Cahors is a commune in the western part of Southern France. It is the smallest prefecture among the 13 departments that constitute the Occitanie Region. Main city ofthe Lot department and historical center of the Quercy, Cahors is home to 19 878 cadurciennes and cadurciens. Nestled in a meander of the Lot and surrounded by steep arid limestone hills, this historic city is home to a great monumental diversity. Mainly inherited from Roman times and the Middle Ages; the city's monumental attributes include a historic city centre, Saint-Etienne cathedral, Roman walls and the famous Valentré bridge. Famed for its wine and gastronomy this typical southern French city holds the label of the :fr:Villes et Pays d'art et d'histoire|French Towns of art and History. The cadurcian economy is reliant on Tertiary services and make Cahors the Lot's economic centre.
History
Cahors has had a rich history since Celtic times. The original name of the town was Divona or Divona Cadurcorum, "Divona of the Cadurci," Divona was a fountain, now called "la fontaine des Chartreux", worshiped by the Cadurci, a Celtic people of Gaul before the Roman conquest in the 50s BC. The Cadurci were among the last Celtic tribes to resist the Roman invasion. Cahors derives from Cadurcorum. However, romanization was rapid and profound: Cahors became a large Roman city, with many monuments whose remnants can be seen today. It has declined economically since the Middle Ages, and lost its university in the 18th century. Today it is a popular tourist centre with people coming to enjoy its mediaeval quarter and the 14th-century fortified Valentré bridge. It is the seat of the Diocese of Cahors. It was also infamous at that time for having bankers that charged interest on their loans. The church in these times said that using money as an end in itself was a sin. Because of this Cahors became synonymous with this sin, and was mentioned in Dante's Inferno alongside Sodom as wicked. Pope John XXII, born Jacques Duèze or d'Euse, was born in Cahors in 1249, the son of a shoemaker. In the 2007 Tour de France, Cahors was the start of stage 18.
The Valentré Bridge, the symbol of the town. Building began in 1308 and was completed in 1378. The legend associated with this bridge is one of the most fully realized of all Devil's Bridge legends, with a carefully developed plot, complex characters, and a surprising dénouement. When the bridge was restored in 1879, the architect Paul Gout made reference to this by placing a small sculpture of the devil at the summit of one of the towers.
Roman Amphitheatre – remains of an oval amphitheatre were revealed when the underground car park was excavated at the Place Gambetta, just west of, and partially beneath, Boulevard Gambetta in the city centre. The stone walls can be seen in the car park first level, below the statue of Leon Gambetta, and opened to the public in April 2009.
Wine
The area around Cahors produces wine, primarily robust and tannic red wine. Wine from the Cahors appellation must be made from at least 70% Malbec grape, with a maximum of 30% Merlot or Tannatgrape varieties.
Culture
The Cahors Blues Festival has taken place annually, in July, since 1982.
