THE LOT and Périgord regions don’t close down for winter, so there’s still plenty to see and do — and no summer hordes to queue behind.

There are numerous Cahors wine chateaus to visit west of town, all of them a treat for the soul and the taste buds alike.

There’s also a wealth of local dishes beside truffles to try: duck, goose and foie gras in 50 forms; Quercy lamb; cassoulet; Rocamadour cheese; rich walnut desserts. It can be heavy fare in summer, but perfect for a winter’s evening. All these attractions are within 90 minutes of Cahors.

Roque St Christophe: a sheer cliff sliced with the largest natural terrace in Europe, it was inhabited from 55,000BC until 1588. Open 2pm-5pm, £6; 00 33 5-53 50 70 45, roque-st-christophe.com

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Les Eyzies: two Upper Paleolithic masterpieces from 12,000BC — the Grotte de Font de Gaume (with polychrome paintings) and the Grotte des Combarelles (with high reliefs). It’s easier to get a visitor’s slot in winter. Open 9.30am- 5.30pm, closed Saturday, £6 for each grotto; 05 53 06 86 00, leseyzies.com

Château de Marqueyssac: just up the Dordogne from Bergerac, it has romantic gardens hanging over the river. Open 2pm-5pm, £6; 05 53 31 36 36, marqueyssac.com

Château de Beynac: high on an escarpment over the river, this is the mightiest fortress in the Dordogne. Open 11am to dusk, £6; 05 53 29 50 40

Château de Castelnaud: Beynac’s medieval nemesis, just across the river, houses a museum of medieval warfare. Open 2pm-5pm, £7; 05 53 31 30 00, castelnaud.com

Sarlat: the loveliest Renaissance town in southwest France has a great Saturday market, with a marché au gras (fattened duck and truffle market) from December to February.

Musée de l’Automate: next to the medieval Abbaye Ste Marie, in Souillac, this is the world’s biggest collection of antique mechanical toys, many in working order. Open 2.30pm-5.30pm, Wednesday to Sunday, £5; 05 65 37 07 07

Rocamadour: a medieval pilgrimage village, pinned to the side of a cliff; packed in summer, supremely evocative in winter.

Parc Animalier de Gramat: native European species — wolves, otters, barbary apes, bears — and a mind-boggling collection of rare chickens. Open 2pm-6pm, £8; 05 65 38 81 22, parcanimaliergramat.fr

Abbaye St Pierre, Moissac: a stunning 12th-century portal and arguably the finest cloister in France. Open 10am-noon and 2pm-5pm weekdays, 2pm-5pm weekends, £4; 05 63 04 01 85

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