The Lot is rich in Prehistoric remains, with the third largest number of dolmens of any département in France. There are 750 surviving today. Many more have been destroyed by the passage of time, zealous priests and thoughtless farmers. There are thousands of tumuli, mostly small and difficult to spot.

The most remarkable dolmen is the ‘Pierre Martine’ just off the D2 near Livernon, 20km from Figeac. Not only is there the great dolmen itself, including a single stone seven metres long, but about 100 yards away, there is also the very rare and often ignored Prehistoric quarry from which the stones for the local dolmen were taken. Lying askew is a huge single slab left where it was abandoned some 4,000 years ago, tilted on one side. Why was it just dropped and left there? It is a chance in a million that it has lain untouched ever since.

Famous sites apart, there are many caves – grottes – where traces of Prehistoric man have been uncovered. The relevant blue IGN map, 1:25000, will help you find them, as well as the dolmens.

Near Rocamadour and Gramat is the giant Gouffre de Padirac. By any standards it is an impressive hole in the ground, 77m deep and 99m in circumference. It is one of the great geological curiosities of France.

Originally it was a huge vaulted cavern beneath the surface of the Causse. Then the roof of the cavern collapsed and revealed this extraordinary geological feature. Access is by staircase or lift to the bottom of the gouffre. Then there is a walk of several hundred yards along a tunnel to an underground river.

After that, you board a boat to visit the Grand Dôme cavern, which is 91m from top to bottom. Here it is possible to see what the gouffre itself looked like before it was open to the sky. The cavern is of great interest for its remarkable crystalline formations built up over thousands of years.

A word of warning: wear something warm as it gets very cold in there. The contrast in temperature on returning to the surface on a hot summer day is startling – 13° to 40° – like walking into a sauna.

Grotte des Merveilles
While you are visiting Rocamadour do not bypass the sublime Grotte des Merveilles. Rediscovered in 1920, it is the first Prehistoric cave found in the Lot. It is also believed to have been used as a refuge by the local population during the Hundred Years’ War. The original Prehistoric entrance has not been found and today you access the cave through a private garden.

The cave itself is not very large, but the concretions and paintings inside are remarkable. A multitude of beautifully lit stalactites and stalagmites reminiscent of a Christmas tree will enchant adults and children alike. The paintings date back 20,000 to 25,000 years and include animals and human representations. One of the most interesting is the large drawing of a cave lion, rare for the Parietal era. The tour lasts 45 minutes.

See also the concretions and strangely shaped stalagmite pillars at the nearby Grottes de Presque, 9km from Padirac and 22km from Rocamadour on the Saint-Céré road.

Pech-Merle
Just off the Vallée of the Célé, three kilometres above Cabreret, is the Grotte de Pech-Merle, one of the finest Prehistoric sites in France. The paintings are as remarkable as Lascaux, but here you can see them in the original. In 1922, two intrepid 14-year-old boys wormed their way down a tunnel in the rock and discovered this wonderful collection of cave paintings unseen for 200 centuries. Perhaps the most uncanny vestiges of Prehistoric man are the fossilised footprints in the clay.

Access is limited, so check before going that you will be able to visit. Tel: 05 65 31 27 05
or go to www.quercy.net/pechmerle

Slippery snakesand creepy spiders…
Just 2km from Martel, on the Figeac road is Reptiland.
A fascinating place to learn about and see reptiles in their most ‘natural’ environment.

The reptiles are presented in ‘daylight’ and have been chosen for their beauty, colour and pattern. They are fed throughout the day in front of the public, and the owner, Pancho, is there to answer questions and give advice, and the most daring can even hold a python!

There are also some terrific creepy-crawlies such as tarantulas and scorpions. Pancho can help you get rid of any spider or snake phobia you may have. Reptiland hosts a remarkable collection of orchids. All in all an enjoyable outing, very much appreciated by all children.