Visit Cancon, a very surprising little village!

He hides his game well, the village of Cancon. Crossed by the N21, it does not seem very attractive and yet, on the heights hides one of the prettiest panoramas of Lot-et-Garonne, as well as a typical castle town of the medieval period. Located in the Pays des Bastides, it is also the National Capital of Hazelnut. Take a break in Cancon for curiosity, for gluttony or to take a nice walk, between Castillonnès and Villeneuve-sur-Lot.

Photos of the article © Guide du Lot-et-Garonne

Cancon and its steep streets

Cancon is best discovered in sneakers, because to climb to the top of its pech (hill), you will have to take charming cobbled and steep streets. The reward is worth the climb, I promise.

Start by parking your car in the car park near the hall. You will notice its Baltard-type architecture, all in metal as in the 19th century in Paris. It receives the weekly market every Monday, but also the festivals and events of the village during the summer season.

The Hall of Cancon

The old castle town is located on the other side of the road N21. Cross with caution! Go up the rue Porte de la Ville, it is easy to spot, because the intermunicipal media library with its wooden screens is rather distinctive. Here you are in the heart of the castle town, it dates from the 13th century. This part of the city was alive and inhabited by about fifty houses. On this buttress of the hill, the half-timbered and corbelled houses are well preserved and the cobblestones give a special charm to these small alleys.

Go up on your left, towards the rue Basse, then at the level of the Place des Marronniers. It is here that fairs and a market took place from 1555, in an old hall (which is no longer there!). Take the stairs that climbs up the hill. We will first go to the top of Cancon, where an ancient castle probably stood. We can still see the remains of a tower, as well as some ramparts drowned in the vegetation. The castle was dismantled in the middle of the 18th century. An orientation table will allow you to appreciate the 360 degree view from this unique point of view. On a beautiful day, it is a fertile agricultural plain (the molasses de l'Agenais) that awaits you, with orchards of plum trees, hazelnut trees, hill lakes and other villages perched in the distance. On the other side, a cross and its monumental Christ protect the landscape towards the rest of the plain and Monflanquin in the distance.

Cancon today, a farming village specializing in Hazelnuts

Go back down and before crossing the N21 again, turn left in front of the media library towards the viewpoint, to discover another lane with charming houses clinging to the hill, in rue Mangane.

Cancon's treasure is hidden in its fertile plain… These are the hazelnuts! If a very large part of the regional production of hazelnuts comes from this village, it is indeed 90% of the French production of hazelnuts which passes through Cancon. It is quite simply the French capital of hazelnuts. More than 7000 tonnes of these small crunchy nuts, these dried fruits with a praline flavor, pass through it. The hazelnut comes from hazel or hazel (you say your grandfather) and there is much in Cancon is primarily because pruneliers (which give rise to the Ente plum, prune of the famous 'Agen) are very present and it was necessary to diversify the cultures. For farmers, this is a godsend because plum trees and hazelnuts require the same equipment while offering different harvest periods!

If French hazelnuts pass through Cancon, it is because the Cooperative allows the standardization, sizing and packaging before placing the hazelnuts on the French or international market. To find out more, you can visit the shop of KOKI, the Unicoque agricultural cooperative based in the village since the 90s. KOKI brings together 250 producers. In the shop you will of course find hazelnuts and walnuts, but also a wide, interesting and surprising range of products made from hazelnuts. Chocolate, various preparations of gourmet confectionery, spreads, condiments and oil but also soaps, cosmetics…. Koki organizes summer and vacation tours of their orchards and hazelnut processing plant.

To organize your visit to Cancon , here is a downloadable map of Cancon (in fr), which you can also pick up at Tourist Office in Villeréal or Monflanquin . To visit the city with children, download the Tèrra Aventura app and use the Nutcracker trail. It's a treasure hunt with historical information that the whole family will love.

Once your visit is over, you can head to Monflanquin, Villeneuve-sur-Lot or Castillonnès. Nearby is Lake Lougratte for swimming on hot summer days!

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