The river Garonne through great vineyards 
 Lands of plenty and fortified villages 
 The river Lot, from cliffs to fortified castles 
 All Gascony along the river Baïse 
 Roman art wonders and terroir delicacies 
 Along Riquet's canal, discovery of Unesco Heritage sites 
 The fabulous Canal Royal, among art and history 
 Mediterranean cruise to Camargue 

All Gascony along the river Baïse

Between Valence-sur-Baïse and Condom you will sail past beautiful rolling landscapes and historical places: castles and fortified villages.

All along the medieval centuries ecclesiastical and feudal alliances resulted in building quite interesting monuments and villages in the Baïse valley. You will enjoy visiting the wonderful bastide of Valence-sur-Baïse, founded in the Xlllth century, as well as Vianne. Here was the foremost place for glassmaking and there is still a glass blower whose workshop is worth a visit.

On the bank of the Baïse, the superb Cistercian Abbey of Flaran deserves a stopoff, as well as the local cuisine which gastronomes will enjoy. Then Condom, its cellars and its traditional production of Armagnac that connoisseurs consider as the best of all brandies, Lectoure, a town of Art and History, Vic Fezensac, so fond of bulls and horses with famous Summer festivals.

It is the birthplace of some well known characters too. D'Artagnan, born Charles de Batz de Castelmore, in Lupiac, a famous Musketeer, was immortalized by Alexandre Dumas.

Arriving in Buzet you will immediately be taken to the renowned cellars of that very famous wine AOC. In that land of sunshine, historic memories will attract the traveller to Nérac. Here the impetuous Henri of Navarre (Henri the Fourth) spent his boyhood in the family château des Albret.

Do not forget, you will never be able to leave before you have tasted the rich cooking of Gascony.

Highlights
  • Vianne : one of the most beautiful bastides in Lot & Garonne, famous for the cut glass workshop, and artistic glassmaking (school of Nancy), one of the most important factories in the world.
  • The fortified mill of Barbaste : built in the Xllth century, it belonged to Jeanne d'Albret and to her son, who was to become Henri lV.
  • Nérac : a gallic-roman city, where Jeanne d'Albret decided to live and later her son, Henri de Navarre. It was Queen Margot's favourite residence.
  • Larressingle : one of the most beautiful fortified villages in France. A moat runs along the thick walls, protecting a church, the castle and the Pilgrim's Hall.

  • Condom : Bossuet was its bishop, the reputed beautiful mansions of Armagnac producers, its Cathedral and Cloister.
  • The Cistercian Abbey of Flaran : built in 1151. Nowadays it shows a beautiful architectural Xll and XVIIIth century building. Surrounded by a beautiful XVlllth century park, it houses an interesting collection of Gallo Roman mosaïcs.
  • The Collégiale Church of La Romieu : built in 1265, where Southern Gothic Art crosses Northern architectural influence. A few yards away, do not miss the "Arboretum Coursiana."
  • A cruise
  • Buzet-sur-Baïse, Nérac, Condom, Valence-sur-Baïse, return : 130 kms (80 miles), 40 locks, a week.

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