Montauban - Moissac - Nerac

Route: Toulouse - Montauban - Moissac - Nerac - Toulouse
Duration: 9 h
The first stop of our tour will be at the capital of Tarn-et-Garonne, the town of Art and History of Montauban. Founded in 1144 by the Count of Toulouse, Alphonse Jourdain, it offers residents and visitors a rich heritage, in terms of both culture and buildings. The historic heart of the fortified town, the superb Place Nationale surrounded by both a double row of arcades and elegant brick facades. Around the square, pleasant pedestrian streets invite fans of shopping and city walks to take a stroll around. Here you will see beautiful monuments, like the Church of St. James and its splendid Toulouse-style octagonal bell tower, the 14th-century Old Bridge and its seven ogival arches over the waters of the Tarn, the Lefranc de Pompignan Mansion , the monument to the dead by the sculptor Bourdelle, or the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in the classical style and more. Our next stop will be at Moissac is a small rural town that was built around its terroir and its Romanesque Abbey. On the paths of Santiago de Compostela, the abbatial ensemble and the cloister are classified world heritage by UNESCO. Moissac, organized as a monastic village, was probably developed in the shadow of the great Abbey Saint-Pierre, which legend says it was founded by King Clovis. The Benedictine monastery was during the middle ages one of the most important religious communities of the Christian Western world.  In the 15th century, Moissac is already an important city in the Quercy, its port on the Tarn is very active, and many boats bringing to Bordeaux's wine and meal. Our last stop in the tour will be at the fortified medieval and Renaissance town of Nérac, the capital of the Albret region, nestles on the banks of the Baïse and is bursting with picturesque charm. The historic quarter forms a particularly harmonious scene with its old houses, river banks and Gothic bridge spanning the Baïse. Other must-see places of interest include Rue Séderie for its pretty half-timbered facades, the Renaissance town house Maison de Sully and the elegant Henry IV château and museum. Once the stronghold of the Lords of Albret, then home to the future King Henry IV and his wife Queen Margot from 1577 to 1582, the Château de Nérac (built 14th to 16th centuries) has preserved a Renaissance wing with a splendid gallery from its days as a seigneurial dwelling. Inside is a museum devoted to the Albret family and Henry IV, as well as archaeology collections originating from the Pays d'Albret area. After we will return to Toulouse.
Price: per person