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Lot-et-Garonne |
an introduction to Lot-et-Garonne
The present French départements were created soon after the French Revolution of 1789. They replaced the system of provinces, such as Gascony and Guyenne, which had existed since the Middle Ages.
This explains why Gascony, for example, spreads over three départements (the Gers, the Landes and the Lot-et-Garonne) and why residents of the Lot-et-Garonne who live north of the Garonne river will usually say they live in Guyenne, not Gascony.
Taking to the waterways The Garonne crosses the département from south-east to north-west.
From the neighbouring Tarnet- Garonne just after Valence d’Agen, it flows by Agen, Port-Sainte-Marie, Aiguillon (where it is joined by the Lot), Tonneins, Marmande and Meilhan-sur-Garonne.
It then flows on into the Gironde on its way to Bordeaux and the Atlantic.
The Lot enters the département at Fumel, in the east, and passes Penne d’Agenais, Villeneuve-sur- Lot, Castelmoron and Clairac before joining the Garonne at Aiguillon.
A significant tributary from the south is the Baïse, which emerges from the Gers near Moncrabeau and joins the Garonne just upstream from Aiguillon via Nérac, Lavardac and Buzet-sur-Baïse.
For many centuries these three rivers provided the best way of travelling about the area: specially built boats (gabares) enabled people and goods to get around when roads were rough at best and impassable in bad weather.
But even the rivers were subject to drought and floods, which is why a canal was eventually built from Bordeaux to the Mediterranean, following the Garonne as far as Toulouse.
The canal is now a prominent feature, providing pleasure-boating and attractive walks for holidaymakers. There are also a number of locks on some of the rivers.
Farming
Agriculture is one of the Lotet- Garonne’s main activities. There are some sheep and cattle, but the land is mainly devoted food crops. Cereals, particularly maize, figure prominently, as do plums, tomatoes, melons, kiwis and hazelnuts.
Of these the best known is the plum, used for making the famous Agen prunes. English speakers should remember that ‘prune’ in French means ‘plum’, the French for ‘prune’ being pruneau.
The local product bears little relationship to the prunes of traditional British school dinners, which have put many people off for life.
Based on a graft (prune d’ente), the date-plum was probably brought back from the Middle East by crusaders.
Dried by a special process, it is delicious in many local recipes. Some recipes recommend preliminary soaking in tea.
In July the Lot-et-Garonne is a mass of bright yellow as the sunflower crop, grown for vegetable oil, matures.
The region also produces a large amount of tobacco, much of which was until recently processed locally at Tonneins.
Finally, on the left and right bank of the Garonne many acres are devoted to vineyards, producing excellent AOC wines as well as vins de pays.
Heritage
A natural extension of the Périgord, the département boasts a rich architetctural heritage.
With the outstanding medieval Château de Bonaguil, and other fine châteaux such as Duras, Poudenas and Gavaudun, over 40 examples of bastides, often with Romanesque churches, arcades and timber-framed houses, exceptional examples of fortified mills, numerous windmills, many substantial farmhouses with wooden tobacco drying sheds, there is no shortage of stone and rural architecture to be admired.
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