Agenais

Around Agen, the prefecture of Lot-et-Garonne, lies the Agenais, the clay-limestone lands, the hillsides and the valleys. It is a transition zone between the Périgord further north, the lower Quercy to the east and the Landes nearby to the west. The Agenais is a very pleasant and little industrialized holiday resort except perhaps around Fumel which retains some small industries.

You will of course make a stop south of Agen in Astaffort , home of Francis Cabrel, in the heart of Brulhois which also produces a very pleasant and affordable wine, the Côte de Brulhois. Astaffort hosts a festival of young singers twice a year, supported of course by the famous French singer, a native of the town.

Still to the south of the prefecture, a short stop is essential in Moirax, with its majestic 11th century Romanesque priory, which dominates the Garonne valley. Of the Cluniac order, it is one of the most remarkable in the region.

To the east of Agen, you will stop at Beauville, a fortified town typically clinging to the rock. On the program: square with arcades, half-timbered houses, 14th century church…

You will also discover Puymirol which stands out from the top of its rock. A former stronghold, it is today a very pleasant little village with magnificent old houses and private mansions. The square square with corners is worth a detour. Puymirol is also a high gastronomic place with the Michelin-starred restaurant of Michel Trama.

Finally, during your stroll in Agenais, visit Laroque Timbaut, a living symbol of medieval times. This stroll through the alleys of the town will allow you to discover the clock tower, narrow and picturesque alleys or even a market hall whose old wooden frame is astonishing.

Agen

Agen is a regional capital that counts in Aquitaine. Its history is long since it begins in the 2nd century BC under the name of Aginnum. Agen does not keep any major ancient traces. The Romans did not leave any monuments there, but the city has been enriched over the centuries and influences. Agen has indeed changed hands eleven times, but it is to the Renaissance that the city owes its main wealth. At the end of the 19th century, the town was a large commercial and agricultural town, crossed by beautiful avenues and bordered by the splendid Garonne.

Agen © AdobeStock JackF

Today, the regional capital, between Bordeaux and Toulouse, is a city where life is very good. It also regularly appears in the rankings of the most pleasant cities to live in France, at once gourmet, generous and rebellious. It is the capital of the prune, a land of rugby that vibrates with the exploits of its legendary club SU Agenais, several times champion of France. Agen is also the stronghold of one of our pharmaceutical flagships, the giant UPSA, a leisure place known throughout the region with its famous Walibi Park…

• During your stroll in Agen, don't miss the pretty old streets, some of which are pedestrianized, such as rue des Augustins, rue des Cornières or rue Beauville.
• Visit the Museum of Fine Arts, the Notre Dame du Bourg chapel, the Saint Caprais cathedral , the Jacobins church, etc.
• Finally, end your walk along the banks of the Garonne, remarkably landscaped, from the pedestrian bridge over the river. You will have a nice view of the old canal bridge where the lateral canal to the Garonne crosses it here, on the second longest canal bridge in France.

Agen Canal Bridge © AdobeStock Patrice

ZOOM on the Agen Prune

IGP designation, the Agen prune owes its name to the fact that the city has always been the main transit point for prunes via its port to Bordeaux by the Garonne. The region's prune producers, 1,500 in total, represent 65% of French prune production. They still constitute one of the main industries in Lot-et-Garonne to this day with more than 20,000 people living directly or indirectly from this product. However, the Agen plum, whose purple color is an institution here, is mainly produced in the Lot valley around Villeneuve-sur-Lot, where the main orchards, producers and processors are located. The dried prune is the star product, because it is rich in vitamins and fiber. Nevertheless, there are many derived products: prune creams, prunes in syrup, with Armagnac, etc.

Photo © AdobeStock Titou