7 Hidden Gems Things to do in Lot-et-Garonne That You Shouldn't Miss

The powerful Berenger de Roquefeuil (1448-1530), descended from the aristocracy of Quercy and Rouergue, devoted several years of his life to making of Bonaguil the fortress of legend that it is today. It equips the castle with an enormous barbican, with six towers, one of which is among the most beautiful in the country, with seven drawbridges, a baffle, a casemate, gunboats and a pierced sparrow tower Of loopholes for a more incisive defense of the ditches. In spite of a paradoxical situation between Quercy and Perigord, far from the main thoroughfares, magnificent architecture, gigantic proportions (the quarter in plan of the city of Carcassonne) and a state of conservation so remarkable led VIOLLET-LE-DUC, Lawrence d'ARABIE or André BRETON to quote Bonaguil as an example! The commune of Fumel bought Bonaguil in 1860 and classified it under the title of Historic Monuments in 1862.

Discover one of Southwest France's best-kept secrets: Latour-Marliac, the official 19th century creator and supplier of the Impressionist painter Claude Monet's famous water lilies. Water lily and lotus production continues apace at the nursery today, which is now the oldest of its kind in the world, and the site has become one of the region's major tourist attractions. Named “Jardin Remarquable” in 2004 by France’s Ministry of Culture and Communications for its physical beauty and historical significance, you'll leave here understanding why France truly was the birthplace of the water lily as we know it today.At Latour-Marliac you will find over 300 varieties of hardy and tropical water lily in the French National Water Lily Collection, thousands more water lilies and lotus in our cultivation pools, the glasshouse that holds the Victoria (giant Amazonian water lily), 6 acres of landscaped gardens, a giant bamboo collection, the lake with its Japanese bridge, a koi fountain, waterfall, hilltop gazebo, museum and boutique.