Welcome to Le Ségala - in a great area to explore
Le Ségala is a hamlet of the commune of Cazillac near Martel in the northern part of the Lot, just south of the Correze. It is ideally situated for a relaxing holiday but with plenty of things to do and see.
The famous Dordogne river is nearby, meandering through beautiful cliff-hung gorges where you can rent a canoe and glide gently downstream, perhaps stopping off for a picnic on the riverbank and taking a swim. Elsewhere, both short and long walks are clearly marked to take in the magnificent scenery that first attracted your hosts to the area. Get out your binoculars and watch the buzzards and red kite soar above you, listen to our nightingale or watch the cirl buntings and hoopoes in the garden - in April and May search out the wild orchids of the Causse.
There are few large towns and a smattering of small ones and all are almost totally unspoilt by modern development. Many of these towns have wonderful markets which brim over with foie gras, strawberries, local wines, fresh produce, and the cheeses and breads for which France is so famous. Sit in a café and watch the world go by.
No visit to this area is complete without seeing Rocamadour, France's second most visited site after Mont St Michel. This medieval village clings to the rocks above the Alzou valley. It has been a place of pilgrimage for more than 900 years and has a lovely abbey reached via a steep stairway which the very devout still climb on their knees. It is quite commercial and very busy during the tourist season visit in the early evening when the sun goes down the whole village is lit up. There is a good choice of restaurants and cafes to suit most pockets.
Turenne with its eleventh century chateau perched on a craggy pinnacle is just ten minutes drive from Le Ségala. Elsewhere Curemonte boasts three chateaux dating from the Crusades and Collonges-la-Rouge is really a red sandstone village that gleams in the sunlight! Autoire, Loubressac and Carennac are not to be missed as are the caves at Padirac or, further afield, at Lascaux. There is a tourist train from Martel which takes in the spectacular scenery of the Dordogne valley. Martel, the town of seven towers and marvellous architecture, just 6 kms from Le Ségala, is well worth a visit and full of restaurants and cafés. Or venture further afield to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Brive, Figeac, Sarlat, St Céré, the Célé Valley and St Cirq Lapopie the list is endless.
There are opportunities for activities for everyone walking, rambling, swimming, canoeing, hang-gliding, micro lighting, rock climbing, golf, riding, cycling, pottery, painting and drawing ..... or simply sitting and relaxing in a stress-free environment.
Your hosts are able to provide you with a list of suggested drives that take in all the sights and views you have read about plus one or two hidden treasures. They can tell you about craftsmen and women whose studios you can visit and for those who are searching for a home of their own in this area, are a fund of information and can put you in touch with all the right people!
