Aquitaine

Aquitaine, located in the south of France, is a region where life is good. Visitors can indulge themselves in the lush and stunning nature.

The Aquitaine consists of five departments:

• the Dordogne-Périgord, famous for its truffles
• the Gironde with its famous wines
• the Landes with its endless beaches
• the Lot et Garonne with its rivers where one can make nice boat trips
• the Atlantic Pyrénées with its mountains

Five departments with varied landscapes where you only have to drive a few kilometers to think you’re in a another country.

Lot et Garonne

There is so much to see and do, and so much variety from one area to another that you will not get bored.

• The rivers Lot, Garonne and Baisse, provide lots of water fun in the form of swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking. You can also go down the Canal du Midi in a house boat.
• 3000 years of history have left their mark in the form of:
  -caves(in Hautefage-la-Tour, Grottes de Fontirou en Grotte de Les Tournelles)
  -castles with the unique Bonaquil.
  -traditional villages with their celebrations, such as Pyols and Neroc
  -Bastides (Monflanquin, Puymirol)
  -Churches(Vianne/Romanesque Church)
  -many local markets (Plum Market in Villeneuve sur Lot)
• the rolling landscape provides excellent opportunities for hiking on the more than 150 well marked trails or you can walk along the old pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela.
• the many beautiful golf courses nearby will be appreciated by any golf enthusiast.
• a visit to the nearby family park Walibi near Agen will be a highlight for all children

Midi -Pyrénées

The Midi-Pyrénées is one of the largest regions in France.
The region consists of eight departments, some of which belong to the most popular areas for tourists. But there are also departments where it can still be pleasantly quiet. The nature in this area is very diverse.
The north is dominated by rivers like the Lot, Dordogne, Tarn and Ayveron. In the Lot region eg. there is the sparsely populated Parc naturel régional des Causses du Guercy. A mouthful but fierce and pure.

Tarn et Garonne

The landscape of the Tarn et Garonne is characterized by hundreds of pigeon houses that you can see on the top of the hills or next to the farms.
Tarn et Garonne, with its beautiful nature, beautiful landscapes, its touristic cultural heritage, its traditions and sunny mild climate is your guarantee for a successful holiday.

• There are many fortified towns which are worth a visit such as: Montauban, Beaumont de Lomagne, Montjoi, Castelsagrat and Auvillar.
• Castles are also well represented, among others in Brassac, Larrazet, Bioule, Bruniquel.
• Prehistoric caves can be found north-east of St. Antonin-Noble-Val, Grotte du Bosc and around Bruniquel
• the jazz festival in Montauban in the second half of July is very worthwhile
• For walkers there is the path GR 65. It traverses the area of Lauzerte, Moissac and Auvillar.
  It is the most famous and trodden path of Europe. Since 1998, the French part of the route of Saint-Jacques de Compostela is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage.
• The abbey and the monastery of Moissac are listed as a special stop for pilgrims from Europe.
• In the Tarn et Garonne, you can practise horse riding, sailing, surfing, cycling, golf …
• In each part of the region there are lakes or parks where you can swim;
  the region is rich in fishing waters: 362 km of rivers of 2nd category, 112 km. streams of 1st category and lakes where you can catch huge carp.
• The farmers’ markets are a feast for the eyes, the weekly markets in Caussad (Monday) Montauban (Saturday) and Valence-d’Agen (Tuesday) are the best known. During harvest times it is worth visiting the fruit market in Moissac and the garlic market in Beaumont

Interesting cities and towns in the vicinity

Agen
The prefecture capital of Lot-et-Garonne is best known for its delicious and healthy prunes. It is a beautiful old city where one can stroll through winding shopping streets with typical arches and lovely terraces. The Saint-Caprais cathedral was built in the 12th Century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Puymirol
Dating from the 11th century, the village is located on a rocky spur. The village plan has been adapted to the layout of the place: long axes run East-West, while cross streets run North-South. A repetition of Gothic arches surround the pleasant square. A must visit for gourmets is the 2 Michelin star restaurant “Les Aubergades”, whose chef, Michel Trama, was elected best chef in France in 2004 by all the Michelin star chefs.

Toulouse
The old streets, the quays along the Garonne, the monuments and terraces exude a rich cultural past and radiate joy of life.
The Saint-Sernin Basilica: the largest Romanesque church in France is an important pilgrimage stop on the Way of Saint James, “Routes of Santiago de Compostela”.
Les Jacobins: This building is unique with its church, cloister, chapter house and the St-Antonin chapel.
Le Capitole: This magnificent building is the current city hall (Hôtel de Ville) and Theatre National du Capitole orchestra and opera house. It is remarkable with its 8 columns of pink marble and the “Salle des Illustres” inspired by the Farnese Gallery in Rome.
Toulouse d’été: From classical to jazz music, from world to rock music or singer songwriters, over fifty special events are shown during this summer festival.
Toulouse is a city of art and possesses a large number of museums, like “Les Abattoirs”. It is also known as the city of the hundred gardens.
And, of course, a visit to the Airbus industry is not to be missed.

Saint-Cirq Lapopie
One of the most beautiful villages in France and a historic monument, this mediaeval jewel invites you to explore its streets and hidden treasures. Perched on a steep cliff it has an extraordinary view over the Lot Valley.

Montauban
This place, lying on the banks of the Tarn, owes its existence to a Count of Toulouse who founded a fortress in the vicinity of the abbey of Mont Auriol in 1144. Montauban is known as the Pink City, where most houses are built in pink stone. Beautiful remnants from the Middle Ages are the Old Bridge and the bell tower of the church of Saint Jacques. The fortresses of Beaumont-en-Lomagne, the church of Bouillac and the old village of Lauzerte are in the vicinity.

Moissac
Moissac is world-renowned for its Romanesque abbey of St. Pierre, whose cloister and portal are classified as World Heritage Sites. The cloister of St. Pierre Abbey was finished in 1100 and is a unique and perfectly preserved treasure of Romanesque art.

Monflanquin, Auvillar and Pujols
Three medieval fortified villages that are amongst “the most beautiful villages of France”. Other beautiful “bastides” include Tournon, Lauzerte and Penne.

Fumel
Close to this village, you will find the Château de Bonaguil, a fortified castle. It was built in the 13th century, but was entirely restructured at the end of the 15th century by Bérenger de Roquefeuil, who added all of the defensive improvements, so that it was even safe from the devil himself, as he would say. A marvel of military architecture, it covers 7500 m² and incorporates the latest developments in artillery. it was, however, obsolete when completed. Bonaguil comes from bonne aiguille (good needle) and refers to the defensive site: a steep, rocky promontory perfectly suited to the siting of a castle.

Penne-d’Agenais
In May and June this “bastide” is visited by hordes of pilgrims. Charming houses make the city an enjoyable place to walk through. From the Notre dame de Peyragude, you have a magnificent view on the valley of Lot , the port of Penne and the Pays de Serres, the area between the 2 rivers Lot and Garonne.

Villeneuve-sur-Lot
With 3 colourful markets per week, this walled town draws a crowd. After your purchases, you can linger on and stroll through the streets or on Lafayette Square. Villeneuve-sur-Lot is wellknown for its prunes, as this is where the real Prune d’Agen comes from. Vines and orchards decorate the slopes as far as the eye can see.

In the Lot-et-Garonne you will find, as in the Dordogne, you will find prehistoric caves. The Grottes de Fontirou in Castella and the Grotte de Lastournelle in Sainte-Colombe de Villeneuve are the most eye-catching.
Four main roads leading to Compostela come together in Aquitaine before moving on to the Pyrenees. 1000 years of passing pilgrims have given Aquitaine some of its finest Romanesque and Gothic art – some of which are included in the UNESCO world heritage list.
Hundreds of miles of trails with abbeys, shrines, churches, chapels, fortresses and disc-shaped tombs, are an inexhaustible field to know the history and art in our region.