The region

Monclar

Monclar is a small, quiet village. A bastide on top of a hill which provides fantastic views. Village life ripples through here in a pleasant way. There are eight wells and an old washing place. The town hall houses a small museum (the Monclar museum) that can be visited by appointment. At Delpech you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, a simple lunch or an aperitif in the evening. There are petanque courts on the outskirts of Monclar, where you can also walk around the village. In July and August there is a marché des producteurs on Sunday evenings. Tables and chairs are set up in the most beautiful spot in the village and you can put together your own dinner at various stalls. Enjoy the setting sun.

Monclar is one of the many bastides in the Lot-et-Garonne. Bastides are villages with a central square market square surrounded by commerce. Often the market squares are enclosed by arcades with arches that are nicely shaded in the summer. The streets around this central point are all neatly straight and structured. Bastides are from the 13th century with the aim of bundling all commerce in one place to stimulate the economy. And that still works! Often the villages were also fortified with a wall and city gates. You can learn more about the history of bastides at the Musée des bastides in Monflanquin.

Lot-et-Garonne

Monclar is located in the Lot-et-Garonne department, between these two rivers. It is in southwestern France, just below the Dordogne. It is a hilly region known for its plum orchards, hazelnuts, foie gras and medieval villages. A lovely region nicknamed the Tuscany of France. There is a mild climate, which means that the weather is often nice even outside the summer.

It is not yet as touristy as in the Dordogne. Here you can discover France by car with sleepy villages, quiet back roads and beautiful valleys. Be sure to visit nice places such as Penne d'Agenais, Villeréal, Monflanquin and Pujols. Enthusiasts of cycling and walking will also get their money's worth. In the Lot-et-Garonne you can cycle on marked cycling routes, but of course you can also go out on your own. In addition to cycling, there is a lot of walking. The environment is sloping and varied. In the Lot-et-Garonne, there are more than 400 well-maintained hiking trails. And don't forget the Santiago de Compostela route that runs through this holiday area and close to Monclar.

Every day there is the opportunity to stroll around a market and purchase delicious products. Brocante finds can be found in the numerous voids-greniers, markets and in second-hand shops. In the Lot-et-Garonne people like to eat well. The afternoon break between 12 and 2 pm is sacred and there are more than enough restaurants to choose from. Of course, we like to eat products from our own country. In the summer, if you wish, you can go to a different marché des producteurs every evening. This is a cozy night market where you can eat the products that the local producers offer in their market stall at long tables. These markets are also organized in Monclar in the summer.

The most famous fresh products in the Lot-et-Garonne are: the pruneaux d'Agenais, nuts, wine, honey, truffles and foie gras. A number of producers can also be visited or even have their own small museum. In the Musée du pruneau you will learn everything about the cultivation and processing of plums. In the Maison de la Noisette you can do that about the hazelnut and in the Musée du foie gras you can finish with a nice lunch.

Outings

Pujols, Monflanquin, Penne d'Agenais are medieval towns and belong to "les plus beaux villages".

Castles

There are more, but these are close by and worth checking out: Chateau de Gavaudun and Chateau de Bonaguil.

Water

In the summer heat you can get to the water nearby on the beach of Castelmoron on the Lot. Here you can rent canoes and pedal boats to go up the river. The Lac de Lougratte is also a nice place for a warm day. Don't forget to have lunch at La table des Sens.

Cities

Close by are worth seeing Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Bergerac and Agen. For a day trip you can easily go to Toulouse and Bordeaux.

Another museum

Musée de Gajac - art museum with changing exhibitions in Villeneuve-sur-Lot. Can be combined with the market and the renovated market halls on the Lot, where there is also a good place to eat.

Also worth it

The Chateau de Monbazillac including tasting of the famous white wine, the water lily garden in Latour Marliac, the Grottes de Fontirou and Grotte de Lastournelle and two golf courses (golf Villeneuve and golf Casteljaloux).

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