Tour-de-Faure is a commune in the Lot region of Occitania, 30 km east of Cahors.
The territory of the locality is located on the right bank of the course of the Lot, the river serving as limit with the locality of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, on the left bank, charming medieval village perched on a spur dominating the valley, and of which Tour-de-Faure was detached to become an independent municipality in 1902.
The village of Tour-de-Faure owes its name to a family of knights, the parish has also worn the name "Montagnac" over the shares, donations and other episodes agitated in the Middle Ages or the Old regime. Strategic axis in terms of fluvial trade, the Lot was then dotted with villages to dwellings partly fortified. This is the case of Tour-de-Faure, which now has nearly 350 inhabitants. With its heritage, its authentic and picturesque character, its maritime tradition, its preserved environment in the heart of the Regional Natural Park of Causses of Quercy, the town became a last pleasant stage before reaching Saint-Cirq-Lapopie where converge each year more than 500 000 tourists.
Along the winding road from Cahors to Cajarc, the village overlooks the Causse has preserved several historic sites constituting a heritage that is both rich and varied.
The oldest is the Peyry-Carbonnières dolmen, which testifies to a human presence prior to our era, and which houses a burial chamber 3 meters long.
Outside the church of Saint-Etienne built in the eighteenth century on Romanesque foundations and remodeled in the nineteenth when was added a bell tower, the other buildings are private and can not be visited, but nevertheless deserve to be observed from the outside.
This is the case of the Tour de Faure which gave its name to the village and which dates from the 18th century. Four stories high, it is the last testimony of the siege of the seigneurial fief of the Faure family, which then changed several times as owner.
To see also at the level of the old port, the fortified house of Montanhagol, built in the 15th century on a spur overlooking the course of the Lot and the neighboring cliffs.
Finally, legacy of another part of the past but still in use, the lock of Crégols, upstream of the town, where the cruise ships have succeeded the gabarres of old, adds to the picturesque of the locality.
Still, the main asset of Tour-de-Faure is to offer the visitor, from any place where one is located on the municipal territory, a point of view without equal on the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, of its medieval heart, at the top of the hill, to its houses and beaches bordering the Lot through its stepped streets. This postcard landscape can be the setting for a relaxing and relaxing break at the picnic and sports area near the stadium.
But we can prefer a more tonic activity. Then go to the nautical base where "Lotaventure" offers canoe treks on the Lot, guided sessions of caving, climbing or canyoning for beginners or more experienced practitioners. Information on +33 5 65 22 24 19.
Nearby, an association rents cyclo-tourism bikes, mountain bikes or electric bikes to discover the village and its surroundings by combining sports and relaxation. Advice is provided to choose rewarding and secure routes.
For hiking trails, and they are legion along the river, for example using the towpath dug into the cliff or the trails leading to the heights of causses, not to mention the old path of Saint-Jacques which connects Figeac in Cahors, documentation and information on +33 5 65 53 20 65.
It may also be relevant to contact the House of the Regional Natural Park of Causses du Quercy which offers all year activities and workshops on the themes of the environment and heritage in all its forms (information on +33 5 65 24 20 50).
We will not forget the fishermen who can enjoy the waters of the Lot. Information on +33 5 65 35 50 22.
