In the heart of the historic town of Figeac overlooking the River Cele, the Best Western Hotel Le Pont d'Or, Figeac, France, carries the warm, stony atmosphere of the Quercy, set within the walls of a 13th-century building where vaulted ceilings meet modern comfort. The soundproofed, air-conditioned rooms come with free Wi-Fi and the amenities of an international-standard hotel, with a rooftop pool, a fitness room, and a sauna for unwinding, and a restaurant whose shady riverside terrace looks out over the water. An attentive team keeps the welcome warm, with elegant meeting rooms for those in town to work. Figeac is a beautifully preserved medieval town of honey-coloured stone, the birthplace of Champollion, who deciphered the hieroglyphs, with the cliffs and villages of the Lot and Cele valleys, the pilgrim town of Rocamadour, and the Pech Merle caves all within reach. The river slips by below the terrace as the old town settles into evening.