TARN ET GARONNE - The great fluvial valleys

Map of Tarn-et-Garonne, The Great River Valleys

Montauban, this beautiful welcoming pink city, is located in the center of this territory of the Great River Valleys, punctuated by the Aveyron and the Tarn. The Canal des Deux-Mers is also a common thread to follow. It will take you by bike or boat to Toulouse on one side and Bordeaux on the other. Pretty little cities are worth stopping there: for a visit or a weekend.

Along the water, discover this area which is ideal for family holidays, strolls as a couple or with friends, river walks... There will be no shortage of beautiful landscapes !

Valence

Watered by the Garonne, Valence-d'Agen is a 13^th century fortified town where water is omnipresent. Beautiful small and large fountains are to be discovered as well as two magnificent wash houses: the Théron wash house and the Saint-Bernard wash house.

The Tuesday morning market takes place in a beautiful hall. Not far from there is the Place Nationale, the Notre-Dame church and a beautiful dovecote. But the city's greatest asset is its Deux-Mers canal port, which connects Bordeaux to Toulouse. Very close to the public garden and other fountains, it is an extension of the Canal du Midi which starts in Toulouse. It is a delightful place to stroll to find some cool air in the summer and admire the magnificent sound and light show " Au fil de l'eau... une histoire " in mid-summer.

If you are setting off on a cycle ride with your family or alone along the canal, take advantage of the Valence stopover, where you will find all the amenities.

Valence d'Agen, the Garonne

Auvillar

Since 1994, it has been classified among the "Most Beautiful Villages of France" . So you should not miss a visit to Auvillar, on the banks of the Garonne.

Located on a rocky spur, on the Way of St. James and the Via Podiensis, you will see a surprising and unique, in the southwest, circular and columned grain market. It is a tourist and artistic place, with many art galleries and a museum that presents a collection of earthenware made in the city in the 18^th century. Also admire the brick Clock Tower which houses the Museum of Inland Waterways, the Church of Saint-Pierre and the Chapel of Sainte-Catherine-du-Port.

Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave

Perfect for a weekend, the village of Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave is well located. It will appeal to city dwellers from nearby towns. You can stroll there to admire the Château de Richard-Cœur-de-Lion and its 4 towers. He stayed there. Today, it houses the town hall. The village church was rebuilt in the 17th century with a Toulouse-style bell tower. There is also another church, that of Moutet, with thick mud walls, its wall bell tower and its rustic furniture.

Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave and its red bricks

Castelsarrasin

It is the second largest commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department, in terms of population and economy. Located between Bordeaux and Narbonne via Toulouse, at the tip of Languedoc, Castelsarrasin is a flowery town. A few kilometers west of Montauban, you will find all the amenities.

The city is home to the Saint-Sauveur church, made of Toulouse-style bricks with an octagonal bell tower, the Saint-Jean church and the Notre-Dame d'Alem church. Observe the beautiful clock of the Town Hall, flanked by 2 statues. Also take a stroll on the metal footbridge, along the Garonne canal, next to the train station. Continue your discovery in the center, where beautiful houses are visible: Renaissance House, Lamothe-Cadillac Hotel, Abbot of Prades House. Don't miss the Rue de la Discretion and the Rue de la Solitude, typical of the Middle Ages. It is also very pleasant to stroll in the port, along the canal towards the lock.

Montech

On the alluvial plain of the Garonne, 10 kilometers from Montauban, Montech is a dynamic city. It is crossed by many small streams, by the Canal des Deux-Mers and is home to a magnificent national forest, La Forêt d'Agre (1474 ha). It is an ideal place to come across deer, roe deer, wild boars, foxes and rabbits.

For a family stay, this forest is full of walks. Notre-Dame-de-la-Visitation is a Gothic-style church with 17 bells, some of which date back several centuries. In Montech, there is also a nautical stopover where you can take cruises on the canal and also enjoy the Pente d'eau, an ingenious structure to avoid boaters having to go through 5 locks (therefore saving time!).

Montech, Garonne lateral canal

Verdun-sur-Garonne

Populated since the Paleolithic, Verdun-sur-Garonne is a city located on the left bank of the Garonne. It is an ancient fortified city. Visit the Castrum, the oldest part of the city, passing by the brick Clock Tower and continuing towards the 17^th century market hall. In the distance, you can see the Château de la Reine Margot and its tower. Open your senses to start a walk to the Ile de Labreille, a sensitive area of 32 ha, protected in a meander of the Garonne. You will find a beautiful hiking trail there, without any vehicles, and you can enjoy a moment of fishing or discovery of the flora and fauna.

Verdun-sur-Garonne and the Clock Tower

Grisolles

Another town along the Canal des Deux-Mers: Grisolles. People come here for a green break, to eat well and to relax. Grisolles is famous for the invention and production, let's say on an industrial level, of the sorghum broom (the classic yellow straw broom). Until 1998, for more than a century, 40 factories produced this type of broom, making the town one of the main industrial centers of the department!

Visit the Calbet Museum in Grisolles in a beautiful house typical of the village for a guaranteed journey through time. Also don't miss the ^13th century Saint-Martin church.

The Calbet Museum in Grisolles

Montauban

Montauban is the largest city in Tarn-et-Garonne. It is a very beautiful, human-sized and bright fortified town, where life is good and where you can come on holiday. It is a dynamic city that values its heritage and strives to help visitors and locals discover all its cultural and historical riches. As such, it is labelled " City of Art and History ". There are many festive events and activities all year round, things are happening in Montauban!

A major tourist site, an essential stopover during your stay in Tarn-et-Garonne, it is one of the "Grands Sites Midi Pyrénées". Stroll through its streets and alleys with pink bricks, with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Watered by the Tarn, Montauban has a pretty canal port, which opens onto the Canal de Montech, linking the Tarn river to the Canal des Deux-Mers, which itself connects Bordeaux to the Canal du Midi in Toulouse.

What to see and do in Montauban?

There are many buildings and monuments of interest in Montauban. The city has 43 inventoried ones. Start with the many churches reflecting various religions:

• Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral, the highest point of the city commissioned by Louis XIV at the end of the 17th century ;
• The Saint-Jacques-de-Montauban church ;
• The Church of Saint Stephen...

There is also the Temple of the Carmelites, the Temple of the Faculty...

Discover the Ingres Museum, whose building was used to hide the Mona Lisa during the Second World War. The city's central square is "La Place Nationale", with its sumptuous arcades. Cross the Pont Vieux, which dates from the 14th century. Take advantage of your visit to the Tourist Office to discover the former Jesuit college.

Montauban

Nature lovers and families, looking for a green odyssey for a picnic, will meet at the Jardin des Plantes and its attractive arboretum. Around the center, eastern district of the city, is a magnificent Rose Garden with more than 12,000 specimens. The Parc du Treil extends over 13,000m ². We will walk there to discover the Tarn and its banks and observe the island of Pissote on the Tarn.

For fun discoveries, the Victor Brun Natural History Museum presents collections of birds and mammals. The Montauban Toy Museum will enchant children. The Paumadou Museum, or Mini Museum, will please art lovers and anyone who wants to enrich their knowledge of art.

Montauban also offers a selection of concert and performance halls.

Montauban and its magnificent squares

Montauban, Toulouse's cousin

Negrepelisse

Located in the alluvial plain of Aveyron, the bastide of Nègrepelisse is a natural and relaxing place, which is developing thanks to green tourism. You will see the Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens church remodeled in the 19^th century. The remains of the castle of Nègrepelisse, which is today a center of art and history. Observe the magnificent retaining walls of the castle and the adjacent mill which is open to visitors and in operation all summer. On the site of the Castle and the mill, walk on the "island", a path marking out a sensitive area, where beautiful varieties of flora can be contemplated.

The Castle of Nègrepelisse