The best cycling routes around Tombebœuf

Perched more than 150 meters above the Lot Valley, the fortified town of Laparade offers a spectacular view from its belvedere and public garden. Founded in 1265 by Alphonse de Poitiers, it preserves traces of its defensive past: ramparts, moats, and ancient fortified gates.

The community, often referred to as the "Order of the Templars" for short, whose full name is "Poor Knights of Christ and of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem", takes us back to the 13th century. Founded in the Holy Land, it spread surprisingly quickly with numerous branches in many countries in Central Europe. The order gained notoriety through the fact that it was dissolved in 1312 by the French king and the pope and its members were accused of being heretics. The main reason for the dissolution, however, was not the human and religious misconduct (heresy) of the members, which was merely a pretext, but the legendary wealth of this order. King Philip IV of France (1268 to 1314) wanted to use this measure primarily to improve his coffers and secure its treasures.

Nowadays, they are rarely used for their original purpose, but are often just technical and historical monuments to a long tradition of craftsmanship. But here is fortunately proof of the opposite: the heavy millstones inside are moved solely by the power of the wind as the driving force, and grain is ground into flour (so-called grain mills). These old windmills are therefore the best proof that people were clever enough a number of centuries ago - long before the discovery of electricity and the inventions that followed it - to harness the natural power of the elements.

The Bourdeille mill, known as the Gibra mill, benefits from the prevailing winds coming from the west on its mound at the top of a hill. From Pech-de-Bère in the south – where the Lot flows into the Garonne – to the town of Marmande in the northwest, it offers you from its privileged location a profound panorama of the Garonne valley. Listed in the inventory of Historic Monuments in 1979, the Gibra windmill benefited from a restoration in the early 1980s, a perfect example of safeguarding local heritage. It has all the equipment for turning in the wind and grinding grain, and on windy days (and open to the public), you can watch milling demonstrations.

Pitoresque small village in Agenais part of the Lot et Garonne

I have just done this course in a family group very nice to advise

According to the sources, the tower would be a remainder of a castle built by Richard-Heart-of-Lion, a tower of the enclosure of the city. Baron de Madaillan held the town of Sainte-Livrade in paréage with the king. Historians have more likely seen it as a fortified house built by a local lord near the city ramparts at the end of the 13th century or the beginning of the 14th century to participate in its defence. The site of Madaillan having passed to the Fossat d'Aiguillon family, Sainte-Livrade was part of their property, then of their heirs. During the Revolution, the tower became the property of the municipality, which turned it into a prison.

The Saint-Germain church is a Romanesque church located in the town of Temple-sur-Lot, in the Lot-et-Garonne department in New Aquitaine. Built in the 12th century, it has been enlarged and modified over the centuries. The church is famous for its 15th century frescoes, which were rediscovered in 1952 and restored in 1961. The frescoes depict biblical scenes, holy figures, angels and demons. The church is also known for its richly carved portal, which features figures of lions, sirens and griffins, as well as scenes from the life of Saint Germain. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1979.