Lauzun: a picturesque village, an ancient duchy to explore on foot

Lauzun is a pretty little village, positioned on a hill and facing a lake with blue waters. The Château de Lauzun is reflected there and invites you to go up to discover the village, quietly on foot! At the gates of Périgord, Lauzun is located in an attractive area, with several bastides to visit nearby. Come and stop and stroll without its alleys and carreyroas !

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

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Lauzun through the centuries

Lauzun is an ancient oppidum. In Gallo-Roman times, its location on a hill allows the first fruits of a fortified complex to be established. As the hill is cultivated for the subsistence of the populations, during the harvest of the cereals, many birds come to snoop in this revealed pantry, in particular the larks. In the local dialect, they are called " Laouzu " and with the derivatives of the language over the years, we arrive at " Lauzun "!

In medieval times, Lauzun became a real fortress and castle while defensive tackle: moat, drawbridge, towers... While the external threat settles, it is transformed from the ^15th century, in a mansion more comfortable, to live there and no longer just to fight there. End of the 17th ^century, Lauzun is elevated to a duchy for Antoine Nompar de Caumont La Force, a highly colorful character, to the hectic life full of twists (and conquests...), until his death at 90 years! To find out more, visit the superb Château de Lauzun (visits in summer and during Heritage Days, all year round on request for groups). At the end of the 18th ^century, Lauzun is one of 9 counts towns of District Lot-et-Garonne, which entitles it to a post office and a court. The place of justice was also installed in the 19 ^th century in the rooms above the Market Hall, on the ground floor is the arcaded square for the market.

 

Check with the Pays de Lauzun Tourist Office to find out the dates of visits to the village with the country storytellers. It is an exciting and lively way to discover the villages of our rural areas.

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Visit Lauzun and its small picturesque details

Download the discovery walk of Lauzun (in french), a 1.4km circuit that allows you to walk along the main points of interest of the village, its hidden alleys… A markup with information panels will offer you additional useful explanations!

The easiest way to get around Lauzun is to park your vehicle in the lake car park, at the bottom of the hill where the village is located. This pretty lake was created in 1985, its sometimes turquoise blue waters come from the waters of the Pissebaque, a tributary of the Dropt. It is suitable for fishing for families in particular (with a card), there are Carp and Roach all year round and Pike and Perch at the authorized catch period (which must then be released). Families enjoy the walk around this 1 hectare body of water, which is also home to gray herons, ducks, kingfishers… Keep your eyes peeled! There is a children's play area and benches all around the lake.

Read our article to prepare your hikes in Lot-et-Garonne, there are plenty of fantastic trails to discover in the Pays du Dropt and throughout the department.

Going up towards the village, one quickly notices half-timbered houses, filled with cob and sometimes corbelled. These are vestiges of the medieval period and in Lauzun, houses of this type are particularly well highlighted. We feel that the inhabitants love their small village!

 

The Saint-Etienne church stands on the right, it is inside that you will see remarkable furniture, the exterior having been reworked many times. We arrive at the edge of the curious Maison aux Cariatides… Its architecture is offbeat to say the least, with its statues-pillars of women without arms, with sculpted drapes supporting one of the floors. It is a small madness of a notable of the village, in 1830, it is now classified historical monument.

 

To continue your journey in the Pays de Lauzun, read our article and prepare your stay.

Lauzun is a small village, but it has all the local shops necessary for the well-being of its inhabitants. Shop, pharmacy, restaurants, bank, post office, food, there is everything you need. However, Lauzun retains this indescribable charm of the somewhat sleepy villages, which rest from their eventful past. Stroll through the alleyways or Carreyroa, more or less narrow streets that date back to medieval times. We slip through it, we come out on green courtyards, looking up we see tall village houses with half-timbered edges! You have to get lost in it at the end of the day, when the light stretches the shadows and highlights the orange cob of its old houses.

 

The walk takes you to the Castle, which was closed when we passed. I recommend that you visit it, because it will be an opportunity to learn more about its hosts and in particular the first Duke of Lauzun, Antonin Nompar de Caumont la Force . To get a glimpse of his incredible life, of his " strange and brilliant destiny ", visit the website of the City of Lauzun (in french).

 

 

You like castles, here are all the castles to visit in Lot-et-Garonne, to find in our article!

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You have toured the city, all you have to do is go back down quietly to the lake to reach your vehicle, or why not, have lunch or dinner in Lauzun, this welcoming little village?

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