Cahors is a medieval city in the Southwest of France, known for its beautiful vineyards and its "black" wine. But other than the average Wikipedia facts, what can be said about Cahors? Contrary to popular belief THIS is the home of Malbec wine. There is a reason, however, that it doesn't stand in the spotlight.
In the Middle Ages, this was one of the most popular regions for wine. Geography and lack of technology, however, kept Bordeaux at the forefront. In order for Cahors to transport wine to other countries, it had to stop at the port of Bordeaux, where they didn't allow the boats to come through. The only time Bordeaux allowed shipments was during the winter months, in which it was too cold to be at sea. Cahors had virtually no way around this for several hundred years.

La Villa Cahors Malbec

Thank god for technology, because now we can drink a proper Malbec from anywhere in the world! If you visit this clean, friendly city, stop in La Villa Cahors Malbec for a great tasting. Don't be surprised to walk out of there with black teeth though; these wines are far darker than any you've seen yet.  There are also 10,000 acres of vineyards, that are worth taking a drive through.

Even if you had a Back to the Future DeLorean, you wouldn't notice much change in the town of Pujols. The medieval, 11th century village located in the South of France is frozen in time. Okay so you may notice a few iPhones here and there but hey, let's use our imagination!
Although Pujols has less than 4,000 inhabitants, it most certainly does not fall short in the tourism department. Several English flock here to catch the epic view of the Lot-et-Garonne department and to see the quaint neighborhood made of stone. It is picture-perfect, and indeed another member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages in France).
You can walk Pujols in a matter of 15 minutes, or in a matter of 45 if you are an obsessive picture-taker like myself. To enter, you must walk through the gates of the Bell Tower. The town has been fortified since the 13th century and those walls ain't movin'! As with most fortifications, there was once a castle, but unfortunately for us there are few remains left.
The church of Saint Nicholas and the church of Saint Foy are the main attractions. Saint Nicholas was made a college by John Pujols in the early 1500's. Saint Foy was built nearly a century later, strictly for religious purposes; now, however, it is being held as an art exhibit with gorgeous but EXPENSIVE pieces.
More than anything, I enjoy this home. Each time I visit the owner is outside with her cat, watching the action. The exterior is decorated from top to bottom in gorgeous flowers and all I want is to be able to see what the inside looks like! I won't deem her the Cat Lady, but most certainly the Lady of Pujols.
Facing directly in front of her home is a great restaurant, Le Bastidou. It is one of the only spots to go in Pujols, so thankfully it is good. If you are there in the summer, you just may not find a table. However, in the off season the village is fairly quiet. I recommend May-Sept because the view and the flowers are so much more vibrant.
From a photography standpoint Pujols is a dream. Between the decorated window sills, the view of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, and the tiny streets, it's a postcard in itself. If you are as daring as I was you will hop up on the Pujols sign and take a picture (good luck getting up there though. I had a 6-foot-3-inch boyfriend to help!).

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is incredible. I have never ever seen any other village like this in France. It doesn't even seem real, at least not until you have to walk ridiculous inclined streets, then reality sits in. It is one of the most popular stops in the Lot department and on the list of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.
This small, medieval town looks over the Lot River and is so high up that your nose could bleed. You need to drive, and you need to bring a big chunk of change to pay for parking. They give you 30 minutes free but it isn't physically possible to visit the town that fast (plus would you really want to?).
Walking the streets is like walking through a museum, everything and anything is historical. It is also extremely overcrowded during the summer months so it is best to visit in May or September. You will want good pictures of this village, I promise.

Fort de Saint-Cirq-Lapopie

In Saint-Cirq-Lapopie there are many shops, restaurants, and attractions. The main attraction is the thirteenth century fort that acted as a defense mechanism for the village. You can hike your way up to the top! It's breathtaking, unless you're afraid of heights then in that case it's the worst thing you'll ever encounter.

All I have to say is WOW! Beaumont-du-Périgord is right out of a dream. It's an Anglo-Saxon's picture-perfect piece of France. I say picture because although you see France, all you hear is English! The Brits love the Dordogne for this exact reason--it is breathtaking.
It's a rather small village, so it is a great stop if your touring the area and want some quick, framing-worthy photos.

Here's what to see:

1. La Bastide

Three hours, one canoe, and one highly uncoordinated couple, made for one of the best days I've had in France yet. Mathieu and I decided yesterday to venture out to the Dordogne region and have an active afternoon. We rented with Canoē Raid for 30 euros from 1pm-6pm. They were extremely helpful in sending us on the less beaten path, avoiding the hundreds of tourists canoeing down the river. Money worth spent!
The Dordogne region is surrounded by gorgeous castles just about everywhere. You have the option to take various routes, however the most popular is between Cenac and Beynac in which you canoe/kayak past the châteaux. Mathieu and I witnessed the overcrowding and decided to go elsewhere, because it didn't look enjoyable.

Photo Credit: http://www.a-canoe-raid.com

Canoë Raid sent us on our way between Groléjac and Cénac, a path more surrounded by nature, and far less cramped. Here is the map to give you and idea of where we went. Along this you are able to see Château de Montfort (a medieval piece of heaven in my eyes).
I'll be honest I've never canoed in my life. This in itself, along with the fact I'm in France surrounded by gorgeous scenery, was indeed an experience. Mathieu could have killed me for the first hour though, in which I had zero idea how to keep the canoe straight. We laughed so hard when we ended up going face first into the bushes.
Back to Château de Montfort. It is BREATHTAKING! I recommend you put "Canoeing by castles," on your bucketlist, or better yet "Canoeing the Dordogne." Between this, the beautiful homes, caves, and nature in general, it's amazing. There are also mini beaches to stop at to have a picnic or restaurants to dine at. The only thing we missed (due to my stearing) was the rope swings! So do it for me please.

Saint-Émilion is one of those whimsical French villages taken right out of a painting. The town is small, quaint, beautiful, and one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Let's not forget its surrounded by nearly 13,000 acres of vineyards and 1,000 years of history. If you own land in this appellation, you're the big cheese... big, big, smelly, delicious cheese.

Château Villemaurine

The village itself is jam-packed with tourists. If you go during the off-season (January-March) you can just about skip through the streets untouched, but with the weather conditions the vineyards are not much to see. During any other month it is extremely crowded. Saint-Émilion is a popular destination for Bordeaux wines, arguably THE most popular next to the Medoc region.

Mathieu at Maison du Vin

For reasonable wine prices (for St. Émilion that is) as well as technical education on vines, visit Maison du Vin. You'll be surprised how much there is to learn! Mathieu and I had fun here at their exposition in which you can smell different scents within the wine, and guess what it is. Let's just say I was useless at this game, and couldn't tell the difference between licorice and vanilla.

Château du Roi (King's Tower)

Monolithic Church

Above ground there are numerous ruins as well. My favorite is the Monolithic Church. Its an impressive architectural design, made from solid rock and having 196 stairs to climb to see its beautiful bell tower (have fun with that). The date of it is still unknown, however, it is estimated to have been built between the 12th-16th centuries.

Defensive Walls

In regards to food there are some of the best chefs in the region here. If you have the money there are several upscale places to mange at, a popular one being L'Huitrier-Pie. There are, however, equally as scrumptious options outside of the appellation that will not suck your wallet dry. Even ordering a bottle of table wine in Saint-Émilion will be nearly double the shelf price.
Visit the village, take as many pictures as possible, buy a bottle of wine at Maison du vin, and go find a nice open spot to enjoy it. Its a cute, little place to picnic, and you can't find a more delicious buzz! And if you are considering doing a vineyard visit, check out Château Angélus (pictures and wine critique on Mathieu's blog here).