Nérac

A medieval and Renaissance town, Nérac was built on the site of a Gallo-Roman villa, some mosaics of which can still be seen in the Parc de la Garenne and at the town hall. The sub-prefecture of Lot-et-Garonne, a stone's throw from Agen, this small town stretches along the Baïse valley, a small navigable river that gives it all its charm.

Discover from the esplanade of Saint-Nicolas Church or Petit Nérac: the port, the Tanneries, the Old Bridge, the Château d'Henri IV, the Maison des Conférences, and many other sites along the streets.

Nérac, capital of good living

Nérac, a land of gastronomy, has the flavor of melon, the scent of porcini mushrooms, the aroma of wood pigeon salmis, and the melt-in-the-mouth texture of foie gras. In the coolness of the medieval streets, under roofs bathed in Italian-style sunshine, doors open welcomingly, revealing a true local heritage.

Nérac, the Gascon Athens of the Renaissance Néracis an ancient Gallo-Roman villa, as evidenced by the numerous mosaics found in the Parc de la Garenne, among other places.

From Marguerite to Margot

1530: Margueritede Valois (1492-1549), born in Angoulême, sister of François I, settled in Nérac after her marriage to Henri II, King of Navarre. She is better known as Marguerite d'Angoulême or Marguerite de Navarre. She turned Nérac into an academy and welcomed exiles: Lefèvre d'Etaples, Clément Marot, and probably Calvin. She wrote the "Heptaméron." The humanist court was a shining light...

1548: Jeanne d'Albret, daughter of Henri II and Marguerite, married Antoine de Bourbon. Their son, Prince Henri, was born in 1553 in Pau. After becoming a widow, Jeanne d'Albret frequently stayed in Nérac with her two children, Henri and Catherine. The prince became familiar with Nérac. Jeanne d'Albret died in 1572.

1572: Henrihad grown into a handsome young man. Shortly after Jeanne's death, he married the daughter of King Henri II of France and Catherine de Medici, the second Marguerite de Valois, better known as Queen Margot, who would visit Nérac for the first time in 1578.

  Under the reign of Marguerite d'Angoulême, Nérac was a refuge sweeter than freedom. Nérac was first, under the reign of Marguerite d'Angoulême, a capital of the Spirit, a cultural and spiritual center, welcoming notably Clément Marot, who found there "a refuge sweeter than freedom," and Calvin, who stopped there before going to Geneva. Then, under the reign of her daughter, Jeanne d'Albret, it became a capital of Protestantism. With Henri de Navarre, the future Henri IV, Nérac became a true political capital. In August 1576, he returned to the castle of his childhood and for six years lived surrounded by a court of intellectuals and writers (Agrippa d'Aubigné, Duplessis, Ravignan), diplomats and knights in a festive atmosphere combining the joys of the table, hunting, music, and Italian comedy. While his wife, Queen Margot, had the Garenne park laid out as a promenade, the future "Vert Galant" (Green Gallant) made a name for himself by seducing Fleurette, who, according to legend, died of love, drowning herself in the Baïse. Nérac also saw the passage of Francis I, Charles IX and Catherine de Medici, Louis XIII and Louis XIV. More recently, other illustrious guests have enjoyed the mild climate of this green countryside on the edge of the Landes forest dotted with lakes. Baron Haussmann, the most famous prefect in our history, began his career here. He welcomed the writer George Sand.

Parc de la Garenne: On the right bank of the Baïse River, this park, laid out by Henri IV's grandfather, is the oldest listed site in the region. The Royal Park of the Château Henri IV features a "3,000-step walkway," offering a 2.5 km stroll through century-old oak trees in the footsteps of Queen Margot and the loves of Henri IV. Fountains and romantic riverbanks.

River tourism in Nérac

The Baïse River is once again open to sailors, with boatmen becoming pleasure boaters who enjoy the poetic calm of a trip on the water.  The port of yesteryear has regained the sounds of a busy crowd. But tobacco bales, corks, barrels of Buzet wine, and white flour bound for the islands are no longer transported here. We simply let ourselves be captivated by the charm of the quays, which have recreated a festive atmosphere. Although today the Baïse is open to pleasure boaters, it was not without difficulty that it was used for river transport from the end of the 13th century. The numerous locks that line its banks bear witness to this. This river, which was so difficult to tame, reflects the queens who have marked the history of Nérac. So take the time to discover the Val de Baïse and all its rich heritage, like so many intimate encounters with history.  

Monuments:Henri IV Castle Museum – Le Parc de la Garenne – Old Bridge from the 16th century – Notre-Dame Church from the 19th century (neo-Gothic style) – Cultural Center –BournacCastle(16th century – Route de Bordeaux) Douazan Castle, Hordosse Castle, Lagrange Monrepos Castle, Saint-Nicolas Church (18th century), Mosaics and Ruins, Henri IV Mill, Henry IV Bathing Pavilion, Maison des Conférences, House known as Sully, Statue of Henry IV Molliot Mill (water mill on the Osse – three pairs of millstones) Also worth seeing:Old Nérac: Viewpoint of Old Nérac, stroll through the medieval streets, visit the quays and the old bridge. The Foulon garden inthe Old Nérac district.

For more information:See detailsofNérac'sarchitectural heritageormovable heritage.