Discover Le Temple-Sur-Lot

Le Temple-sur-Lot brings together Templar architecture, the history of firefighting, garden culture and waterside paths. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, you can start by deciding which of these interests will shape your trip: the Commanderie Templière and the S.M.S.P. museum each represent a different cultural theme, while Latour-Marliac is known for its water lilies and gardens; walking paths and leisure activities along the Lot and the Négrésille complete the picture.

Cultural history and special collections

The Commanderie Templière is arranged around a fortified enclosure with a corner tower and a spiral staircase. Guided tours with the Raconteurs de Pays are available; you can get information from the Le Temple-sur-Lot tourist office. As tour arrangements may change, it is advisable to check the current options in advance.

The S.M.S.P. museum displays more than 90 fire engines and other firefighting vehicles of different ages and types, including genuine museum pieces. The collection features vehicles spanning a range of types and age groups. Visits are available by prior appointment; check the arrangements before your visit.

Latour-Marliac: water lilies and gardens

Latour-Marliac has been awarded the Jardin Remarquable label, is considered the world’s oldest water lily nursery, and houses the National Collection of the Nymphaea genus. The 2.5-hectare park includes an exotic greenhouse, a bamboo grove, ponds and a Japanese bridge. The gardens thus combine a designated water lily collection with a variety of landscape features.

Latour-Marliac also has a historical connection: the painter Claude Monet came there in the late 19th century to collect water lilies. At the Cabinet de curiosités Latour-Marliac, the botanist’s former house and garden are open to the public; there is an unusual introductory tour. Check the current visiting arrangements before your trip.

Walking paths, nature and activities

Along the themed Circuit No. 429, information panels explain the natural and architectural heritage around Le Temple-sur-Lot. Features include half-timbered and rammed-earth houses, washhouses and the Nénuphars site at Latour-Marliac. The route’s signs thus cover both natural and architectural themes. A natural recreation area has been created along Chemin Capélata, where you can walk beside the Négrésille.

Another option is the five-kilometre family walking trail from Chapelle Saint-Caprais to Chapelle Saint-Jean de Balerne. Its stated length and the two chapels give the walk a clear framework. For those more interested in gardens, Le jardin insolite de Papy Paulo offers a different kind of visit: a guided discovery of an unusual kitchen garden, with a herb-drying shed, chicken coop, herb garden, beehives and pond. As this offering may change, check current visiting options in advance.

Water-based activities are also part of what the town has to offer. La Base du Temple has an indoor and an outdoor pool and offers group AquaGym and AquaFitness classes year-round. Check class times and public access before travelling. Fishing is possible in the Lot, the Négrésille and at Lac des Quatre Communes. Fishing permits and information are available from the Point Presse or the Société de pêche.

Arriving via the Voie Verte

At the end of the Voie Verte in Le Temple-sur-Lot, 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 current route conditions before setting out. 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. This historical route puts today’s Voie Verte in context without implying that the former railway connection followed the same route as the present-day path.

Discover more destinations: La Sauvetat-Sur-Lède, Lévignac-De-Guyenne, Laussou, Moirax, Parranquet, Saint-Jean-De-Thurac, Coulx, Villeneuve-Sur-Lot.

For the wider travel overview: Lot Et Garonne.