Carennac is a gem of a medieval village, overlooking the River Dordogne's Isle of Calypso, where the gabarre and other riverboats of the middle ages and before, where hauled up on the beach to clean and repair -i.e. Careened.

One of the officially designated most beautiful villages of France (Les Plus Beaux Villages de France), Carennac has been a draw since the middle ages, and rose to some prominence and favour in the reign of Louis X1V, when the monarchs' grandson was tutored by Fénelon himself.

The area around Carennac is famous for the growing of plums, including the much lauded greengage type, the Reine Claude. So much so, that there is a Fête de la Prune every (early) August, which includes detailed instruction on how to distil the juice from the ones you can't eat! Check out the Henri II fireplace in the Maison Charlat and the fine carved tympanum of the 16thC church, not to mention the Romanesque Priory.