The best road cycling routes around Lavardac

« Lou Mouli del Castel » « Lou Mouli del Castel », as the elders of Montpezat familiarly called it, raises its tall stature on the rocky spur located west of the village, from where one overlooks the beautiful Lot valley. Writings in P. CHAPLAIS' book « The war of Saint SARDOS » tell us that the Capet windmill was built before 1324, but we find it dated 1870 on a stone at the entrance to the mill. Was it demolished and rebuilt? Possible! Be that as it may, this old building was once, as its name indicates, the mill of the lords of Montpezat, whose successive castles were razed, except for the vital organ it represented and which constituted the survival of the inhabitants! The site of the Castle where the mill is located was purchased by the commune in February 1988 and the Capet lands in 1989. In 1998, the municipality decided to restore this mill which, after having remained for many years in a state of abandonment and ruin (only the shaft remained), finally had a new life project. Thus, on a beautiful spring morning in 2005, our mill regained its wings. There are 3 mills in the commune, only this one is communal, the other two are private. This restoration would not have been possible without the determination of the elected officials of the time and without the various grants that were awarded. Thanks to them, we today have the most beautiful mill in the... village.

In Nérac, the Château Henri IV peacefully overlooks the Baïse and tells the story of a king who became a legend. Former residence of the lords of Albret, it was the beating heart of the court of Navarre during the Renaissance. It was here that Henri de Navarre, the future Henri IV, grew up and affirmed his destiny. Today, the château-museum invites you on a journey between great History and the Gascon art of living. A stroll along the river, elegant galleries, and royal memories echo each other. A must-see to understand the soul of Nérac and Albret.

The Château Henri IV of Nérac, former residence of the lords of Albret, bears witness to the city's rich Renaissance past. Overlooking the Baïse, it was one of the living places of the future King Henri IV and remains today a must-see to discover the history of Albret.

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Nérac Castle was founded in the 14th century, within a medieval town surrounded by walls and backing onto the Baïse River. Beginning in 1491, Alain d'Albret modernized this first tower and had three wings built. The west wing included the drawbridge and service rooms, the north wing housed Jeanne d'Albret's apartments, and the east wing constituted the main building of the castle. It was in this castle that Marguerite de Navarre, sister of Francis I and author of the Heptaméron, lived. A committed humanist, she brought Jacques Lefèvre d'Étaples, nicknamed the French Erasmus, to Nérac. Jeanne d'Albret, her daughter, was also sensitive to the ideas of her time and brought Théodore de Bèze to her court, before converting to Protestantism. It was in this context that Henry III of Navarre, the future King Henry IV, lived. He lived in this château for about ten years with Queen Marguerite de Valois, known as Queen Margot. The latter was responsible for the creation of the 3000-Step Avenue in the Parc de la Garenne, along the Baïse. This avenue, punctuated over the years with new fountains, was then surrounded by walls and accessible from the château by a bridge. The years following the assassination of Henri IV by Ravaillac in 1610 marked the decline of the château, first due to royal reprisals against Protestants and then due to the destruction caused by the French Revolution in 1793, when the château was declared national property. After the revolutionary destruction, only the north wing of the château remained, with its twisted columns so characteristic of the Renaissance style. The château was divided into lots and inhabited by several owners. Gradually, the municipality became interested in restoring the château, and a restoration project was drawn up by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, whose sketches are on display in the museum. However, it wasn't until 1925 that the city became the owner of the entire building and began a restoration project to house the municipal museum. Since then, the royal residence and writer's home, the Château-Musée Henri IV, has offered visitors a permanent exhibition dedicated to Henri IV and the d'Albret family on the first floor, and the art of living during the Renaissance on the ground floor through various themes.

The Buzet-sur-Baïse river stop is ideal for taking a break along the Canal Lateral à la Garonne. Perfect for cyclists, with plenty of supplies to stock up on!

Montgaillard-en-Albret, perched on the hills of Lot-et-Garonne, is a small village that exudes authenticity. Its quiet streets and medieval heritage make it a pleasant stopover for cyclists seeking rural charm.

The village of Damazan has retained all its charm with its central square and half-timbered houses. It's the perfect place to park your bike, enjoy a coffee in the shade, and soak up the atmosphere of the southwest.