DORDOGNE - France 2014 - page 709

to the river level. Line up and wait for your boat. Pack into the boat with about a dozen
others for the slow row past a fantasy world of hanging cave formations. Get out and hike
a big circle with your group and guide, enjoying lots of caverns, underground lakes, and
mighty stalagmites and stalactites. Get back on the boat and retrace your course. Two el-
evators zip you back to the sunlight. The visit takes 1.5 hours (crowds make it take longer
in summer, when I'd skip it). Dress warmly.
Cost and Hours: €10,reserveonlineatleast48hoursaheadandsavelotsofwaiting,
daily July-Aug 9:30-20:30, April-June and Sept-early Nov 9:30-18:00, closed early Nov-
March,tel.[phone], www.gouffre-de-padirac.com . ForaknickknackPadirac,don't
miss the shop.
Sleeping in Rocamadour
Hotels are a deal here. Those in the upper La Cité (near L'Hospitalet) have views down
to Rocamadour and easier parking, but the spirit of St. Amadour is more present below, in
the medieval city (which I prefer). Every hotel—including the ones I recommend—has a
restaurant where they'd like you to dine.
$ Hôtel Belvédère**, in La Cité Religieuse, has 17 well-maintained, modern, and
appealing rooms, five of which have views over Rocamadour, and seven of which have
valleyviews(rooms#14-18havebestviews,Dbwithnoview-€65,Dbwithview-€77,tel.
05 65 33 63 25, www.hotel-le-belvedere.fr , [e-mail] ).
$ Hôtel-Restaurant le Terminus des Pèlerins**, at the western end of the pedestri-
anstreetinLaCitéMedievale,hasimmaculate,comfortableroomswithwoodfurnishings;
thebesthavebalconiesandfacethevalley.HelpfulownerGenevièvewasborninthishotel
(Db-€56, Db with view and balcony-€74, Tb/Qb-€82, tel. [phone], www.terminus-
des-pelerins.com , [e-mail] ) .
Near Rocamadour: $$ Moulin de Fresquet is simply idyllic. Here gracious Gérard
and his wife, Claude, have lovingly restored an ancient mill in a lush, park-like setting.
The five antique-furnished rooms come with wood beams, oodles of character, lovely ter-
races, chaise lounges, and a duck pond (with at least 50 ducks for pets, not for dinner).
Book well ahead (Db-€69-99, Db suite-€118, Tb suite-€138, includes breakfast, cash
only, closed Nov-March, in Gramat, tel. [phone], mobile [phone],
www.moulindefresquet.com , [e-mail] ). Go to Gramat, then follow
signs toward Figeac. The chambres d'hôte is well-signed at the east end of Gramat, at a
big roundabout.