Discover Bon-Encontre: Churches, Châteaux and Pilgrimage Traditions

Bon-Encontre brings together religious heritage, historic buildings and opportunities for outdoor activities. This gives you a range of themes to consider when planning your trip: churches and Marian pilgrimage, architectural history, and a route you can explore on foot or by bicycle. Golf and a local pastry tradition are also among the ways to discover the town.

Churches and archaeological traces

The Church of Sainte-Radegonde dates partly from the 12th century and was Bon-Encontre’s first and only parish church. It was built on the site of Gallo-Roman settlements. A Gallo-Roman mosaic from the 1st century, discovered during excavations in 1997, is displayed on a wall in the church. Here, Roman traces and medieval church history come together—a striking span of time for travellers interested in archaeological evidence and religious buildings.

Sainte-Radegonde and Saint-Ferréol are among the Romanesque churches you can see along the route described. The Church of Saint-Étienne in Cassou provides an architectural contrast: it is Gothic and dates from the 13th century. Bon-Encontre’s monumental statue of the Virgin Mary is also a landmark along the route. Check access conditions and the state of the paths before setting out.

Marian pilgrimage and religious tradition

Bon-Encontre has been a destination for Marian pilgrimages for five centuries. The tradition was interrupted during the Revolution; pilgrimages take place mainly in May. This seasonal focus offers a useful guide if you would like to include Marian devotion in your travel plans. The Marian figure associated with Bon-Encontre is displayed in a reliquary behind the main altar of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Bon-Encontre.

The monumental statue of the Virgin Mary was erected in 1861, restored in 1880 and raised to a height of 16.5 metres. It guides pilgrims to the sanctuary. The town’s cultural profile thus includes both a pilgrimage tradition that has developed over centuries and visible religious buildings and objects.

Châteaux and a former priory

Château de Castelnoubel was built as a fortified castle in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 14th and 16th centuries. It was listed as a historic monument on 8 August 1966. Its building history therefore spans several clearly dated phases.

At Château de Plèneselve, the features of a fortified castle take centre stage: these include a surrounding wall, towers, a keep, moats and a drawbridge. Paradou represents a different type of historic building. It was a priory, of which only the main building remains; surviving features also include the monks’ summer promenade. These different buildings offer a range of starting points for a stay focused on regional architectural history.

Canal, route and activities

The Garonne lateral canal runs through Bon-Encontre for about two kilometres. This approximate figure helps you understand its course through the town. The section of the Canal des 2 mers à vélo route in Bon-Encontre is separate: it runs entirely on traffic-free paths and can be used on foot or by bicycle. The canal provides a geographical reference point; the route is the option specifically described for pedestrians and cyclists.

Golf and Tortillon

The Golf Agen Bon-Encontre club course was established in 1983. As of August 2026, the course had twelve holes and offered views of the Pyrenees range. Check the course layout again before your trip so your plans reflect the stated information.

Tortillon is a dry, hard, ring-shaped pastry from Bon-Encontre, closely associated with religious festivals. It is available seasonally. This local culinary tradition complements the town’s religious history; if you would like to try Tortillon, take its seasonal availability into account.

Discover more destinations: Esclottes, Monclar, Montagnac-Sur-Lède, Casteljaloux, Monteton, Dausse, Casseneuil, Réaup-Lisse

Return to the main travel overview: Lot Et Garonne.