two-bayed nave, a flat chevet and a side chapel hides a richly decorated interior. Wall murals evoking biblical scenes such as Adam and Eve or the Flight to Egypt were brought to light, other murals being related to daily life (harvest, hunting). Carved decorations decorate the arch supports. We can still see the two tribunes (one being reserved formerly to the lord of the castle which was attached) and stained glass windows of the nineteenth century made by a master of Toulouse.
Back in the village, impossible to miss the beautiful market hall grain 1880 which was restored, and old houses whose medieval bases are linked to the golden age of the priory, such as the Square Tower decorated with a geminate window or the old house of the prior.
As tradition dictates, in the surrounding countryside, cherries (dry stone shepherds' shelters) dot the causses and lands devolved to pastoralism.
In terms of sports and recreation, it is the aptly named Green Lake that adjoins the eponymous brook which is the primary asset of Catus.
Artificially landscaped with a reservoir on the river, its area is 7 hectares. The lake and its surroundings were redeveloped in 2016. A sandy beach allows swimming, supervised, from mid-June to the end of August. Shaded areas are also available for lovers of idleness.
On this real leisure base, the public can also enjoy free access to football fields, basketball, tennis and beach volleyball, not to mention playgrounds for the little ones and places devoted to picnics. Finally, in the summer, the rental of pedal boats or canoes encourages you to enjoy the turquoise waters in a different way. All information on +33 5 65 20 86 40.
For fishing enthusiasts, note that their sites are dedicated to the banks of the lake (some are accessible to people with reduced mobility). They can also indulge their leisure along the Green. Information from the local association at +33 5 65 22 78 13.
For young athletes, again, a bike-cross track has been set up at the car park of the EHPAD of the town.
From the heart of the village or the lake, many hiking trails make it possible to apprehend the green surroundings of the town, formerly located on a path of Saint-Jacques. Maps and information on +33 5 65 53 20 65.
For those who prefer to ride these trails, contact the equestrian farm located on Catus at +33 5 65 20 06 24.
The third weekend of June, sports festival on the shores of Lake Green.
On the last weekend of June, the Chat d'Oc festival, named after one of the etymologies of Catus, features art exhibitions, concerts and a cat-themed craft market.
The second weekend of July, patronal festival with entertainment greedy, fun and musical.
Finally, every Tuesday morning, in the center of the village, a market with many stalls can apprehend the riches of the terroir of Quercy.
