Trails in Lot

From arid Causses to lush valleys

The Lot is a bit like a good goat cheese—dry on the outside but tender inside. With an area of 5,217 km², the department offers you an astonishing variety of landscapes for your nature run. You'll love treading the paths of the Regional Natural Park of Causses du Quercy, a vast limestone plateau where downy oaks and dry meadows will make you feel like you're running deep in the south 🌳. Don't be surprised if you come across gaping holes because the ground here is a real giant gruyere. The most famous is, of course, the Gouffre de Padirac, a monumental natural cavity that descends 103 meters deep, the perfect place to test your vertigo before climbing back up 🦇. The climate is rather mild, with hot summers that make cicadas sing and mild winters, perfect for running all year round without freezing ☀️. It's the ideal environment to work on your proprioception on rocky paths that require constant vigilance 👀.

Diabolical legends and dizzying heritage

Running here is also a trip back in time. You can't come to Lot without greeting the Pont Valentré in Cahors, a fortified medieval structure classified by UNESCO. Legend has it that the architect made a pact with the Devil to finish it, so if you smell sulfur at the 30th kilometer, don't worry, it's normal 😈. You will also have to face the sacred elevation of Rocamadour, the dizzying city clinging to its cliff like a limpet on its rock. Climbing the 216 steps of the Grand Staircase of the pilgrims on the run is the ultimate test to validate your physical preparation ⛪. In Figeac, the hometown of Champollion, you can try to decipher your split times as he deciphered the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone 📜. And if you hear a local exclaim "Adiu!" or talk about "drôle" to refer to a child, it's because Occitan still sings in the Quercynois valleys 🗣️.

Royal refreshment and a busy calendar

After the effort, the reward is not an option here; it's a religion. Lotois gastronomy is made for gourmets, with the black truffle from Quercy at the top of the list, the "black diamond" which you unfortunately won't find at the refreshment station 🍄. However, you can recover with a good creamy Rocamadour cheese or a slice of pastis (the cake, not the anise-flavored drink), all washed down in moderation with a glass of black Cahors wine, reputed since the Middle Ages for reinvigorating tired bodies 🍷. On the sports side, take a keen look at the trail calendar because it's hefty. It's impossible not to mention the Ultra Trail Causses & Vallées, the flagship event crossing the most beautiful spots of the department, or the Trail des Fontaines which will make you discover local hydraulic heritage 💧. If you love vineyards, the Grand Trail des Cadourques is for you, while the Trail de l'Aqueduc will offer you a Roman history lesson while running. Finally, the Urban Trail de Cahors will allow you to visit the prefecture in a fun and intense way 🏙️.

A race in Lot is the promise of sharing a moment of pure conviviality, far from the stress of big cities, with volunteers who have hearts of gold. So, don't wait any longer to book a bib and come measure yourself against the land of Wonders.

Come on, choose your next challenge below and show us what you've got! 👇