Attractions and Places To See around Francescas - Top 20

Don't miss La Romieu to greet Angeline and the cats. I didn't see any, at least not alive ones. I didn't stop there either. To get there, I took the 6 km road; you can also get there via the GR (Greater French National Trail). Its Saint-Pierre collegiate church, a 14th-century Gothic masterpiece listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is imposing. Now for the legend... Around 1342, a terrible famine struck La Romieu. The starving inhabitants went so far as to eat all the cats in the village, thinking they were preserving their meager resources. But a little girl named Angeline, an orphan taken in by a local couple, adored cats. She hid two in the cellar, secretly feeding them, and then they bred. A little later, with all the cats gone, the village was invaded by thousands of rats, destroying the meager grain reserves and causing an even worse disaster. It was then that Angeline freed her cats. They multiplied again, drove out the rats, and saved the village. Angeline was honored by the villagers, and according to legend, her face took on the appearance of a cat, with feline features—a magical transformation to thank her love and loyalty to cats. Today, in tribute to this story, numerous cat statues adorn the streets, facades, and rooftops of the village.

The history of the former royal warren is deeply linked to the family of Henry IV, but its legacy dates back to Antiquity. During the Gallo-Roman period, in the 4th or 5th century, a villa stood on the banks of the Baïse River. Excavations conducted in 1832 uncovered numerous mosaics, attesting to the building's presence. Between these two periods, the park underwent numerous developments. At the beginning of the 16th century, Henry I of Albret acquired the land to create a warren and a garden at the foot of the château, accessible only to the royal family. When Henry IV and his wife, Marguerite de Valois, inherited the site, they created the current promenade, known as the "3,000 paces," which runs along the Baïse. But the Wars of Religion and the numerous floods of the river after the king's death would permanently damage the historical and natural heritage. Damaged by the numerous floods of the Baïse in 1909, the park became the first listed site in the Aquitaine region, which enabled the funding of work to ensure its preservation. In 2020, this classification was extended to the other bank, where the Bains du Roy are located.

Nérac is, like Amboise, a royal city insofar as the commune is the fief of the lords of Albret who became king of Navarre in the 15th century. It is also the epicentre of Protestantism. After the massacre of Saint Bartholomew, a treaty between the two religions was born in this city. This is the Edict of Nérac which restored rights for Protestants. It was signed on 28 February 1579 between King Henry III and the religionists. After the death of Henry III in 1589, the city lost its influence, because having no descendants, it was Henri de Navarre-Bourbon-Albret who became king of France under the name of Henri IV. It is then said that when the doors of Paris opened to Henry, those of fame closed for Nérac.

The visit to Nérac revolves around its navigable river, the Baïse. From the Saint-Nicolas church or the Petit Nérac viewpoint, you can see the port, the Old Bridge and the tanneries which today house an art gallery and restaurants. The walk takes place along the streets (Maison des Conferences, Château d'Henri IV and its museum) and in the Royal Park of La Garenne redesigned by Queen Margot, wife of Henri IV.

After the effort, the Rocamadour gate brings hope of a good beer.

The Baïse river is navigable over 62km from April 1st to November 1st. Beautiful, wild and relaxing, it lets us go with the flow. Its major asset: its tranquillity. Cruising speed is limited to 6km/h. Boaters cross Gascony at a slow pace, the departments of Gers and Lot-et-Garonne to stop over in the territories of Albret and Ténarèze. Nérac, one of the most beautiful river ports in France, welcomes you for a colorful stopover!

Located on the road to Santiago de Compostela (GR 65 coming from Puy-en-Velay), La Romieu is on the historic Lectoure-La Romieu-Condom section and receives a large number of pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela every year.

In addition to the monastery and the village itself, there is also a large botanical garden of about 6ha. For example, you will find the Arboretum, an English garden and a garden with all kinds of medicinal plants. There are separate but also combined tickets for access to the monastery and the botanical garden. And finally, of course, having a drink on a terrace under the watchful eye of Angeline and her cats...