ClairacのおすすめMTBライド

Caution: after Le Temple sur Lot, respect the prohibition and bypass the farm buildings by road, to find a path that leads you closer to Montpezat.

Very pleasant and shady and not too crowded.

A literary monument – albeit one that seems rather bizarre in the context of the story – has been erected by the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes to the windmills with which our ancestors harnessed the energy of the wind centuries ago to move the large and heavy millstones: In one episode, his tragic novel hero Don Quixote, the “knight of the sorrowful countenance”, wants to defeat them in a duel, believing that he is fighting against giants with four arms.

Very pleasant route, mostly asphalted in the shade and at the water's edge of course. However, the Lot-et-Garonne part of this route is more bumpy, the roots lift the tar and make bumps that are sometimes quite significant, so don't be surprised. Another negative point, it is sometimes difficult to find free access water taps, even in the nautical stops you will most of the time have to go and ask for water in the bars or restaurants along the track, or leave the track to go directly to the village cemeteries.

Peaceful route by the water, in the shade under the trees 🌳

The history of Clairac is inseparable from that of its Benedictine abbey, which was internationally renowned in the Middle Ages. The abbey, as well as the town which was formed around its walls, reached their peak in the 12th and 13th centuries. There were then 120 monks who worked both in the fields and as copyists of manuscripts. The abbot of Clairac was also the lord of the village and commanded two bastides, five priories and around fifty parishes. The monks also owned two mills on the Lot. The income generated by the abbey was then considerable. But the most important heritage is unexpected: the plum tree of Damascus, brought back from the crusades, was in fact "enté", that is to say grafted, by them for the 1st time. They also discovered the sun-drying process, inventing the Ente plum and the Agen prune in one fell swoop!

I hope a bit of advertising is allowed. There is a marvellous B&B / gîte - Haras de la Tour - just 2.5 km off all of these routes at Lamothe-Landerron. Many cyclists have stayed here. Have a look at http://www.harastour.com/ It is 5 km from the start point at Sainte-Bazeille. If you get lost I can come and cycle back with you.

Beautiful landscape, beautiful canal, the surface of the bike path could be better. Shady sections, several bridges and locks. More information: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_lat%C3%A9ral_%C3%A0_la_Garonne?wprov=sfla1