Origin

The word Saint-Sozy, originating from the Latin Sosius, was the name of a saint who suffered martyrdom in the 4th century alongside Saint Janvier in Pouzzols (a harbour town in Campanie on the Gulf of Naples).

In the heart of Upper Quercy, in the valley of the Dordogne, Saint-Sozy is a pleasant village. Its name is first mentioned in a document dating from 940 in which Aynard, Viscount of Chelles, gave the parish to Tulle Abbey (in Department 19).

The lords, the Bishop of Cahors and the Chapter of Rocamadour were all dependent upon the Viscountcy of Turenne.

Much business in the area is concerned with tourism and tinned fois gras (made in Saint-Sozy).

The production of walnuts and tobacco is typical agricultural activity in Saint-Sozy.

The history of the Lot and Quercy.

You might wonder if Quercy comes from the Latin “quercus”, thinking of the lush carpet of greenery and the abundance of oak trees covering the area. In fact, the word Quercy is derived from the name of the Cadurci people.

They were called this because of their valiant fight against the Romans, with the Arvennes. The more the Gauls were defeated, the more the Gallic capital, Dirona (Cahors), was called “Cadurcu”, and consequently the county town was able to mark out the country, the town and the diocese using adjectives such as Pagus Caturinus, Caturcencis, Cadurcus etc. Quercy originated from these different areas. The spelling of place names altered over time with the “t” and “d” being dropped and later the Latin “u” being replaced by “o” changing Caorzt to Caors, Cahours and then to Cahors. The name Quercy has Celtic origins, and has been changed from Caorcin, Caersin and Caersi.

The Lot and the Tarn and Garonne have been formed by the province, since before 1789. In the 5th Century, Quercy was ravaged by vandals and later settlers, fleeing from Clovis. The destruction spread through the Dordogne region all the way to Souillac. Quercy passed from hand to hand between the English and the French following the long wars. Upper and Lower Quercy were the focus of many religious wars. Upper Quercy, with Cahors, remained Catholic, while the more southerly Lower Quercy, with support from Montauban, proclaimed itself Calvinist. In 1808, as Napoleon I returned from Bayonne, the people of Montauban took advantage of his visit by revealing these problems to him and to the most important county town of the region. He consented to Lower Quercy joining the Tarn and Garonne region, while the boundaries of the Lot then ended at Upper Quercy.

The ancient language of the Lot was a dialect which mixed languages from both Limousine and Aveyron.

Specialities from Quercy include truffles, fois gras, walnuts and tobacco, which can all be found in Saint-Sozy.

Welcome to Saint-Sozy

Beside the Dordogne, at the foot of the Rock of Monages (Roc des Monges), Saint-Sozy is a very small but beautiful village of approximately 500 inhabitants. The houses are very pretty and well maintained. The whole of the village has been renovated with electricity and telephone wires being laid underground. The village square, opposite the church, is welcoming with different businesses: butchers, grocers/ bakery/ newsagent, hairdressers, bric-a-brac, pizzeria and hotels and restaurants. One part of the village not to be missed is the set of ancient stone steps, a viewpoint from which you can discover the magnificent residences.

Near the village, on the banks of the Dordogne, you can indulge in the joys of fishing and canoeing-kayaking (see the accommodation pages).

Situated in the heart of the Lot, Saint-Sozy is an excellent departure point for tourists who want to discover all the treasures of the Lot: Rocamadour, Caves of Lacave and Padirac etc (see tourism page).

To get to Saint-Sozy by motorway (autoroute), take the exit for Souillac and follow the direction for Martel (approx. 10 km).