Consider whether gardens and history, walks or water-based activities will shape your stay. The options also differ in how you explore the area: with information panels along a themed trail, on a guided tour or on a visit arranged in advance.
Latour-Marliac: Water Lilies and Garden Art
Latour-Marliac garden has been awarded the Jardin Remarquable label, is considered the oldest water lily nursery in the world and houses the National Collection of the genus Nymphaea. The 2.5-hectare park includes an exotic greenhouse, a bamboo grove, ponds and a Japanese bridge. The botanical collection and the different garden features sit side by side. Its connection to art history is also tangible: at the end of the 19th century, painter Claude Monet came to Latour-Marliac to collect water lilies.
The Cabinet de curiosités Latour-Marliac opens the botanist’s former home and garden to the public and offers an unusual introductory tour there. Check the current visiting arrangements before your visit. This lets you explore the garden’s history not only through its plants and landscape design, but also through the former home.
The Commanderie and Guided Discoveries
The Commanderie Templière is arranged around a fortified enclosure with a corner tower and a spiral staircase. Guided tours of the Commanderie are available with the Raconteurs de Pays; the Le Temple-sur-Lot tourist office can provide information. If you are planning a tour, you can ask them about the visiting arrangements.
Le jardin insolite de Papy Paulo offers further guided insights: stops on the tour of this unusual kitchen garden include a herb-drying shed, a chicken coop, a herb garden, beehives and a pond. As visitor arrangements may change, check the latest details before travelling. Another way to discover the local natural and architectural heritage is the themed Circuit No. 429. Information panels explain, among other things, timber-framed and earthen houses, washhouses and the Latour-Marliac water lily site.
Walks, Fishing and Water Activities
The Chemin Capélata is designed as a natural recreation area; you can walk along the Négrésille there. Another clearly defined hiking option is the five-kilometre family trail from Chapelle Saint-Caprais to Chapelle Saint-Jean de Balerne. The two options therefore differ in their descriptions: the Chemin Capélata follows the Négrésille as a walking route, while the family trail has a specified length and start and end points.
For fishing, you can choose the Lot, the Négrésille or Lac des Quatre Communes. Fishing permits and information are available from the Point Presse or the Société de pêche. La Base du Temple has an indoor and an outdoor pool, as well as year-round group classes in AquaGym and AquaFitness. If you plan to use these facilities, check the schedule and public access before travelling. This lets you choose between a waterside walk, fishing and pool activities according to the kind of activity you want.
Voie Verte and Getting Around
The Voie Verte between Sainte-Livrade-sur-Lot and Le Temple-sur-Lot follows the route of a former railway line that connected Villeneuve-sur-Lot with Tonneins. At the end of the Voie Verte in Le Temple-sur-Lot, you cross the D911 at a designated crossing point; a quiet connecting road leads to the town hall, the tourist office and the town centre. Check the current route and access conditions before setting out. The S.M.S.P. conservatory has a specific visitor requirement: visits are available by prior appointment. This lets you factor routes, visits and activities—with their different visitor requirements—into your stay plans.
Discover more destinations: Castillonnès, Casseneuil, Savignac-De-Duras, La Croix-Blanche, Lavergne, Aubiac, Grézet-Cavagnan, Montastruc
For the broader travel overview: Lot Et Garonne.
