Attractions and Places To See around Laparade - Top 20

The community, often referred to as the "Order of the Templars" for short, whose full name is "Poor Knights of Christ and of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem", takes us back to the 13th century. Founded in the Holy Land, it spread surprisingly quickly with numerous branches in many countries in Central Europe. The order gained notoriety through the fact that it was dissolved in 1312 by the French king and the pope and its members were accused of being heretics. The main reason for the dissolution, however, was not the human and religious misconduct (heresy) of the members, which was merely a pretext, but the legendary wealth of this order. King Philip IV of France (1268 to 1314) wanted to use this measure primarily to improve his coffers and secure its treasures.

Nowadays, they are rarely used for their original purpose, but are often just technical and historical monuments to a long tradition of craftsmanship. But here is fortunately proof of the opposite: the heavy millstones inside are moved solely by the power of the wind as the driving force, and grain is ground into flour (so-called grain mills). These old windmills are therefore the best proof that people were clever enough a number of centuries ago - long before the discovery of electricity and the inventions that followed it - to harness the natural power of the elements.

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!

The Bourdeille mill, known as the Gibra mill, benefits from the prevailing winds coming from the west on its mound at the top of a hill. From Pech-de-Bère in the south – where the Lot flows into the Garonne – to the town of Marmande in the northwest, it offers you from its privileged location a profound panorama of the Garonne valley. Listed in the inventory of Historic Monuments in 1979, the Gibra windmill benefited from a restoration in the early 1980s, a perfect example of safeguarding local heritage. It has all the equipment for turning in the wind and grinding grain, and on windy days (and open to the public), you can watch milling demonstrations.

The Saint-Germain church is a Romanesque church located in the town of Temple-sur-Lot, in the Lot-et-Garonne department in New Aquitaine. Built in the 12th century, it has been enlarged and modified over the centuries. The church is famous for its 15th century frescoes, which were rediscovered in 1952 and restored in 1961. The frescoes depict biblical scenes, holy figures, angels and demons. The church is also known for its richly carved portal, which features figures of lions, sirens and griffins, as well as scenes from the life of Saint Germain. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1979.

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.

Clairac is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department of France and has 2,506 inhabitants. The place is part of the district of Marmande

very nice house in the center