Gourdon and surroundings are nice for walking, biking and car excursions.Gourdon has all shops, supermarkets and medical care. Gourdon is the capital of the Bouriane, part of the Quercy (old name for Lot), located adjacent to the Perigord on the hills that run to the banks of the Dordogne.
The history of Gourdon goes back to prehistory. As shown in cave paintings in Cougnac (2 km) and several standing stones, people from the beginning of time chave hosen to live here and practice their artistic talents. Gourdon was originally a hill fort, built on an outcrop with a castle with walls and battlements. The city of the fourteenth century, flourished in the sixteenth century by the welfare of the weavers and cloth buyers of that time. The lower town grew steadily around the fort. Gourdon became famous during the resistance against the English invasion
The name of the District is the Bouriane, said to derive from the idea of the cattle farms. As time went on the landscape developed with vines and sheep. Today small fields are enfolded amongst many woods in undulating countryside. The five hectares of our own land include ancient pasture and both oak and chestnut/maritime pine woodland. You can walk much further afield along the numerous footpaths. The local wildlife and plants are varied and interesting, but the jewels in the list are the orchids (twenty six species of orchids), butterflies and toadstools. April to June are the best months to enjoy the orchids. Butterflies - there are many species in their seasons throughout spring and summer, fritillaries, blues, including the large blue, scarce swallowtail. Dryad and white admiral are not far away. Toadstools can be common from August. Wild roe deer explore the woods. The wild boar are about, but they are very shy. Such oddities as, for example, green lizards, white toothed shrews, are sometimes seen. Birds - red kites, black kites, many buzzards, hen harrier, are among the raptors. Hawfinches, serins, cirl buntings and various species of woodpecker are common. The calls of the orioles, hoopoes, and nightingales in their season are delightful.