The best MTB trails around Sainte-Alauzie

Castelnau-Montratier boasts a large arcaded square typical of fortified towns. Its Saint-Martin church features a Romanesque-Byzantine dome and offers a beautiful panoramic view of the valley. Strolling through its white stone streets, you'll discover a rich heritage of medieval houses, old mills, and Gallo-Roman remains.

There's a small shelter here to take refuge in case of heavy rain during a bike ride. There's also a picnic table and a fountain to refill your water bottles.

Very pretty picturesque village

An old mill typical of Quercy, dating from the 17th century, which was moved stone by stone to be rebuilt identically on the Boisse hill, which was less exposed to lightning! Listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments.

in Montcuq observe the sculptures of the St-Hilaire church, built around 1250/1270 in La COUnco (Conca in written oc, the SHELL) OUTSIDE the first ramparts (it replaced a primitive St-Sernin, located at the foot of the tower , Place del Plàn, west, therefore prior to Charlemagne) The church, said OUTSIDE the WALLS again in 1350, is marked by interior sculptures (transept, choir, apse) of the most esoteric...their hidden meanings are foreign to Christianity. ..Other old medieval houses are also rich in sculptures with secret meanings: house with the sign "Four 4", shortly after the town hall going up towards St-Hilaire, on the right, 13th century house at the bottom and on the right from the rue du Plàn, Very old names have been preserved: Pàtus (= small square) del Potz/Pouttss, Carriéro (= Rue) de l'Aste (de la Lance en oc: Asto), Carriéro Dréytsho (rue Droite) d 'others, known: quarry of the Fourns, fourn nàut é fourn batch, quarry of the Gatsharîo, quarry of the Ribiéyro de Mouncuc, Fîu Soubiràn (Sovereign Fief "or--Sup Latin eranus--- "from the top of the town"), Cantou de Quantard, Cantou de VillaBorgonh--Billobourgounn--, Plàça de la Caminada (from the Old Presbytery after 1450, below the Parish House): under the Mediatheque , Prat del Gassàyrou, Bàrri (district) of Valeta, de Rozet, Camy de Pènn..etc..), have not had the happiness of being formalized, replaced by falsely "occitanizing" names! of Montcuq of the "vanellas (banéllos), empty spaces separate the houses and wide of 75cms, two and a half feet, a distance dating from the Roman Empire! Montcuq was legendaryly founded in the year of the Millennium of Rome, a combe bears the name de Vielha Roma" (Byélyo Roumo) OLD ROME,..the house at the bottom of the Rue du Plàn seems to have been a Jewish house, even of a rabbi and descendant of the tribe of Judah...In the Tower the points of the horizon indicated by the median axes of the openings, windows and door, correspond to places loaded with myths and related to sunrises and sunsets s solar, lunar, stars, constellations, on key dates of the year and therefore of the Old Calendar of the "Old Religion", as said of the secret and mysterious depths of old Quercy, the real one, not the one Tourists, such as "More-Than-Healer" of the Pays de Montcuq..

The problem is that Montcuq is a village in the OC region and that the pronunciation of the name follows the rules of OCCITAN, and southern French, region (33 departments in the south of France...) and languages ( Occitan and southern French) where ALL the LETTERS are PRONOUNCED!!....in all the Oc countries and in Quercy in particular (White or other!) we therefore pronounce "Monkükkk" by stating very clearly the last consonant.. .and if you want to be, or pass for being, from the country you will even pronounce "Mounnkükk" or even MounKütt"..as for the inhabitants, they are not the Montcuquois but the Mountcuquiols..and Quercy is pronounced Càrci (tonic accent on Cà ,Rroulé) and Quercy Blanc is called, in Oc, Càrci Albènc (albènnkk)...As for Barguelonne, we do not know it under the name of Barguelonnette...but, in Oc, of bargoLOUno...The name de Quercy-Blanc is very recent, it has no historical roots...it is a creation of geographers...the only old name is "Pàis dels Valls" (Country dellss Ballss: Spanish style)Country Valleys...(direct tributaries of the Middle Garonne) in a North-East to South-West direction... The causses are invaded by spontaneous Mediterranean vegetation, wild fig trees, pistachio trees, terebinths, asphodels, wild asparagus, Montpelleier maples, Phillyres (sub-Saharan shrubs!) attest that ..the environment lends itself to it...the great master of the sky in these regions is the Autan Wind..coming from the Balearic Islands...and the culture is all Occitan...

Montcuq means "a pointed height" in Celtic. Like Cajarc, mentioned above, Montcuq was also the subject of a report for Jacques Martin's comedy TV show in 1976: Le Petit Rapporteur. It was Daniel Prévost who cheerfully joked about Montcuq, obviously playing on the double meaning of the village's name. He could barely contain his laughter, and the mayor at the time played along: it was a cult classic. Today, the village continues to capitalize on this reputation, banking on the tourist benefits of pilgrims coming here. In July 2022, the village was chosen over the city of Lyon to host the first Popcorn Festival. "Popcorn" is a show broadcast every Tuesday on Twitch. It is hosted by Domingo with hand-picked guests. It discusses current events, but not only that. For over two and a half hours, the viewer has no time to get bored. The event is now one of the most watched on the streaming platform. Montcuq is a charming village. Its tree-lined promenade runs along the lower part of the village, offering a lovely stroll as well as a perfect place to relax.

Pleasant walk to discover the quercy blanc. With a plus on Sunday market day. Magnificent view of the village, discovery of a japan wind phone phone booth and picnic area in a wooden cabin.