Discover local heritages
Local heritages
At the bend in a path, it is not rare to see one of the elements of the rich heritage of the Garonne Valley.
There are many :
wash houses: wash house of Onzac and 5 Canelles in Marmande, wash houses of the Mas, of Calonges, of Birac sur Trec, of Tonneins and Cocumont...
wells: winch and pump wells of Gontaud de Nogaret, covered wells of Birac sur Trec and Mauvezin sur Gupie, wells of Lescure in Tonneins...
fountains: Fountain of Neuffons at Sainte Bazeille, Fountain of the Cloister in Gontaud de Nogaret, Nine Fountains in Marmande, Fountain of Breil in Saint Pardoux du Breuil...
Markets: of the Mas d’Agenais, of Gontaud de Nogaret and Villefranche du Queyran.
Meilhan sur Garonne : The Panorama of the Mound which extends from the Réole up to beyond Marmande and Tonneins. Tersac chapel, the grave of the Admiral Lacrosse, the fountain of Font d’Uzas,... The Mas of the Agenais : Saint-Vincent collegiate church, dated the XIIIth century, listed (formerly seat of a collegiate chapter) and its Rembrandt painting (1631), " Christ on the cross ", known throughout the world. The corn market, the ramparts and the last door of the castle, Galiane’s fountain.The Alleys of the Mas (terrasse of Garonne) with a point of view over the Garonne valley. Marmande, the beautiful : The cloister, Our Lady of Marmande, Saint Benoît chapel, Labat street and the former suburb of Marmande (XIIIth century) with half-timbered houses and corbelled construction. The city walls dated the XIIIth century and an historical mosaic recalling the 6 outstanding episodes of the city.
Tonneins : The frontage of the quays of Tonneins, former tobacco royal factory, the boatman’s house, Saint-Pierre’s house and Reculay’s rocks. The town sits on splendid city walls, made of sheer rocks proudly dominating the river.
There are many other buildings that have been classified as historic monuments in the Val de Garonne: the Château de Birac (private), Château de Calonges (private), the churches in Cocumont and Goux, the Château and church in Gontaud de Nogaret, the old church in Saint Gayrand and the Château de Lagarde in Grateloup St Gayrand (private), the remains of the Saint Sabin Church in Villefranche du Queyran and Château de Virazeil, Clairac medieval abbey church. To visit these sites (excepting the private sites): please contact the relevant town halls.
"The Christ on the cross" painting from Rembrandt
Collégiale Saint Vincent du Mas d'Agenais47430 Le Mas d'Agenais
Tél : +33 05 53 89 50 37
This internationally recognized picture (1631) is one of the most striking made by Rembrandt on the theme of Passion. It is a unique masterpiece that marks the beginning of the painter in his exploration of the figure of Christ.
De March-July chart will exposed Louvre. Opening of the collegiate church: everyday from 9am to 12pm and from 2pm to 7pm (closing at 5.30pm in winter).
At the Tourist Office of Mas d’Agenais open until September 15 2011, Tuesday to Saturday. Closed Mondays, Sundays and public holidays.
Audio guides are available from the town hall (Monday to Friday). Price: 2 €
The Cloister of Marmande and its garden
Eglise Notre Dame de Marmande47200 Marmande
Adjoining the southern side of the gothic church, the cloister, of which only two sides remain, has fine sculpted decorative elements in the French renaissance style. According to an epigraph, the group of buildings dates back to 1540. The decorative style is extremely elegant and varied.
L’Eglise Notre-Dame (The Church of Our Lady) .
Beautiful building in the High Gothic style, built during the wars with England in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The huge bell-tower on the north facade was entirely rebuilt after 1672.
Inside, the elevation of the nave is typically gothic with its large arches, triforium (shallow gallery) and high windows.
Notice the baroque altarpiece representing episodes in the life of Saint Benoît, an entombment in the mannerist style, and the Neo-gothic nineteenth century Cavaillé-Coll organ.
The old courtyard of the monastery houses a garden classic topiary that has received the 2007 label "Remarkable Garden".
The Galerie d’art Sacré - Marmande
47200 Marmande
Tél : +33 05 53 93 09 94
The Galerie d’Art Sacré presents about twenty liturgical objects such as chalices, sun-monstrances, reliquaries, processional crosses etc. These religious works of art used to be kept in the sacristies of churches and chapels in the commune of Marmande. A few years ago it was decided to restore them and exhibit them to the general public in an elegant museum type space in an educational context. A large section of one of the walls of this room is made of glass with wooden bars and is open to the cloister, providing a perfect showcase for these objects that are so rarely presented to the public.
Opening : 3rd weekend of June 3rd weekend of September. Wednesday from 15h to 19h, from Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 12pm and from 15h to 19h. Free admission.
Saint-Benoît Chapel
47200 Marmande
The Chapel of Saint Benoît is a magnificent building in the classical style which was part of the Dames de Saint Benoît Convent founded in 1645 by the Marquise de Grignols. Classified as an historic monument in 2005, the chapel illustrates the two main artistic movements of the twelfth century: the classical and the baroque styles. Do not miss the very rare painted wood ceiling, an exceptional series of paintings from the eighteenth century Toulouse school and a beautifully made baroque altarpiece in multicoloured gilded wood.
Audioguides Marmande
Tél : +33 05 53 64 44 44
The openguides is the newest multimedia tour guide based in Marmande. It is a visioguide you back in time and accessible to all. Length: 1:30 Price: 2 € for hire from 1 July at the Tourist Office.
Church in Mauvezin sur Gupie
47200 Mauvezin sur Gupie
Tél : 05 53 94 20 11
communedemauvezin.47@wabadoo.fr
http://mauvezinsurgupie.free.fr
A thirteenth century church with a remarkable open structure barrel vault roof, described by Viollet le Duc in his dictionary of architecture. This large church has a “bell wall” overlooking the Gupie valley. Guided visit all year around on booking (+4 people).
Medieval abbey church - Clairac
Place de l'Eglise47320 Clairac
Benedictine church of the Middle Ages, now parish church of St Peter’s Clairac. Medieval abbey church, plan comparable to Moirax, subsists in the north wall of the nave of a Romanesque pierced, an apse, a pillar of the transept and the bell tower, all dating from the late 11th or early the 12th century.(Base Mérimée)
Remains pan-de-bois 16th Clairac
Rue MontesquieuClairac 47320
At the corner of rue Montesquieu and 2 Broustet
This house (1st quarter 16th century) was probably built for a significant, judging by its size and the quality of the implementation of its framework for pan-de-bois, considered the finest house in the pan-woodland Department.(base Mérimée)
The Warf at Tonneins
2km docks constructed under restoration in 1833.
Windmill of Gibra
47400 Gontaud de Nogaret
Tél : 05 53 83 42 46
Access at 3 km, south-east from the village, go in direction of Tonneins, just before the stadium, turn on the left hand-side -(Town-hall) Located on a hill, Bourdeille’s mill, called Gibra’s mill, offers a splendid panorama over the Garonne Valley, from the Pech de Berre to the town of Marmande. Its privileged location catches the wind very badly, in particular prevailing winds coming from the west. Dating back to the beginning of the XIXth century, it is a perfect example of local heritage protection. Its restoration was achieved in 1981. Guided tours, by appointments made at the town hall (Tel. 05 53 83 42 46).
Mill of Gorry
47400 Grateloup Saint Gayrand
Tél : 05 53 88 81 51
communedegrateloup.47@wanadoo.fr
Built in 1808 the Gory Mill is accessible via a little path. Still operational in the nineteen thirties, the mill was the victim of a fire in 1932. It was recently restored to its original condition.
Opening to the public Saturdays and Sundays a the afternoon from June till September or on booking in the city hall, by telephone in 05 53 88 81 51 or by e-mail.
Reculay’s Rocks
47400 Tonneins
On the course of the Garonne, there used to be 360 rocky obstacles. Reculay’s rocks in Tonneins is the most important. In the XVIIIth century, the most flourishing sea traffic period, there were many accidents and wrecks. In the XIXth century, a traffic Channel, on the left bank, was created in order to make ships’ route easier. This channel, 800 metres long, presents a difference in height of one metre.
