The beautiful walks of Lot-et-Garonne

Discover in our article the most beautiful paths of Lot-et-Garonne, the most pleasant routes for hiking. The Garonne and the Lot have carved out beautiful green valleys, the Lot valley and the Gascogne valley to the delight of hikers and cyclists. There are more than 430 walking routes ! If you like to walk the countryside, discover the heritage and beautiful villages, or if you fancy a romantic walk in the forest, by the water... There is something to satisfy all your desires !

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Long-distance hiking trails

The GR654 is the long-distance hiking trail that connects Belgium to Montreal-du-Gers, thanks to the paths of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. Its section of the "GR654 East" allows you to cross the Pays du Dropt, the Lot Valley and the Albret. In the footsteps of pilgrims, you will discover the magnificent religious heritage of these villages in Lot-et-Garonne :

• At the start, you start with the beautiful town of Castillonnès (fr), with its abbey, its central square and its Museum of History and Heritage.
• Cancon still has its surrounding wall and its round tower from the Middle Ages, but the village is best known as the “ Capital of Hazelnut”.
• In Castelmoront-sur-Lot, you will see an anecdotal neo-Moorish castle !
• The country house of Laparade offers you an exceptional panorama over the valley.  
• On the banks of the Lot : Clairac and its half-timbered houses.
• In Nicole is a natural curiosity not to be missed: the confluence of the Lot and the Garonne .
• The English bastide of Vianne and its fortified enclosure.
• The Moulin des Tours de Barbaste is also a magnificent site. This fortified mill is emblematic of the region. Henri de Navarre, during his youth, used to sign “ Henri, meunier de Barbaste ”…  
• Right next door, the town of Nérac is reputed to be the “ pearl of Albret ”.
• We arrive at the borders of the department, at Mézin and its cork and cork museum.
• Before finishing the GR, in Montreal, at the entrance to the Gers...

Find all the practical information and the route on the GR-infos site on the GR654.

The GR652 corresponds to the “ Voie de Rocamadour ”. You can reach it around Fumel, in the Lot valley or next to Laplume, in Agenais, or even directly in Agen. This trail can also be a good return option after the GR654, since it starts in La Romieu, in the Gers, not far from Montreal. In this sense, here are the visits to do :  

• The hilltop village of Laplume.
• Moirax, with its Romanesque church and its Cluniac priory.
• Agen is one of the essentials : its historic center, with its medieval streets and half-timbered houses ; and beautiful monuments, in particular its Museum of Fine Arts, in a former mansion (fr). We tested it for you and we take you for a walk in Agen (fr).
• The feudal castle of Madaillan.
• In Sainte-Colombe-de-Villeneuve, the Lastournelle cave takes you into the bowels of the earth, during an unusual visit with a flashlight or a treasure hunt for children...
• The medieval village of Pujols, one of the “ most beautiful villages in France ”.
• In Saint-Sylvestre-sur-Lot, the incredible Stelsia castle… Follow our blogger in report and video…  
• Nearby, Villeneuve-sur-Lot (fr) is a former royal bastide and a regional capital.
• The medieval town of Penne d'Agen, with its narrow streets, houses the ^16th century, the shrine of Our Lady and its basilica.
• The bastide of Tournon d'Agenais, built on a rocky promontory, offers a walk on the ramparts with a magnificent panorama.  
• You can end on a high note with a visit to Bonaguil Castle, an impressive fortress that offers many activities and enjoy a moment of relaxation in Fumel to see its astonishing Watt machine.

Find all the practical information on the GR-infos site on the GR652.

In Lot-et-Garonne, the GR636 starts from Castillonnès and crosses the Pays du Dropt to Lacapelle-Biron. Here are our tips for visits, on your journey :  

• Castillonnès (fr), if you haven't done so previously.
• Monflanquin is one of the " Most beautiful villages in France ". You will be able to see the House of the Black Prince there, the market hall and its Bastides museum is also particularly interesting.
• The Château de Gavaudun is a witness to the 100 years war.
• In Lacapelle-Biron, the Château de Biron has a very long history of 800 years to tell you...

Find all the practical information on the GR-infos site on the GR636.

Take advantage of your hikes to see beautiful landscapes, here Penne d'Agenais

The Guyenne-Gascogne Cluniac Trail

Creating a junction with GR652, this hiking trail connects the four main Cluniac sites of Guyenne-Gascogne, that is to say the priories of Layrac and Moirax and the abbey of Saint-Maurindans l'Agenais, as well than that of Moissac, in Tarn-et-Garonne.

On the road, you can admire the small heritage of the pretty villages along the Garonne : washhouses, fountains and mills, and religious monuments  churches, abbey, chapels… Take advantage of a stopover to admire the medieval bastide of Puymirol. 

Puymirol Guide du lot et Garonne

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Garonne canal

The Deux-Mers canal is formed by the Canal du Midi, which connects Sète to Toulouse, extended by the Garonne canal, from Toulouse to Castets-en-Dorthe. This portion of the canal, which crosses the Lot-et-Garonne, is bordered by the greenway. Lined with trees and dotted with locks, the promenade is bucolic.

On the way, stop to visit the “ beautiful Marmande ”, founded by Richard Coeur de Lion, on the banks of the Garonne. Marmande, the city of tomatoes, is also a market gardening capital and rich, which has a beautiful heritage. Here is a preview of your next visit.

This long route is divided into several sections. The stages are available on the Canal des Deux-Mers by bike website (fr). If it is more focused on cycling, you can find plenty of information that can be transposed to hiking. Of course, like all greenways, it is also a cycle path. To find a bicycle rental agency, we advise you :  

• Émeraude Location in Fourques-sur-Garonne ;
• Aquitaine Navigation, in Buzet-sur-Baïse. We tested it for you : here is our full article (fr).  

The navigation is particularly easy and pleasant, so it is a good opportunity to hire a boat and coast on the water.

See our article on boat trips in the Lot-et-Garonne.

Hiking by Lot-et-Garonne territory

It is not always easy to find the right circuit. To help you in your research, we have listed for you the sites which group together hiking trails, in each of the Lot-et-Garonne territories :

In the Val de Garonne and Gascogne :

This agricultural territory will allow you beautiful walks in its meadows and hillsides. Hikers who appreciate the countryside will find their happiness there.

• On the Coteaux et Landes de Gascogne site, you will find walking circuits around the ancient medieval city of Casteljaloux.
• Hiking trails in the Val de Garonne, along the river.
• A green way will soon cross the Lot valley from Marmande to Casteljaloux.

In the Pays du Dropt :

The Dropt is the country of the bastides. The paths will lead you to these architectural treasures, typical of the Middle Ages and often classified among the " most beautiful villages in France ". These hikes are to be privileged for lovers of old stones.

• Hiking in the country of Duras : Tourisme Duras (fr).  
• Walks around Lauzun and Miramont-de-Guyenne : Discovery walks in the Lauzun region (fr).  

In the Lot Valley :

The Lot valley offers many aquatic activities, walks on the water and visits to the castles that line its beautiful river.

• Hiking in the Grand Villeneuvois region, around Villeneuve-sur-Lot on the Tourisme Villeneuvois website.
• The Fumel Tourism website presents walks around Fumel, Bonaguil and Tournon-d'Agenais.
• Hiking in the Pays de Serres is between the Lot and La Garonne, in a triangle formed by Aiguillon, Villeneuve-sur-Lot and Agen.
  
  

In the Agenais :

The hikes around Agen will lead you in the footsteps of pilgrims, with a beautiful religious heritage and a discovery of Romanesque art.

• Go to the Destination Agen website (fr).

In the Albret :  

Wine tourism is highly developed there with all kinds of original activities :  

• At the Vignerons de Buzet you can take beautiful walks, on foot, by electric bike, or by following a geocaching course... Here is our report : In the essence of the vines...
• If you want more, here is our article on the 5 vineyard tours in Lot-et-Garonne for wine lovers. You will find beautiful walks in the heart of the vineyards...
• You will find other hikes in Albret on the Albret Tourisme website (fr).

Our tips

You are in a group and you are looking for a good organizer for a guided hike, Chamina voyages (fr) offers you guided hikes in the Lot and the Garonne valley.

Are you tempted by a longer stay ? We have concocted a program of visits according to the length of your vacation. What if you made a 2-day getaway in the Lot valley or even better, a 4-day stay in the Lot-et-Garonne !

Our tip : Do you know Terra Aventura ? A geolocated treasure hunt using your mobile phone, known as geocaching. Children will love hiking and solving puzzles to find the precious badges… In Lot-et-Garonne, you have 34 routes to discover on Terra Aventura (fr) to please you while doing sport with the family.

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You are now ready for adventure ! With family or between sportsmen and women, we hope to have inspired you with ideas for walks and hikes, on foot or by bike, to discover or better understand the territories of Lot-et-Garonne and its most beautiful villages.  

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Article written by Stéphanie Tempier for the Guide du Lot et Garonne.

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