The best road cycling routes around Penne-D'Agenais

The greatest paradox of Bonaguil is that it appeared totally obsolete as soon as it was completed (at a time when kings were building the peaceful châteaux of the Loire). Situated away from the main strategic routes, it was never attacked or besieged, which explains why it has come down to us almost intact. A war machine... that never served!

Superb place!

Crowning a 40-meter-high rocky spur, this 11th-century castle was once a stronghold of heretics and later a key bastion of the Hundred Years' War. It stands out for its unusual rock-hewn entrance and its intact 6-story, 70-meter-high keep, offering an exceptional panorama. The history of Gavaudun Castle spans nearly a millennium, marked by heresies, major medieval sieges, and strategic alliances between Périgord and Agenais.

The Tour du Roy of Sainte-Livrade-sur-Lot, located in the Lot-et-Garonne department, is an old urban seigneurial fortified house built between the end of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th century. Listed as a Historical Monument since 1925, it represents the only surviving vestige of the town's medieval fortifications. Despite its name "Tour du Roy", it initially belonged to a local lord and not to the crown. Local legend sometimes erroneously attributes it to Richard the Lionheart.

Former medieval stronghold, the village is officially labeled among The Most Beautiful Villages of France. Stone, brick, and half-timbered facades surround the market hall and the central square. The village is home to the Collegiate Church of Saint-Nicolas, whose tower-belfry serves as a fortified entrance gate to the town, as well as the Church of Sainte-Foy, adorned with remarkable 16th-century frescoes. Sections of ramparts and the old gates bear witness to its military past as an Albigensian stronghold.

Former medieval stronghold, the village is officially labeled among The Most Beautiful Villages of France. Facades of stone, brick, and timber-frame surround the market hall and the central square. The village houses the Collegiate Church of Saint-Nicolas, whose tower-belfry serves as a fortified entrance gate to the town, as well as the Church of Sainte-Foy, adorned with remarkable 16th-century frescoes. Sections of ramparts and old gates bear witness to its military past as an Albigensian stronghold.

A former medieval stronghold, the village is officially labeled among the Most Beautiful Villages of France. Stone, brick, and half-timbered facades surround the market hall and the central square. The village houses the Collegiate Church of Saint-Nicolas, whose tower-belfry serves as a fortified gateway to the town, as well as the Church of Sainte-Foy, adorned with remarkable 16th-century frescoes. Sections of ramparts and old gates bear witness to its past as an Albigensian stronghold.

The architecture of Villeneuve-sur-Lot tells its story as a 13th-century river bastide, built for trade and defense. Its geometric checkerboard plan is organized around a central hub and opens onto the river. The checkerboard plan: Straight streets, typical of medieval bastides. Place Lafayette: Central square bordered by covered arcades (the cornières). The watchtowers: Fortified gates of Paris and Pujols in brick and stone. The Romanesque-Byzantine style: Used for the Sainte-Catherine church with its 55-meter high bell tower. The half-timbered facades: Medieval houses with timber framing and overhangs. The Pont des Cieutat: 13th-century structure with asymmetrical stone arches.