Fodor's Expert Review Château de Mercuès

Set on a rocky spur just outside town, the former home of the count-bishops of Cahors has older rooms in baronial splendor (ask for one of these), as well as slightly less appealing modern ones; others have a mix of French Moderne and medievalesque furniture that can be jarring, but the ambitious restaurant and great views make up for a lot of sins. One of the best guest rooms is "Tour," with a clever ceiling that slides back to expose the turret. Duck, seafood, and truffles reign in La Duèze, the gastronomic dining room, where Michelin-starred chef Julien Poisot serves a contemporary gourmet "cuisine de terroir" equal to the wines from the estate's highly touted wine cellar (dinner only, closed Sunday and Monday), which you can enjoy on the lovely terrace on fine days. This talented chef also presides over the more casual but very good bistro, open daily for lunch and on Sunday and Monday for dinner as well. The hotel is happy to organize a tour and tastings of the estate's wines.