The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Agen

Prayssas is a small village in Lot-et-Garonne perched on a ridge between the Lot and Garonne valleys. Strolling through its narrow streets, you will discover a Romanesque church, beautiful stone houses, and several viewpoints over the surrounding countryside.

The Martrou Chapel was built in the Romanesque period. The presence of these different sanctuaries made Agen a stop on a pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. A Martyr's Hospital[ was built next to the Martrou Chapel, which became its chapel, near the Saint-Caprais collegiate church. A Saint-Jacques Hospital was founded in the second half of the 14th century and not in the 12th century[. In 1562, the different hospitals of Agen, Saint-Antoine, Saint-Georges, Saint-Michel and Saint-Jacques, were united at the Martyr's Hospital[]. The whole was called the Saint-Jacques-du-Martyre Hospital. This hospital was closed in 1819 after its merger with the General Hospital for the Poor, which then took the name Saint-Jacques Hospital, before becoming the Hôtel du Département de Lot-et-Garonne in 1992. The Martrou Chapel was part of the Saint-Caprais collegiate church. It currently belongs to the Sainte-Foy church. It has undergone numerous alterations, from the Romanesque period to the 20th century. It was restored after the merger of the various hospitals of Agen, after 1563. A room was built above the nave, which served as a meeting place for the Grey Penitents. The choir fresco was painted in 1934 by Giovanni Masutti, an Italian-born painter who had worked in other churches in the department. The Diocesan Association of Agen undertook the renovation of the Martrou Church (enhancement of the bell tower, improvement of the acoustics, heating, paving of the crypt, restoration of the façade, painting of the choir, lighting, and whitewashing of the interior walls) in 2007. It was given a non-religious, but rather cultural, purpose. The current chapel consists of a rectangular, paneled nave and a choir with a semi-domed vault. Below is a crypt built in the 4th century by the first Christians of Agen, on the site where the bodies of the first martyrs were buried. The building was listed as a historic monument on November 29, 1995.

A chapel was built near a Christian cemetery outside the first city wall. The current chapel was built at the end of the 13th century when it became a parish church under the name of Notre-Dame du Bourg. It was included in the second city wall of Agen. In the 15th century, the initially square chevet was replaced by a polygonal apse. On the night of December 1, 1561, the Protestant rulers of the city looted and burned Saint-Étienne Cathedral, the Saint-Caprais collegiate church, and Notre-Dame du Bourg. A report on the condition of the churches was then drawn up by the city authorities. The church was restored and enlarged by piercing the south wall to build a side aisle. The Bishop of Agen, Jules Mascaron, made it a place of devotion, which led to its second name, Notre-Dame de Grâce. Following a decree from Napoleon I, the cemetery was abolished in 1809. The church was decorated with stained-glass windows created by Bordeaux master glassmaker Henri Feur in 1884. The building was listed as a historic monument on February 22, 1926.

Construction of the Agen canal bridge was almost halted permanently due to competition from waterways and the railway. Its history is, of course, closely linked to that of the entire Canal Lateral. On August 25, 1839, the foundation stone was laid by the Duke of Orléans, eldest son of Louis-Philippe, and Princess Helene of Mecklenburg, his wife. In 1841, work was halted. The bridge would be used for a time by farmers' carts to avoid a detour via the old stone bridge. On May 5, 1846, a law mandated the resumption of work, and the bridge was completed in 1847. But that wasn't the end of the worries. This bridge could perhaps have become a railway bridge: In 1850, those who exclusively supported the railway raised the question of filling in the canal cut (in its entirety) to lay the tracks. It wasn't until March 1856 that the entire Garonne lateral canal was completed. This bridge itself is 539 meters long, 12.48 meters wide, 2.70 meters deep, and has 23 arches. The waterway is 8.80 meters wide, which prevents crossings. Holding basins were built on either side of the aqueduct. The civil engineers Jean-Baptiste de Baudre and Jean Gratien de Job were responsible for its construction. It is made entirely of freestone from Quercy.

In Gallo-Roman times, this was the forum and forecourt of the first Saint-Étienne Cathedral. It is still the heart of the city. Every Saturday morning, the market welcomes shoppers. This market offers only organic produce. This square intersects Boulevard de la République, a vast thoroughfare that was designed and invented in the 19th century by a certain Eugène Haussmann. He was not yet a baron; he was sub-prefect of Nérac when he brought a breath of fresh air to the departmental metropolis by opening boulevards: Boulevard Carnot and Boulevard de la République. Fortunately, the Place des laitiers was not affected by the transformations. In the center of the square stands a statue depicting a pilgrim walking the Camino de Santiago. A reminder of this medieval context. Pilgrims stayed in two towns: Moissac and Agen. Needless to say, the rivalry between these two cities was fierce... They fought over what were then called "the marchers of piety." This square is magnificent. It is lined with houses surmounted by corners also called ambans. These covered galleries allowed merchants in the Middle Ages to display their wares without fear of damage from the sun or rain. Today, many cafes and ice cream parlors have set up their tables there. And since cars are not allowed to park, it's a perfect place to safely set up café terraces. If you're curious, go admire the painted ceiling of the Dairymen's Brasserie. The decor is Rococo, it's true, the structure is reminiscent of a Parisian bistro (which is hardly surprising when you know the owner's background), but when you look up at the ceiling, you discover a painted canvas mounted on it. This painting is a copy of the one that adorned the ceiling of the couple's bedroom in the Hôtel de Gonzague in Mantua. It's original, surprising, and exotic. Another interesting place: the Quesseveur bookstore. This shop is next to the brasserie. It's certainly one of the oldest businesses in the city, since the first printing press in Agen opened there in 1634. A bookstore was later added. By the way, do you know why this square is called Place des laitiers? The explanation is quite simple: it was on this square that every morning, local farmers arrived to sell milk from their farms to the bourgeoisie of Agen. On this square was the forecourt of Saint-Étienne Cathedral, the first cathedral in Agen. Falling into ruins, it was demolished. It was replaced in 1883 by a Baltard-style market hall. In 1970, the covered market was built in its place... A long concrete spire rises into the sky, below the covered market, above 5 floors of parking. It's really not pretty, but it has one advantage. An exterior elevator allows you to reach the upper floors of the parking lot. By taking it, you discover the beautiful city of Agen

Typical church in a very scenic village

Spectacular canal bridge over the Garonne

Impressive bridge over the Garonne. Biking forbidden, pushing is the order of the day. More information: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_lat%C3%A9ral_%C3%A0_la_Garonne?wprov=sfla1