Autoire

Autoire lies in a natural cirque of limestone cliffs close to the border between the Lot and Corrèze departments, and is one of the “Plus Beaux Villages de France”. It is nicknamed “Little Versailles” because notables from Saint-Céré kept summer residences here; you will see manor houses, turrets, dovecotes and a chapel. The waterfall drops more than 30 m. High on the cliff face stands the semi-troglodyte Château des Anglais, listed as a Monument historique in 1925.

A 6 km circular walk leads through the cirque with views of the waterfall and the castle; the Siran viewpoint is good for sunset. The upper part of the village has been a pedestrian zone since 2014, and vehicles are parked in the hamlet of Siran. Allow two to three hours (as of October 2026). According to Routard, swimming at the waterfall is strictly forbidden because the area is an “Espace Naturel Sensible”; the path can be steep, so sturdy shoes are advisable. Spring and autumn are quieter, while the village is busier in summer, with a village festival on the last weekend of July.