Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. It is a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The most beautiful villages in France) association.
The village is situated on a steep cliff 100 meters above the Lot River, and has a rich history dating back to the 13th century. It was the main seat of one of the four viscounties that made up Quercy, a former province of France. The village was divided among four feudal dynasties: the Lapopie, Gourdon, Cardaillac and Castelnau families.
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie has attracted many artists and writers over the years, such as the Post-Impressionist painter Henri Martin, the Surrealist poet André Breton, and the Lithuanian-born communist activist Charles Rappoport. Breton, who founded the Surrealist movement, said, “I no longer want to be anywhere else,” when he spoke of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie.
The village contains many beautiful stone buildings with brown-tiled roofs that date back to the 13th to 16th centuries. Some of the notable landmarks include the Gothic church of Saint-Cirq, the fortified gates of the village, the Maison de la Fourdonne (the oldest house in the village), and the Maison Daura (the former residence of the artist Pierre Daura).
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is also a popular destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. The village overlooks the unspoiled views of the Vallée du Lot (the Lot Valley), where visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing, and cruising along the river. One of the attractions along the river is the towpath, which was carved by hand in the mid 1800s and decorated with intricate seashells, sand dollars and other designs by a local artist.
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie was voted France’s favorite village in 2012, and it’s not hard to understand why. It is a place of stunning beauty, historical charm, and artistic inspiration.