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The Lot departement (46, Midi-Pyrenees) offers an attractive and varied landscape – sinuous valleys, quiet pretty villages, beautifully stark moorland (the Causses), forests and vineyards. As such it lends itself to photography so well that almost everyone can capture an idyllic view as a souvenir of the region.

But you could take it a stage further and enrol in a digital photography course in the village of Castelfranc, west of Cahors where the river Vert meets the Lot. In July the village celebrates its annual Fete (13 & 14 July 2008) when the village is in festive mood with theatre, music, dancing, a market of local produce etc. Every year there is also an exhibition of professional photographers (which continues throughout the summer).

To coincide with this a series of courses are being held in the village for anyone interested in digital photography under the title Itinerances Photographiques. Over the weekend there are 4 three-hour sessions for beginners – everything from using the camera through to using Photoshop to enhance your images and printing.

During the week (15–19 July 2008) there is a more in-depth course designed to help you perfect your skills, and visiting suitable locations for images and providing constructive critique on your photos of the region, whether it be moorland, vines, markets, local people, local and historical sites – with such a wealth of stunning subject matter within reach you could learn much and enjoy more! The 5–day course is offered on either a residential or non-residential basis.

For more info see www.itinerancesphoto.org or contact Maxime Bessieres

To learn more about the region I can recommend Helen Martin’s Book “Lot – Travels through a limestone landscape in SouthWest France” See also the local tourist office www.tourisme-prayssac.fr