View towards the Church of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Lot Valley, south-west France
© Reinhard Schmid/Huber/eStock Phot
A cliff-hanging village. The medieval charm of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
The village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, perched high on a cliff overlooking the Lot river in the south of France, boasts plenty of medieval charm, with its brown-tiled roofs lined up along quaint alleys. Described as one of the most beautiful villages in France, each year thousands of visitors tread its ancient cobblestones, admiring its Gothic arches, hidden staircases and fortified doors.
At the beginning of the 20th century, many Parisian artists and gallery owners moved to this small village, soaking up the atmosphere and stunning views of the Lot Valley. It was the poet and writer André Breton who introduced the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie to the artistic world, establishing a summer residence here in the place he described as "an impossible rose in the night".