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Saint-Cirq-Lapopie |
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| Saint-Cyrq-Lapopie 51.jpg | |
| Saint-Cirq-Lapopie overlooking the Lot River | |
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Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Midi-Pyrénées |
| Department | Lot |
| Arrondissement | Cahors |
| Canton | Saint-Géry |
| Intercommunality | Lot-Célé |
| Mayor | Gilles Hardeveld (2008–2014) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 120–389 m (390–1,276 ft) (avg. 320 m/1,050 ft) |
| Land area1 | 17.89 km2 (6.91 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 207 (1999) |
| - Density | 12 /km2 (31 /sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 46256/ 46330 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. It is a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The most beautiful villages of France") association .
Its position, originally selected for defense, perched on a steep cliff 100 m above the river has helped make the town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the department, and the entire town is almost a museum. After it was "discovered" by the Post-Impressionist Henri Martin, it became popular with other artists and the home of the writer André Breton.
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Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is located 30 km east of Cahors, within the regional natural park Parc naturel régional des Causses du Quercy. The village overlooks the Lot River.
The stronghold of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie was the main seat of one of the four viscountcies that made up Quercy, divided among four feudal dynasties, the Lapopie, Gourdon, Cardaillac and Castelnau families.
Poet André Breton spent time here in the 1950s in his "auberge des Mariniers."
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is situated along the French pilgrimage route, Way of St. James. Coming from Cabrerets pilgrims would pass through, and then continue to Cahors, visiting St. Stephen's cathedral.[1]