Arriving in Cahors on the GR65: getting your credencial stamped at the cathedral & putting your pack down in peace
All the landmarks for your arrival on foot from Bach, Varaire or Pasturat on the Via Podiensis
After crossing the Limogne causse, the arrival in Cahors offers a striking view of the loop of the Lot. Here is how to go straight to the cathedral for your credencial stamp, then settle in on the ground floor at 98 rue du Château du Roi.
1. Arriving in Cahors via the Pont Louis-Philippe and the Octroi
Coming from Varaire, Bach or Mas-de-Vers, the white and red GR65 waymarks lead down to the Lot and cross the Pont Louis-Philippe. It is here, at the small Octroi house of Cahors right on the bridge, that pilgrims make an essential stop to register and have the official stage stamp put in their credencial.
2. Discovering Saint-Étienne Cathedral (UNESCO)
Then continue towards the historic heart to admire Saint-Étienne Cathedral in Cahors, a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Ways of St James. Its two Byzantine domes, its Romanesque north portal carved around 1140 and its Flamboyant Gothic cloister make it a major heritage site. Depending on the time of year, you may sometimes find an additional pilgrim welcome there, or you can go to the Cahors – Vallée du Lot Tourist Office (Place François Mitterrand, 6 minutes on foot).
3. Reaching the studio at 98 rue du Château du Roi (ground floor, no steps)
Leaving the cathedral by the square or Place Chapou, go through Place de la Libération, then walk up rue du Château du Roi for 50 metres to number 98. The secure key box is on the left-hand side of the building, on rue des Trois-Baudus. Real comfort after 20 to 30 km of walking: the studio is on the level ground floor on a quiet lane, under a Quercy stone vault that keeps it naturally cool, ideal for resting your legs.
Saint-Étienne Cathedral open every day from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm (free entry). Self check-in at the studio with the key box code sent before your arrival.
Take the time to step into the cathedral cloister before coming to put down your pack: the calm beneath the Gothic vaults truly marks your entry into the medieval heart of Cahors.