The town is in the Valley of the Lot, which meanders in large loops through a wide flood plain. It is surrounded by rolling hills covered with scrub woods, full of beautiful walking and biking paths. The local tourist office sells booklets of maps with walking itineraries for the region. Nearby are scores of beautiful villages, often 'bastides' i.e., fortified villages built by both the French and English during the 100 Years War, beautifully preserved and maintained. There are castles to visit and it is only a short trip to nearby Perigord with its karstic caves full of stalagmites and stalagtites and paleolithic art. L'Arque has a small but wonderful Zadkin Museum. Cahors is a medieval city full of narrow alleys and old buildings as well as a wonderful old bridge and churches. Fishing is possible in the river and in small reservoirs.
Puy L'Eveque is holds a fishing competition and celebration of local wines every two years 2008,10 etc called the Fète de la Rivière et du Vignoble (http://www.fetedelariviere.com)
In May 2010 a number of local locks on the river are to be reopened allowing river traffic on the River Lot to pass between Prayssac and Fumel, via Puy L'Eveque traversing a series of locks - the first time in over 100 years.
River traffic on the Lot was very important for many centuries as it permitted the export of the local Cahors wine known in medieval times in England as 'Black Wine' to be exported via the rivers Lot and Gironde to Bordeaux.
Bonaguil and other castles and chateaus can be visited nearby and in Perigord. The Valley of the Celé is exquisitely beautiful and not far away. Figeac is a pretty town with a small museum dedicated to Champollion, the first modern person to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Les Ezyies de Tayac in the Perigord has a great museum of prehistory and that area is also quite beautiful, especially in the Valleys of the Dordogne and the Vezere Rivers, which have extraordinary views dotted with pretty villages and chateaus.
