The Tarn-et-Garonne was the last French department to be drawn up by Napoleon I and was created by taking part of each of the five surrounding departments. This is what makes it such a rich and diverse area.

The Tarn-et-Garonne is situated at the crossroads of four regions - Quercy, Gascogne, Languedoc and Rouergue – while three main rivers – the Garonne, the Tarn and the Aveyron - join up here.

The department boasts a rich architectural heritage and wonderful food.

Visits in the Tarn-et-Garonne

In the Aveyron Gorges there are many outdoor pursuits to try, such as canoeing and kayaking, rock climbing, caving, horse riding and swimming in lakes and rivers.

At a distance of 34 km is Montauban, a town with great artistic, historic and architectural heritage. It has been described as “the pinkest of all the pink towns” due to its predominant brickwork. Not to be missed are the Pont Vieux bridge, the Place Nationale, the cathedral, the Ingres museum and the Terroir museum.

Cahors, the capital of the Quercy region, is 28 km away. Places to visit include the Pont Valentré bridge, Saint Etienne cathedral, the wine museum and the museum of the French Resistance.

Caussade, a town renowned for its hats, is 12 km away.

At a distance of 15 km is Lalbenque, Quercy’s black truffle capital. The truffle market, which is held there every Tuesday during the winter, is the largest in the whole of the southwest of France.

Moissac is a jewel of Romanesque art. It is situated on the Santiago de Compostela Way, between vine-covered slopes (of chasselas grape) and the banks of the Tarn. Moissac has developed around the old Benedictine abbey, built between 628 and 648.

Caylus is a lovely little village in the Bonnette valley, where Quercy’s charm merges with the beauty of Rouergue.

Bruniquel is a medieval Quercy village. Of particular interest are the Maison Payrol  (a 13th and 16th century merchants’ trading centre), and two châteaux housing permanent exhibitions, one of the filming of “Le Vieux Fusil”, and the other of the prehistoric period.

Saint Antonin Noble Val is a fortified village with little alleyways, beautiful buildings dating from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, and a Benedictine abbey.

Photos : INTROOVABLE.com

And also… in the Lot

Rocamadour, a sacred shrine, is perched on high. The story it tells – of its people and their religious belief – is carved in the limestone.

From its magnificent viewpoint, this mythic city devoted to the Virgin Mary has remained a symbol of faith and hope throughout the ages.

The Gouffre de Padirac, on the border between the Périgord and Quercy regions, is a natural 75 m chasm in the Gramat limestone plateau. An underground river flows 103 m below the surface.

Saint Cirq Lapopie’s streets are protected by fortified gateways and there are still many old houses with stone or timbered façades dating from between the 13th and 16th centuries.