We are delighted to offer: Rowing and touring the lovely Lot river valley: April 24th to 30th, 2018
All the details are below: click on each tab and scroll down to bring up the appropriate information. If you would like to join us, the details and costs tab will allow you to put a deposit so that we hold a spot for you. If you have any questions, please call or e-mail us!
Accommodations and Sustenance
We will be staying in a combination of small hotels close to our rowing stages, and lovely private manors transformed into bed and breakfast accommodations.
Some rooms...
The Quercy and the Perigord are reputed gastronomic regions of France, well known for the foie gras, black truffles, cheeses, fruits and of course, wines...We plan on visiting the outdoor market in Cahors, ranked one of the best outdoor markets in France. The climate in this region is softer and moderated by the proximity of the 
Atlantic, and we will be there for the strawberry season. The Dordogne specializes in varietal strawberries, and is a protected nomenclature, so we are in for a treat!
Malbec, the black wine, has been grown in this region since the Middle Ages, and is the source of all the Malbec grown in Argentina today. We will include some Domaine visits and tastings in our afternoons.
We will lunch locally to refuel in a civilised way after our row, in the towns we arrive in, or have a catered picnic by the river, weather permitting.
In the evenings, after a long day of rowing and sightseeing, we will dine in our hotels, which have been chosen for their restaurants, or in the case of the domaines, our hosts will cater dinner for us. You can stroll back to your room on your own steam!
River and Boats
The Lot, originally spelled l'Olt or water, is the longest tributary river in France, and was the only transportation artery in the Middle Ages for the wealthy Aquitaine area, of Eleanor fame. From the 12thC through to the mid 19thC the river was used to transport primarily wine, but also wood (for barrels), and quarried stone downstream to the ports, while salt, spices, and other goods flowed inland in traditional flat bottomed boats named "gabarres". The original gabarres were towed from the tow path which is still in evidence along the river. Because of the Lot's inconsistent flow, this traffic was inconveniently limited to the fall and winter months..
This unpredictability led Colbert in the 17thC to improve the flow with a series of locks and weirs. The need for coal in the 19thC led to another round of improvements to navigation. The railroads however spelled the end of fluvial navigation, and for our benefit, the river was closed in 1926 to commercial navigation.
Because the river was the highway of the day, chateaux and monasteries are located along its banks for our travelling pleasure.Today it is a calm scenic waterway, dotted with docks and ancient structures.
We will be rowing coxed quads lent to us by our friends from the Charente trip, similar to the one pictured above. Coxing is very agreeable though not so athletic, so typically we rotate through the position. Most of the locks are self operated, but luckily, we will have our trusty lock operators/chauffeurs to help us, John and George..
We will row between 10 and 20 km each day, starting early and ending in time for lunch. We will be rowing through the natural reserve of the Quercy, where the river has carved cliffs that have been inhabited since prehistory, and through the Malbec wine appellation. The afternoons are reserved for tours of this rich heritage. Please refer to the schedule for more details.
Location and Travel
The Lot river is located in southwest France, just south of the Dordogne, and north of Toulouse. You would fly into Toulouse, or train into Cahors. Toulouse is an international airport with connecting flights from Paris and other european capitals. There are also multiple intercity trains each day from Paris (a little over 5 hour trip to Cahors, 3 hour high speed train to Toulouse).You can also drive from Paris in around 6 hours.
Toulouse is an 80 minute drive to our meeting place, and we will be happy to arrange a shared taxi with other campers, if you choose not to rent a car. If you do wish to rent a car, we have used Europcar and Sixt rentals succesfully in the past, as well of course as the big ones, Hertz and Avis.
Our Schedule
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Tuesday, 24th of April: Meet at our first hotel, dinner together. |
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The details...
As anyone who has done camps with us in the past knows, we like to eat well and be comfortable. We take care of all the planning details for you. The cost is $3900 double occupancy, (single supplement $300), all inclusive of housing, meals, boats, transportation to rowing and side trips. We do not include your transportation to and from site on the first day and the last. The cost for a non-rower, sharing a rowers room, is $1700.
Payment schedule: |
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| Rowers | Non rower (in rowers room) | ||
| Deposit (due on sign-up) : | $700.00 | $300.00 | |
| First payment (due 1/15/2018) | $1600.00 | $700.00 | |
| single supplement:(due 1/15/2018) | ($300) | ||
| Final payment (due 03/15/2018) | $1600.00 | $700.00 | |