The Lot et Garonne

Lot et Garonne, a welcoming and generous department of just over 300,000 inhabitants, is bordered by Périgord to the north-east, the Landes to the south-west, Gers to the south and by two large regional cities linked by the A62 passing through Agen : Bordeaux and Toulouse.

It is a country of transition between Quercy and Landes, hilly, crossed by two superb rivers, the Lot and the Garonne which meet at Aiguillon. Essentially rural, the Lot et Garonne is a land generous in agricultural production, bathed in orchards and fertile land, vines, fields and crops. Prunes, tomatoes, Buzet wines, Duras, melons, strawberries, asparagus... It is the main agricultural department of the Aquitaine Region.

It is a region of good living and eating well, of mixtures of cultures and conviviality, an agricultural region always attracting labor from elsewhere. Today, the tourist attractions of Lot et Garonne are numerous, country of Bastides and Castles, of rural and river tourism (200km of waterways) of orchards and multiple outdoor activities, it is a place of tourism in the at the same time cultural, relaxing, sporting and gastronomic.

Monflanquin © Guide du Lot et Garonne

Weather

The climate of Lot et Garonne is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, so it is oceanic and mild, but less rainy and windy than its neighbor in the Landes, hot and often humid and stormy in summer. The average thermal amplitude between summer and winter is more marked than in the Landes and a little less than in Périgord in the North, it is a region of climatic transition where we will however note certain extreme weather phenomena, severe frosts in winter, and sometimes stifling heat in summer.

History of Lot-et-Garonne

Land of History, of Henri IV and Jeanne d'Albret, located between Bordeaux and Toulouse, between Guyenne and Languedoc, the Lot et Garonne has often been tossed about between several influences. The Agenais first belonged to Aquitaine in the first centuries of our era, before being subjected to wars between the King of France and that of England, often passing from one influence to another, upstream or downstream from Agen.

Sometimes under Toulousaine, English, Bordelaise influence, the Lot et Garonne as we know it today has long had very indecisive borders, overlapping jurisdictions, some looking more towards Toulouse, others towards Bordeaux, not to mention the powerful family d'Albret who exercised his authority in the region of Nérac. In addition, the Garonne river has long been considered as an essential geographic border between the North and the South of the region.

With Louis XI, the Agenais it is definitely turned towards the Bordelais, its parliament and the government of Guyenne. Formed in 1790, the limits of Lot et Garonne as we know them today date from 1808, it is at this time that the limits with the newly created Tarn et Garonne were fixed in the South East.

However, things were not easy, certain regions turning more naturally towards the Dordogne in the North, the Gers in the South or the Landes in the South West. Likewise, the choice of the capital between Agen and Aiguillon gave rise to debate, Aiguillon arguing for its privileged and natural geographical position at the confluence of the Lot and the Garonne, it was however Agen sui was designated Chief Place because of its historical weight.

Musée des Bastides © Guide du Lot et Garonne

Lot-et-garonne in 5 regions

We propose to present them to you in our chapter "Visit of the Lot et Garonne", go quickly take a close look and you will discover an overview of the historical, architectural and natural riches of each of these regions :

• Agenais extends naturally around Agen, Capital of prunes, prefecture of 32,000 inhabitants, stroll through the old streets of Agen, city where life is good and discover the Romanesque riches of its surroundings...
• Albret, land of Gascony, of King Henri IV and his castle of Nérac, hilly land and good living, take a boat trip on the Baïse, Visit Nérac, Barbaste, discover the vineyards of Buzet...
• Pays du Dropt, on the borders of the nearby Périgord, steeped in history, visit Duras and its famous castle, take a detour through Allemans du Dropt, discover the region's Bastides, taste the wines of Côtes de Duras...
• Val de Garonne / Gascogne, Orchards, rivers and canals, from Casteljaloux to Marmande, from the Garonne to the limits of the Landes forest...
• Lot Valley, the majestic Lot, lush orchards, castles and country houses, hilltop villages and grandiose panoramas, the perfect place for sports and leisure activities with the family...

Read our article "4 days in Lot-et-Garonne" to organize a short week of fun and discovery in this beautiful department. We have organized these adventures from 3 big cities, so you have the choice of where settle in for these 4 days.

Tourist sites to visit in Lot-et-Garonne

The Lot et Garonne lists a number of treasures : Castles, Churches, Priories, Mills, Museums, Natural Sites, a multitude of reasons to stay in the region to be discovered in detail in the chapter "Tourist Sites".

Visit the Lot-et-Garonne museums! Discover the article on our blog, which lists ALL MUSEUMS in the department. You are spoiled for choice to have a good day and learn lots of things.

Chateau de Bonaguil © Guide du Lot et Garonne

From the richness of local products...

The products of Lot et Garonne are for some very famous, here is a small overview :

• The Prune
• The wines of Côtes de Duras or Buzet
• Strawberries (First producer department)
• Asparagus
• La Noisette (First producer department)
• The tomato
• The melon
• Tourtières

to those of the table and the cuisine of Lot-et-Garonne

The gastronomy of Lot et Garonne is, as in the whole of the South West, very rich, the department is full of succulent fruit and vegetable productions, and has a highly developed organic agriculture. These products are of course found on the Lot et Garonnaise table, where prunes allow great local chefs to mix unexpected flavors. For example, stop off in Puymirol at the Aubergade at Michel Trama, 2 stars in the Michelin guide.

Accommodation in Lot-et-Garonne

You will find in our chapter " Accommodation " all the possibilities available to you : from Campsites to Gîtes, Furnished Apartments, Holiday Villages, from Bed and Breakfasts to classified Hotels, Le Lot et Garonne offers a multitude of from possibilities of the greatest luxury to the most typical accommodation, your desires will be satisfied !

Le Stelsia, hotel in a castle

Sports and leisure

A multitude of activities will be offered to you to discover the riches of the Lot et Garonne, bike rides along one of the region's many cycle paths, walks on a footpath, boat trips on the 200km of waterways of the department, rivers, rivers or canals, nautical activities in the Lot valley, rugby... a multitude of activities to discover in our chapter "Sports and Leisure".

Are you interested in a boat trip on one of the rivers of Lot-et-Garonne ? Read our article to find out where to go and who to see, if the fancy of a river trip crosses your mind !

Randonnée © Guide du lot et garonne

Festivals, Fairs, Exhibitions and Events in Lot et Garonne

The Lot et Garonne is a high place of celebrations, festivals, cultural and culinary events throughout the year, among which :

•  Folies Vocales Festival in Agen in May
• Laughter Festival in Villeneuve sur Lot in June
•  Grand Pruneau Show in Agen in November
• Garonna Show in Port Sainte Foy in July (the event is cancelled in 2024)
• Aiguillon Jazz Festival in June
• Albret Jazz Festival in August
• Bonaguil Fumel Festival in August
• Street arts festival in Miramont de Guyenne in August
• Lyric Nights in Marmandais in August

The famous Lot and Garonnais

Jean Pierre Fourcade, Jean François Poncet, Bernard Palissy, Bernard Campan, Francis Cabrel, Chimène Badi, Michel Polnareff, Paul Guth, Michel Serres, Jean Nouvel, André Téchiné, Maurice Mességué, Philippe Sella, Albert Ferrasse, as many from Lot and Garonnais who proudly convey the colors of their region.

The books we recommend

• Guide Vert Aquitaine, in "Editions de Voyages - Michelin"
• The Aquitaine Routard Guide
• The various publications and documentation from the Lot et Garonne Tourist Offices