Lot-et-Garonne by bike: bastides, castles and the most beautiful villages of France

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Many cyclists who are in France Going on an adventure comes out of the blue in the Dordogne. This river that flows from the East to the West of France and empties into the Gironde near Bordeaux is perhaps the most famous waterway in France after the Seine. Yet confusion often arises when it comes to cycling in the Dordogne. The river actually covers a much larger area than just the department of Dordogne. For myself, I once stayed at a campsite in the town of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, a hamlet in the department of Corrèze. From there, the river first flows through the Lot before finally reaching the Dordogne itself. Explorer Neal came to the same conclusion. After a lot of research about the Dordogne (as Ronald Giphart once described it in ‘Ik ook van jou’), he came home with a lot of positive impressions. Cycling in the Lot-et-Garonne was his part, with a not less interesting report as a result

Text and photos: Neal Beentjes.

Cycling in Lot-et-Garonne

While I prepare myself for a wonderful vacation with my girlfriend and son in France, I am going to really sit down and plan it. The Dordogne. A wonderful area. Comodo is working overtime when I am planning it and I enthusiastically say the following: collection Soon after I made a few routes that I’m going to cycle eventually, the revelation came. Villeréal, a royal village that has nothing to do with the football club Villareal, is located just south of the ‘real’ Dordogne. I’ve done it again. With some reluctance, I changed the name of the collection to the boring ‘Lot-et-Garonne’. Quite strange actually, because even though it’s not the real Dordogne, that doesn’t make cycling any less beautiful. Villeréal is worth a visit in its own right.

Plus Beau Village de France

Anyone who is a little familiar with French history and customs knows that the French are very proud (and sometimes chauvinistic) people. There is France; there you have beautiful villages and cities, and for many that’s all that matters in the world. That’s handy, because in that world everyone speaks French and if you don’t understand that, well, what do you actually do in France? Nevertheless, France really has beautiful cities and villages, where you should really have been at least once. The organization ‘Les plus beaux villages de France’ chooses the most beautiful villages and cities in France every so often. This is therefore the real highlight of France. The village of St. Paul de Vence in the Provence This is such a place, but also Villeréal. The beautiful central square with the characteristic market hall and the special church make this a tourist attraction.

La Douce France

Despite the proximity of cities like Bergerac, Villeneuve sur Lot and Bordeaux, the Lot-et-Garonne department is relatively quiet. That doesn’t mean that there are no people. I would advise against cycling on the (major) D roads in France. Most French people are running like crazy and a safe return to the campsite or apartment is by no means guaranteed. Fortunately, you have plenty of alternatives. There are plenty of back roads to avoid the crowds. Take a random country road and you’ll hardly encounter anyone. A typical ride in the Lot-et-Garonne is our VVV tour below, east of the village of Villeréal. Imagine the endless rolling roads in a transition stage of the Tour de France. The average pro wouldn’t change their mind, but with my beach body the climbs are a bit intense.

Castles and Bastides

Anyone who says they bike in France immediately thinks of high mountains, but also of beautiful sunflower fields and beautiful castles. In the Lot-et-Garonne you can have your heart filled with joy. In that respect, the villages of Monflanquin, Castillonnès, Monpazier and Biron are a great tip. These villages have a few things in common. They are all located on a hill and in addition they have a bastide (a typical southern French town with eight houses grouped around a market square) or a chateau. Basically, every village is a perfect place to stop and have a fresh croissant. In Biron you can stop by L’authentique epicerie du coin, in the former primary school of the city. Just the name alone makes you want to hop on your bike. For a few euros, you can have a typical ‘petit dej’, with coffee and ‘Viennoiserie’.

It doesn't get any more authentic

Everyone is always looking for authenticity. Then, on a campsite full of Dutch people, they end up complaining about the weather again. Or accidentally getting a delicious croquette or fritule at a Spanish beach while ‘eating Kootje’s bread’. Just leaving home, but still feeling completely at home. I’m not one of those people. The beauty of cycling ‘in a foreign country’ is that you can discover new things. It must be said that the inhabitants of France are a little less talkative than, for example, the British or Italians, but still. Discovering new things and finding authenticity is exactly what’s great about cycling in this area. There are still countless authentic French villages. An added benefit: All these villages are connected by various cycling routes. You don’t need a navigation app to easily get from one village to the next along the roadside, perfect for a real coffee break or if you want to explore the surroundings all day. That's what they call roaming.

Gavaudun

If you go cycling in Lot-et-Garonne, the Castle of Gavaudun should definitely be on your itinerary. It is truly worth a special shout-out. The village of the same name is even very quiet during the high season. That’s weird, because it’s beautiful here. You cycle through a ravine in the shade towards the village of Lachapelle-Biron. The beauty of this road is that suddenly it’s a lot greener than in the rest of the area. A haven in France.  

There’s more to explore

Lot-et-Garonne is not a destination I would specifically go to for cycling. If you are going on holiday there, it is definitely worth bringing your bike along. Additionally, I came across quite a few unpaved paths, so I think you can also enjoy the ride if you are a cyclist. All the rides I have done are between 40 and 50 kilometers long, perfect for finishing off before breakfast. Curious about the routes? Check out the Komoot collection.