Lot Et Garonne Gites

About the Lot-Et-Garonne and its beautiful countryside.

The area surrounding Mirathon

The Lot-et Garonne is called after its two principal rivers. The Garonne is one of the major rivers in France, running from the Pyrenees to the Atlantic at Bordeaux. The Lot rises in the Massif Central and flows through some of the most beautiful scenery in France to join the Garonne north west of Agen, the departement’s
Administrative capital on the Garonne, about half way between Bordeaux and Toulouse, each about 120 kms away.

Agriculture is one of the Lot-et-Garonne’s main activities. There are plenty of contented sheep and cattle but the land is mainly devoted to growing various kinds of food crops. Of these the most characteristic is the plum, used for making the famous Agen prunes. Remember, the word prune in French means plum. The local product bears little resemblance to the traditional prune in England. Once harvested the prunes are dried by a special process and is used in a multitude of ways in cooking – maybe stuffed with foie gras and served with beef, wrapped up in bacon and fried and served with an aperitif, used in tarts, made into jam or coated in chocolate and served as a petit fours,

In July the Lot-et Garonne is a mass of bright yellow as the sunflower crop, grown for vegetable oil, matures. The region also produces a large amount of tobacco, much of which was until recently processed locally at Tonniens but of course there are many many more acres devoted to vineyards producing excellent wines.

The Lot et Garonne is in the middle of one of the greatest wine producing area in France and with the Bordeaux wines, in the world. Whilst nearly half the wines produced are made via the co-operative, there are still a great range of producers working and selling from their own vineyards.

Whilst the basic grapes of Duras – Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds and Sauvignon and Semillon for the whites – are similar to Bordeaux - the local ‘terroir’ makes the wines unique to the area.
The reds are rich and strong with good round tastes and very good keeping properties and the whites are fresh , full of zest, light and very palatable. With plenty of sunshine the happy summer wine is Rose which is light, with soft red fruit flavours and delightful any time of the day.

To the north the delightful wines of Bergerac again give a lovely spread of red, white and rose much in the style of Bordeaux whose grape varieties they mirror. Both in Duras and Bergerac and the adjacent area of Monbazillac, they produce moelleux – sweet – wines from a mixture of Sauvignon and Semillon grapes.

These grapes are left to nearly rot away before harvest and thus concentrate the juice making rich, round non-cloying sweet wines. The Duras and Bergerac wine is slightly lighter than that of Monbazillac but all are ideal with foie Gras, soft cheeses and also, very chilled, make lovely aperitifs on those warm summer evenings.

To the south are the areas of Marmande and Buzet both using the main grapes together with local varieties such as Malbec and Abouriou. The Caves de Beaupuy just outside the town of Marmande is the centre and with careful selection of the grapes make a wine with a personal profile and well-structured tannic taste and a visit here highly recommended.

Buzet, slightly more south, runs along the banks of the river Garonne and the co-operative is the largest in France. Well worth a call, where with an English speaking guide will show you the process and let you taste the wide range of wines. Somewhat unusually all the wines are aged in oak barrels . This gives a soft, rich fruity red with a lingering taste and fresh crisp and lemony whites. The reds are capable of being kept for some time.

Away to the east is the area of Cahors – the black wines of Cahors– as it was known. The red wines are strong ,rich and tannic with a style of their own. Ideal with food such as game and meat stews in the winter months. Cahors has long been a producer of wine, indeed from Roman times and they were shipped down the river to the port of Bordeaux and sent, mainly, to England.

Between Duras and the Atlantic coast is the vast area of the range of Bordeaux wines, including Graves, Sauternes, Saint Emilion, Cotes de Castillon, Cotes de Blaye, Entre deux Mers and many other small but super appellations. A great area of some of the best wines in the world, not only with a variety of tastes and styles but also price. Starting at some € 2-€3 a bottle to hundreds for the classified growths and 1er cru’s. Most of the properties open their doors to the public, some by appointment and some just have visiting hours. Local tourist offices will have details and all will have their wine for sale.

Fine wine and food definitely go together and during your time in the Lot et Garonne you will be able to experience this match at its best. The regional cuisine of this area “la cuisine de terroir” benefits from the finest ingredients, quality fresh produce with fruit and vegetables that are grown on the rich alluvial soils of the river valley. The cuisine is a traditional country one and renowned for its simplicity and attention to details as well as for its robust and copious portions.

Street markets are a weekly event in every town and village. They are colourful, noisy, exciting events and not to be missed as they are not only the focal day of the week where there is probably more chatting than shopping, they clearly illustrate the passion the French have for their food. Much of the produce is quasi-organic, locally produced and very fresh. As a result people tend to buy and cook what is in season. Nothing is imported and nothing is stale. But be careful. Markets start early in the morning and by 12.30 they are closed.

Of course there is always plenty of foie gras to be tasted and purchased. Foie gras (literally “fat liver”) is one of those guilty, expensive and satisfying pleasures. It is very high in fat and calorifically catastrophic and top quality foie gras is too heavy and too rich to be eaten in large quantities. But at its best it can be unique in both flavour and texture. Whole foie gras (entiere) which is best eaten cold, comes in three types, all pre-cooked: frais which lasts for three weeks,; mi-cuit which keeps for two months; and sterilised (foie gras de conserve) which lasts for about five years and improves with age. Bloc de foie gras which is reconstituted from bits of several lives, is cheaper. Traditionally it is served accompanied by lightly toasted brioche and a glass of sweet wines – be it a Sauterne or Monbazillac.

No visit to the Lot et Garonne would be complete without trying the many different ways of cooking duck and goose and the specialities derived from these. Confits are the traditional way of preserving meats: thighs legs or wings are cooked then potted in their own fat and reheated when it is time to eat. They may be eaten fried grilled or cold and are an excellent accompaniment to a picnic. Magrets are steak-like fillets of duck or goose breast, absolutely delicious, best served rare and particularly good for barbecuing. The thick yellow duck or goose fat that preserves the confit is the essential ingredient used in accompanying pommes de terre sarladaised – sliced potatoes sautéed in fat with lashings of garlic and parsley and cepes in the autumn.

The French are obsessed with hunting for ceps in the autumn. There are 15 different varieties of these yellow mushrooms but the pick of the bunch are the Bordeaux cep and the black-headed cep. Watch for these is the weekly markets along with truffles. The truffle is a fungus that grows on the roots of certain oak trees. They grow during the summer months, maturing in December and pigs or dogs (who have a fondness for truffles and a keen sense of smell) lead the harvest between November and March.

Bread is baked and bought twice a day to make sure it is fresh. It comes in a number of shapes but the weights are officially controlled. Bakeries are often open on Sunday mornings and the shelves are laden with wonderful pattiseries ready for the traditional Sunday lunch.

The Lot-et-Garonne has no fewer than 42 towns or villages which differ from the rest and whose origins date back to the late X111c and early X1Vc. This area was hotly disputed between the kings of France and England and the kings of both countries created new towns which became known as bastides. They were usually built on a square plan with fairly narrow streets on a grid patterns. A central space was left open for trade and this was surrounded by arcades under which traders could operate in poor weather. Essential at the time were four strong walls for defence, with castle-type gateways.

The intervening seven centuries have seen many changes, including the disappearance of fortifications in most places. However, the usual sign of a bastide is the central square with its surrounding arcades and there are many fine examples in the Lot-et Garonne. The most distinguished is Vianne with street pattern and walls almost intact but other places well worth visiting are in the Pays de Guyenne in the north and Caudecoste in the south east, not forgetting Pujols, Tournon, Beauville, Laparade (with a fantastic view over the Lot valley) St. Livrade and Durance.

The main town and administrative centre of the Lot-et Garonne is Agen on the river Garonne. Its origins go back at least 1,800 years, to Roman times, and some buildings which date back to the Middle Ages are still standing.

Quite remarkable for a modest town, Agen’s museum houses five paintings by Goya and a Tintoretto, as well as a Roman statue discovered in a field near the Garonne.

A few minutes walk away from the museum, along the Rue Garonne, is the attractive Place des Laiters with its shops, cafes and Wednesday outdoor market.

Passing just behind the railway station is the canal – part of the Canal des Deux Mers, which links the Atlantic with the Mediterranean. The canal has become a big attraction in recent years with large numbers of tourists cruising along different sections. Boats may be hired at the Port de Plaisance. To the west, and within a short walk, the canal crosses the Garonne by means of a splendid bridge, the largest canal bridge in France built in the X1Xc

Along the borders of the Dordogne department, the Pays de Guyenne has many features of the old Perigord: fine manors and little chateaux as well as a host of humble farmhouses, often with steep-pitched Perigord roofs covered in flat tiles often prolonged with a Roman-tiled terrace. You can still see buildings with the ancient wattle and daub walls. A little tour might start from Miramont de Guyenne, a X111c English built bastide set in a plain. The tourist complex and lake at the Saut du Loup is a great place to cool off with the family. Every year on the first weekend in August a street Art Festival is held outside, with internationally acclaimed troupes giving free shows throughout the day and evening.

From Miramont it is a short step to Lauzun. A small town but boasting many attractive features: the fine XV1c castle has quite a history – Henry 1V stayed here; the gothic church is richly furnished and the community is thriving and bustling. Nearby is Castillonnes, a charming little market town (Tuesday market).

Another English-built bastide, Villeareal is once again a favourite haunt of British visitors and residents - perhaps drawn by the picturesque central covered market (Saturday market) A few kilometres to the south, set in rolling countryside is the pretty bastide of Monflanquin which overlooks the Lede valley from its conical hilltop. During its packed summer programme of festivals fairs and theme markets – all surrounding the beautiful medieval square - the village bustles with life.

At first glance Duras may appear to be quite isolated but it is easy to reach from the D708 which runs northwards from Marmande to Ste-Foy-la-Grande. Duras boasts, among other things one of the finest castles in the department. The chateau was built in 1308 by Bertrand de Goth, nephew of Pope Clement V. This fortress, residence of the Durfort, Dukes of Duras, was gradually converted into a residential dwelling from the end of the 16th century. Through the maze of its 35 restored rooms the chateau offers architectural splendours (peristyle, vaulted archways, hall of secrets….) each bearing witness to a different era. The castle came first with the village developing close by and being subsequently protected by defensive walls and ditches. From the top of its main tower there is an exceptional 360 degree panoramic view over the Valley of the Dropt with its fantastic vineyards and prune farms – visitors should remember their cameras!

Besides a wide choice of eating possibilities, the village has several points of interest. It has retained one of its medieval gates, now known as the cock tower. There is also a stained glass workshop, an art gallery, a museum specialising in the production techniques of medieval manuscrips (Musee de Parchemin) and just outside the villages an historical exhibition featuring miniature models and figures.

The third largest town in the deptatment is Marmande. A flourishing commercial town – its suburbus could be anywhere, with modern shopping centres strung out along the main roads.
What is left of the historic part of the town can be visited on foot, following the itinerary called Decouverte du Viex Marmande, with or without a guide. A modern mosaic on the Boulevard Richard Coeur de Lion represents the town from the V11c to XV1c. Visitors interested in churches will want to see Notre-Dame de Marmande, which has a Gothic façade, a noteworthy organ, a Baroque reredos and the remains of a cloister.

Apart from its history, Marmande’s pride and joy is its acknowledged position as the tomato capital of France. You should not leave without trying some of the region’s famous tomatoes. There is even a statue to the tomato, at the end of the rue Toupinerie.

On the north bank of the Garonne is the small town of Tonniens which can be best appreciated by walking along the river just below the main part of the town where embankments were created in X1Xc. The town used to be an important stop for river traffic up and down the Garonne. At a time when roads were very poor, the river was the most reliable means of transport, especially for goods traffic. For many years Tonniens was a centre for the tobacco industry. After its introduction in the XV1c tobacco was grown extensively in the area. In 1726 a manufacture royale was opened here. The building is now a museum dedicated to the river traffic of the past and to the ropemaking industry which supported it.