Cahors has been occupied since man first set foot in the area and is situated in a perfect defensive position on a horseshoe shaped bend in the Lot River. The Lot flows for about 475kilometres from the Cevennes Mountains near Mont Lozère joining the Garonne River close to the town of Aguillon.
An ancient Celtic tribe, the ‘Cadurci’, had Cahors as their capital until it became Divona under Roman occupation. A fresh water spring used by the Celts and Romans still supplies the town's water.
During Roman times, the town was famous for linen cloth. When Rome fell, Cahors came under the Visigoths and Saracens. It started to prosper during the 13th Century becoming a centre for money lending. With Cahor's reputation as a financial centre, the nearby town of Figeac became a Royal Mint.
The Romans brought the vine, and today the vineyards of Cahors produce a rich dark red wine, which ages well. It was once known as the Black Wine of Cahors.
For more tourist information and history, see Premier Pages (Wine Regions, Places of Interest)