Les Vieilles Tours — Hotel in Gourdon

We had a week to drive through France beginning with Paris and ending in Bordeaux. We wanted to touch on the big tourist destinations but immerse ourselves in the local, less mentioned towns, to ensure we learnt about the real France from the people who live there.||My husband and I are foodies and love to have real connections with people and experiences.||I absolutely recommend you to put Rocamadour on your itinerary through France and that you book to stay in this amazing residence and Hôtel Les Vieilles Tours.||Like us, you will be dreaming of when you can return! ||||We heard about Rocamadour from a friend and longed to see the town built on the cliff face to where the pilgrims journeyed many centuries before to pray to the Black Madonna.||On arrival in our little hire car we were astonished by the expansive property of Hôtel Les Vieilles Tours. It sits atop rolling hills and we couldn’t have been more excited to be staying in this beautiful place for 3 nights. We were looked after by the Cailles family like we were kings in their castle, which is pretty spot on actually. The main building was built in the thirteenth century with turrets, handcrafted stone floors and secret doors and the Cailles family told us all about the history of the property and the joy they have in hosting visitors like us in their stunning hotel.||Our bedroom was large with beautiful furnishings and a very comfortable bed and the bathroom had everything we needed including a large bathtub which I loved. Outside of our room were some lovely lie back chairs where we would enjoy the sunset each evening with a glass of wine from the region.||Mr Cailles has exceptional knowledge of the best wines from Rocamadour and where to buy them.||Our hosts ensured that we were very informed about the region of which they are extremely proud to be a part of and run their family business in. The hotel houses many interesting pieces of which the family hold dear to their heart and which show their dedication to their community. Soon enough we had a full itinerary for our stay.||We did many day trips following the advice of our hosts, all of which were all only a short distance within the town. ||We visited the local Goat farm and Fromagerie and we loved to see the lovely clean environment in which these goats were kept and the process in making the Goats Cheese which this region is known for. By the way, the cheese made here is like nothing else and has to be tasted to be believed!||Next we visited a Goose farm and learned about the delectable delight of Foee Grass, which we enjoyed whenever we could during our stay.||Every day we enjoyed the beautiful countryside, visiting the nearby towns such as Alvignac and Martel, taking drives along the rolling hills, trying different restaurants also pointed out by our hosts.||The main medieval town of Rocamadour was such a standout for us that it is hard to describe. Built on the cliffs and into the escarpment this is a place that you can spend lots of time strolling through, climbing stairs to gain incredible vantage points and soaking in the history and the stories being told by the passionate village residents here. ||We will certainly return to this beautiful place!||Our host Adrien told us to visit Gouffre de Padirac. It has a very cheap entry fee and it was just amazing! There is a photo attached of inside the incredible caves. It is definitely a must to see!||Thankyou so very much to our beautiful hosts, the Cailles family! ||Book your stay...

We arrived late in the afternoon at Les Vieilles Tours and hadn’t booked but were hopeful that they might have a room. They did and were very happy to show us a choice of two. We chose the slightly smaller one which gave us the most stunning of views in this idyllic and peaceful location. It’s a perfect place to unwind after a visit to the amazing but busy Rocamadour. |Our room was so very comfortable and was pristine. It had everything we needed even some fly spray (as you are in the countryside after all, but we weren’t plagued by flies I hasten to add) and some deck chairs in the wardrobe for sitting out on the terrace. There are however so many lovely seats around the property that we didn’t need them. The young man on reception couldn’t have been more welcoming and helpful. He advised us of some beautiful restaurants just a few minutes drive away where you could watch the sunset over Rocamadour as you eat your meal. I honestly didn’t want to leave this place and will definitely return for longer and can recommend 100%. |And after a wonderful nights sleep the best was yet to come, breakfast. I can honestly say that this was the best breakfast for the whole of our stay in France in 2 weeks. And we stayed in a lot of fabulous places, some 5 star. It was all local produce and presented exquisitely, I obviously had to try everything on offer. There were delicious homemade bakes, lavender honey, yoghurt to die for & some fresh apple juice, clearly all locally sourced. This was amongst other beautiful breads and jams and of course the Rocamadour goats cheese. |This is a family run business and it really showed as mum, dad and their son were always around to make sure your stay was perfect. They even came to say goodbye when we left. I felt as though I had stayed with friends for the evening. |Sadly we didn’t have time to take a dip in the pool but again what a spot, we did however sit by it later in the evening for a drink. |I know my review is long but I cannot recommend a stay here enough. It is one of the most beautiful spots and this family deserves every ounce of praise I can give & more. I wish them every success with this venture which I believe is now in...

What makes me come back year after year is the wonderfully quiet location, while being close to Rocamadour; I also appreciate the ‘look & feel’ of the place, with historic buildings combined with a new (retro-style) annex.||||Another plus is the beautiful view into the typical landscape of the area, in particular at sunset; there are now deck chairs around the premises to enjoy them. The car parking on the premises has moved and is now closer to the rooms.||||When you plan your arrival and departure, note the limited timeframes for check-in and check-out; call ahead or write if you expect arriving outside these hours – it is likely there will be nobody around if you don’t.||||Depending on which room type you booked, the rooms can be a bit ‘cosy’; storage for your clothing can also be a bit limited. While the beds are relatively new, they are not very comfortable; however, there are two pillows to choose from. The shutters and curtains keep the light out very well – a real plus.||||The bathrooms have bathtub (no shower); there is a shower curtain, but a shower rail is missing, so you can still not really have a nice shower. While good enough for one, there is limited space for toiletries for 2…3 people.||||In my room I was missing a dressing mirror (the only mirror is in the bathroom); the WiFi worked with my laptop, but I could not log in with my tablet (the log-in screen would simply not appear). I appreciated the little fridge to keep my groceries cold.||||The restaurant that was here before (for those who know the place from when it changed owner) does not exist anymore (the chef retired); in the room you will find recommendations and contacts for a selection of good restaurants in the area (good choices; try Martel – worth...