The Region

The department of the Lot – the old region of Quercy – is rich in historical sites from prehistoric caves to ancient castles, hill-top villages and pilgrim shrines. One of the least developed regions of France, and as yet unspoilt by tourism, the region offers peace, tranquility and at the same time a wealth of places of interest.

Shops & Services

Beduer village has a hairdresser and a bar/café which also sells bread. For all other shopping and services the medieval market town of Figeac is just 7 kilometres away with banks, supermarkets, garages and local traders. Figeac market, which covers most of the town centre on Saturday mornings, is full of lively local colour and bargains galore from local produce to imported clothes. Villefranche just 45 minutes to the south holds its market on Thursdays.

As the only town of its size for 40 km in any direction, Figeac boasts all of the services the region needs including bars, cafes and restaurants to police, fire service, schools, doctors, dentists and a hospital.

Lists of local services, emergency numbers etc. are made available to all our visitors.

Getting Here

When arriving by train, the best option is Figeac, just 15 minutes away. Car rental is available in the town. Alternatively, Brive-la-Gaillarde (1h 15m by car, including a toll road) and Cahors (1h away) are both served by fast trains from Paris. Car rentals are available at both of these locations.
The fastest trains from Paris Austerlitz to Brive take 4 hours. Add 1 ½ hours more for the connection to Figeac.
There is an overnight Motorail service from Paris to Brive: you and your car travel separately on the same train. The price covers your car and up to six people in a private reserved compartment.
The distance from Calais to Béduer via Paris is about 862 km, 535 miles. This can take 8 hours in good conditions without breaks, and includes a number of toll roads. Most people either allow longer or take a less direct route with an overnight stop.
Other routes avoiding tolls are possible: via Rouen, Orleans and Limoges, for example, 868 km taking about 11 hours. Journeys from other Channel ports may be slightly shorter, but with a longer crossing.
The nearest airports are at Rodez, Brive, Toulouse, Limoges, Bergerac and Aurillac.
Rodez (60 km, 37 miles, 1hr); services from Paris Orly, Dublin and Stansted. Car rental available.
Brive (85km, 53 miles, 1hr); services from Paris, London City, Stansted, Amsterdam, Porto and Ajaccio. Car rental is available.
Toulouse (142 km, 89 miles, 2 hours); a full-service international airport with direct and connecting flights to every part of the world and the usual services including all the major car rental firms.
Limoges (196 km, 122 miles, 2h 15m); services from Paris and nine UK airports including Stansted and Luton. Car rental available.
Bergerac (155 km, 96 miles, 2h 36m); services from Amsterdam, Brussels and 11 UK airports including Gatwick and Stansted. Car rental is available.
Aurillac (60 km, 38 miles, 1h); services from Paris. Car rental is available.
Flight destinations are correct as of late 2014; some routes are seasonal and all are subject to change without notice.
There are private airports at Figeac-Livernon (LFCF, tarmac) (20 km, 12 miles, 20 minutes) and Villefrance de Rouergue (LFCV, grass) (32 km, 20 miles, 40 minutes).

Sightseeing

There are more than two dozen medieval towns and villages within an hour’s drive from Beduer and all have their attractions, so we are listing below just a few of our favourites.

Figeac is a delightful market town on the river Célé just 7km from Beduer. Founded in the 9th century around its abbey, the town has preserved many of its old stone buildings and narrow streets dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, including a Commandery of the Knights Templars and the 13th century Hôtel de la Monnaie, now housing a local history museum and tourist office. In 1790 Figeac was the birthplace of Jean-Francois Champollion who deciphered the Rosetta Stone and enabled the world to read hieroglyphics. Quite appropriately the town now hosts the national museum of writing, the Musee Champollion, with a huge replica of the Rosetta Stone in its courtyard. Of the old abbey buildings, all that remains is the church of St Sauveur. The cloisters, demolished after the revolution have become the Place de la Raison. The church holds a remarkable treasury of gold artifacts.
Rocamadour, a remarkable village built into a cliff and about 45 minutes north of Beduer, has been a pilgrimage site since the 11th century and is now the second most popular tourist site in France after Mont St Michel. The best time to visit is in the early morning before the tourists arrive. Park at L’Hospitalet for the best view of the village.
The Célé valley will reward a slow meandering drive, stopping along the way at the pilgrim halt of Espagnac St Eulalie and the village of Marcillac with its delightful church and the ruins of its once-powerful abbey, and where lunch at the Restaurant des Tourists (it is advisable to book) provides a unique gastronomic experience.
the beautiful Renaissance Chateau de Montal near St Céré an hour to the north, and which has close historical connections with Beduer,
the village of Carennac with its abbey on the Dordogne,
Villefranche de Rouergue with its colossal church and Thursday morning market,
Belcastel on the river Aveyron with its superbly restored medieval chateau,
Capdenac le Haut, a hill-top village above the river Lot which has a strong claim to have been the site of Uxellodunum, the last stronghold of Vercingetorix the Gaul against the Romans under Julius Ceasar,
and if you have an hour or so to spare before your flight home from Rodez airport, don’t miss Rodez Cathedral with its remakable architecture and Mise au Tombeau.