Musée du Vin

Cahors, in the Lot department of southwestern France, has been a wine town for two thousand years, and its red wine is among the oldest and most distinctive in the country. Visitors should check the current opening arrangements of the Musée du Vin before they plan a visit.

The wine of Cahors is made mostly from the Malbec grape, known locally as Auxerrois or Côt, which gives a deep, almost black colour, hence the old name black wine. In the Middle Ages it was one of the most celebrated wines in Europe. It was shipped down the Lot and Garonne rivers to Bordeaux and from there to England and northern Europe, and it was so highly regarded that it is said to have been served at royal courts. Pope John XXII, who was born in Cahors, is credited with spreading its fame in Avignon. The vineyards suffered heavily from phylloxera in the nineteenth century and again from a devastating frost in 1956, but growers replanted them, and the appellation was recognised in 1971, with Malbec as the principal grape. Today the vineyards lie along the river valley and on the limestone plateau above it, producing wines that range from fruity and supple to structured and long-lived.

A wine museum in this setting would normally explain the history of the vines, the work of the vineyard and cellar, and the tools used by growers and barrel makers, and often offers a tasting at the end. The town also has the cellars and tasting rooms of many producers, and a visit can be combined with a drive through the vineyards.

Cahors itself lies in a tight loop of the Lot river. Its best-known landmark is the Pont Valentré, a fortified bridge from the fourteenth century with three towers, which is classified by UNESCO as part of the pilgrim routes to Santiago, and the legend of the devil who helped to build it is a local favourite. The Cathédrale Saint-Étienne, with its Romanesque domes and fine cloister, is another highlight, and the old streets on the right bank are good for a walk.

It suits wine lovers, those who follow the pilgrim routes and anyone who likes quiet provincial towns. Always arrange a driver if you plan to visit vineyards.