Saint-Jean-De-Thurac on the Garonne

Saint-Jean-De-Thurac lies on the banks of the Garonne. The town combines its riverside setting with a layered history: the church of Saint Jean Baptiste dates from the 12th and 16th centuries, two châteaux reflect different former roles, and remains of a Chappe telegraph station have survived. Several houses once owned by shipmasters can also be seen along the road beside the Garonne. This makes the town a destination focused on riverside scenery and heritage, with a specific connection to cycling along the Canal des 2 Mers and a greenway.

The church of Saint Jean Baptiste and its traces of the past

The church of Saint Jean Baptiste brings together several clearly distinct traces of the past. Inside, you can see an old Romanesque portal; it also has wooden choir stalls dating from the 18th century. Its bell dates from 1526 and is listed as a historic monument. The church itself dates from the 12th and 16th centuries. The building and its furnishings therefore do not all date from the same period: the portal represents Romanesque architecture, while the choir stalls and bell offer other, more precisely dated traces. The church can thus be read through several historical layers. If you are interested in the history of religious architecture, Saint-Jean-De-Thurac offers more than a single date or period.

Châteaux with different former roles

The two châteaux are also associated with different former roles. Château de Croquelardit was once a horse-post relay station. Château de Monteils served as a strategic observation post during the wars and was also the residence of two bishops of Agen. Monteils thus combined military and strategic roles with an ecclesiastical one, while Croquelardit connects the town with the history of travel. This contrast offers two different ways into the town’s history, rather than reducing both châteaux to the same historical function.

Traces along the Garonne and at the telegraph station

Smaller remains and houses are also part of the town’s history. Remains of a Chappe telegraph station have survived in Saint-Jean-De-Thurac. Alongside ecclesiastical, military and seigneurial history, this brings communications into the picture. Several houses once owned by shipmasters can be seen along the road beside the Garonne. The combination of the riverside setting and the people who once lived here makes these houses another way into the town’s history: the local picture includes not only the Garonne landscape but also the history of navigation.

Cycling connections and a place to eat

Auberge de la Poule à Vélo is in Saint-Jean-De-Thurac, beside the Canal des 2 Mers and the greenway connecting Bordeaux with Sète. On the return journey, the route follows the greenway along the Canal de Garonne. These are useful points of reference if cycling is a factor in choosing your destination. At lunchtime, the auberge serves food made with fresh local produce to cyclists and the local community. If you plan to stop for a meal, check the latest information about restaurant service.

Discover more destinations: La Sauvetat-De-Blanquefort, Villeneuve-De-Duras, Saint-Vincent-De-Lamontjoie, Fongrave, Monteton, Fréchou, Salles, Saint-Astier.

For the full travel overview: Lot Et Garonne.