Hiking, river trips or cycling: 7 experiences to enjoy this summer in Lot-et-Garonne

Lot-et-Garonne displays all the colors of hiking. Families can find easy walks for a few hours of relaxation and discovery: Penne-d'Agenais and its basilica; Agen and its canalside Hermitage; Lamontjoie and its fortified town, with a view of the Gascony hills whose gentle curves mark the border with Gers. Athletes are not forgotten and can test their endurance with lovely elevation changes. The choice is yours, because Lot-et-Garonne has 440 walks, including four long-distance hiking (GR) sections; that's 4,800 kilometers of marked trails. Information sheets with their GPS tracks are available for free download on the tourist office website. Tourisme-lotetgaronne.com

200 kilometers to take it easy, between the Garonne Canal and the Baïse

Tempted by a river trip? Welcome to Lot-et-Garonne, with three must-sees. The Garonne Canal for a tranquil and surprising experience in the shade of century-old plane trees. The route presents no difficulty for those unfamiliar with navigating a houseboat without a license. Less well-known, the Baïse is the embodiment of authenticity, even though the river is perfectly suited to river travel; aboard a houseboat without a license or at the helm of a gabarot. Finally, the Lot seduces with its beauty. Bastides and villages emerge around the meanders, their approach marked by fortified mills built at water level. The locks are part of the journey, particularly in Villeneuve-sur-Lot and Castelmoron-sur-Lot, which boast two of the highest in France: 14 and 10 meters respectively. guide-du-lot-et-garonne.com

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Our cycling routes in Lot-et-Garonne

With five interconnected routes, Lot-et-Garonne is ideal for getting away from it all by bike. All on a safe track and with no elevation changes, the greenway of the Canal des Deux-Mers is reassuring for beginners, families, and seniors between Meilhan-sur-Garonne and Saint-Romain-le-Noble (87 km). Regular "cycling" enthusiasts alternate between small roads and sections of greenway towards Cahors, on the Lot Valley cycle route (86 km). More experienced riders can complete the tour of Lot-et-Garonne from Duras, via Fumel and Le Mas-d'Agenais, following the quiet roads of the Dropt Valley cycle route (100 km) or, from Barbaste, crisscross the Albret towards Gers and Lannemezan on the Baïse Valley cycle route (25 km). Don't forget the Scandibérique, towards Compostela, 52 kilometers of which cross Lot-et-Garonne. tourisme-lotetgaronne.com/itineraires/le-canal-des-2-mers-a-velo . Tel. 05 53 66 14 14

Celebrate the Garonne in Couthures-sur-Garonne

The river and the people of Couturier have shared a passion for nearly a thousand years. They display it, in land art style: a giant orange rope crosses the village. They tell their story. On the water with Les Bateaux de Garonne (€9.50); ​​on land, from Fous de Garonne and its activities (video mapping over 7 meters high, 360-degree virtual reality, 3D nature cabin, aquarium and touch pool, from €10). The scene is set and testifies to the couple formed by a river and people, both promise and threat. And if you want to understand it better, try the Couturiers' favorite dining and relaxation areas, located on the beach facing the river, for unforgettable moments. Fous-de-garonne.com

The fifty or so Country Storytellers hold the keys to the department's history, both small and large. Neither historians nor professional guides, they each have a personal motivation: love at first sight or whim, chance or destiny. Even if they claim the same desire, that of sharing their passion for a Lot-et-Garonne of which they are living witnesses. Their voices tell, for example, of the Cocussotte mill , in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dropt, and transmit the memory of this 13th ^century building, which has remained family property since 1926. They share the memory of a listed fresco in the Saint-Eutrope church, in Allemans-du-Dropt, without omitting the anecdotes of a native village that they know down to the smallest pebble. Raconteursdepays47.com

When Janouille the Rascal appears, preceded by the jingling of bells, he seems to be passing through the gates of time. His hobbyhorse? To deliver a funny and anecdotal but always educational account of this village where he grew up, ranked among the most beautiful in France. The bastard son of Henry IV and Germaine, Lady of Bennet, he immerses his audience in the secrets of the construction of the bastide, in 1252. This new medieval town unfolds an orthogonal plan, drawn by cart and cross streets. The central square and arcades form a light well, while the Gothic church and the Black Prince's house mark its particularity. Visit the Monflanquin bastide with Janouille the Rascal. Price €8 per person, free for children under 7. Tel. 05 53 36 40 19. Guide-du-lot-et-garonne.com

Take the Albret Express, the little star train of Lot-et-Garonne