Lauzun travel guide

Visit Lauzun (Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France)

Lauzun is a small town in the northern Lot-et-Garonne between Eymet and Castillones (south of Bergerac), where it is one of several towns spread along the Dropt Valley. Although small, Lauzun has all facilities and is a pleasant town to explore. This is especially the case now, following recent renovations which have made the centre of the village very pretty.

Explore Lauzun

Pretty houses, nicely paved streets edged with lots of plants and flowers and lots of interesting architectural details to see as you wander round the village make a visit to Lauzun a pleasant experience.

On the main high street is the 'halle' of Lauzun with its large arched windows and doors. On the ground floor is a large market space and above the rooms were once used as the court after the French revolution. Now these are used by the town council.

A small square opposite the halle has a modern water feature and further down the high street is a beautiful house called the 'House of the Caryatids' with four statues behind a wrought-iron balcony and an ornate roof line. Caryatid is the name for a female statue without arms. This neo-classical building was built in 1830 by an ancient mayor of Lauzun who clearly had illusions of grandeur!

On the opposite side of the high street is the church of Saint-Etienne which was originally built in the roman style, as you can see in the ornate doorway of the main facade, but the rest of the church has been much modified since, particularly during renovation works in the 19th century.

In amongst the houses of the 12th and 14th centuries are a number of narrow alleys linking the main streets. In one of these, the 'Venelle de Pompei' you can see the coat of arms of the 'Knights of Malta' carved into the stone.

Behind the church is the castle of Lauzun and further along the high street you get to the small lake of Lauzun which would be easy to miss but is worth searching for as it is a lovely tranquil spot and would be great for a picnic or just a leisurely stroll.

Lauzun market is held on a Saturday morning.

Lauzun castle

Settled since Roman times, Lauzun gained in importance from the 13th century onwards at which stage the local lords started to develop the small existing castle into a major defensive structure. The castle was much modified in the 16th-17th centuries to make it more comfortable for living in, and is now the major monument in the town.

The separate parts of Lauzun castle are clearly visible: the original castle, that was the major residence until the 16th century; the middle section that joins the old castle to the newer part; and the 'new' Renaissance wing of the castle with - the ornate doorway is very typical of the style. The castle is set around a nicely maintained garden courtyard.

The castle is open July and august, 10.00-12.00 and 14.00-18.00

Places to visit nearby

Although Lauzun itself won't detain you for long, be sure to spend some time exploring the other towns along the Dropt Valley, a very pleasant region of medieval towns and villages that follow the course of the river through a rolling landscape of small woodlands and small farms. Among our personal favourite highlights nearby are the bastide town of Eymet and the frescoes in the small church at Allemans-du-Dropt.

Explore elsewhere in the Dropt Valley. You can find more travel ideas in the Lot-et-Garonne guide and the Aquitaine guide.