The best MTB trails around Saint-Salvy

struggle path mtb

A literary monument – albeit one that seems rather bizarre in the context of the story – has been erected by the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes to the windmills with which our ancestors harnessed the energy of the wind centuries ago to move the large and heavy millstones: In one episode, his tragic novel hero Don Quixote, the “knight of the sorrowful countenance”, wants to defeat them in a duel, believing that he is fighting against giants with four arms.

Located in the heart of the Lot-et-Garonne hills, Preyssas is a charming village typical of the Albret region. Surrounded by orchards and rolling countryside, it reveals peaceful lanes, a beautiful stone church, and retains a true rural authenticity. The town hall square is an ideal spot for a relaxing break on a terrace.

The history of Clairac is inseparable from that of its Benedictine abbey, which was internationally renowned in the Middle Ages. The abbey, as well as the town which was formed around its walls, reached their peak in the 12th and 13th centuries. There were then 120 monks who worked both in the fields and as copyists of manuscripts. The abbot of Clairac was also the lord of the village and commanded two bastides, five priories and around fifty parishes. The monks also owned two mills on the Lot. The income generated by the abbey was then considerable. But the most important heritage is unexpected: the plum tree of Damascus, brought back from the crusades, was in fact "enté", that is to say grafted, by them for the 1st time. They also discovered the sun-drying process, inventing the Ente plum and the Agen prune in one fell swoop!

Prayssas is a commune in southwestern France, located in the Lot-et-Garonne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. The commune is perched on a hilltop, offering panoramic views of the Garonne Valley and the surrounding hills. Prayssas is a small rural village with a rich historical heritage, with several ancient buildings dating back to the Middle Ages, such as the 11th-century Saint-Martin Church and the 13th-century Château de Monbrison. The village is also known for its traditional market, held every Tuesday morning, as well as for its production of Agen prunes. The surrounding area of Prayssas offers numerous outdoor recreation opportunities, with hiking trails, cycling paths, and water sports on the Garonne River.

Like many small towns located along the Lot River, Clairac has its own beach. But it also boasts some of the region's most beautiful half-timbered houses, as well as the Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens church, known for its remarkable maître d'hôtel.

The site of the Château where the mill is located was purchased by the municipality in February 1988 and the Capet site in 1989. In 1998, the municipality decided to restore this mill, which, after being in a state of desolation for many years and in ruins (only the barrel remained) is finally given a new life project.

Lou Mouli del Castel", as the elders of Montpezat used to call it, stands high on the rock to the west of the village and from which the beautiful Lot valley dominates. Writings in the book of P. CHAPLAIS "The War of Saint SARDOS" tell us that the Capet windmill was built before 1324, but we find it dated 1870 on a stone at the entrance of the mill. Has it been demolished and rebuilt? Possibly ! Yet this old building, as the name suggests, was once the mill of the lords of Montpezat whose successive castles were demolished, except for the vital organ it represented and which shaped the survival of the inhabitants