Sitting on the River Lot in the southwest region of Aquitaine, the town of Villeneuve-sur-Lot might appear at first glance to have little to offer the passing tourist. But make your way through the modern town and suburban housing and you will soon find yourself at the original medieval fortified village, or bastide, with many of its architectural and historical features still intact and well-preserved. After wandering the narrow, winding streets for an hour, you can soon forget that the twentieth century version of Villeneuve-sur-Lot even exists.
Unless they're looking for a supermarket to buy supplies, most tourists come to Villeneuve-sur-Lot to explore the medieval fortified village or bastide, with its churches, bridges and ancient fortifications. Only two gates of the original town wall still remain, one at each side of the old town. The Porte de Paris used to be the Villeneuve prison as well as acting as a watchtower, while there is a small stretch of the town wall at the other gate, the Porte de Pujols. The old centre is now home to some pleasant crafts shops and others selling local produce and is usually only populated by visitors in the summer months. The main square is also home to a twice-weekly market, held on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
The main church is surprisingly modern, built in the 1930s, but it has windows and pieces of architecture from older, previously destroyed churches, incorporated into its construction, including a 13th century stained glass window. Perhaps the most intriguing religious building is the chapel on the “Pont Vieux” built to commemorate a local legend; apparently a sailor on the River Lot stopped his boat and dived into the waters, only to emerge unharmed and carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary. Unfortunately, the bridge no longer has its original towers but it is still an impressive piece of architecture, considering it was built nearly 800 years ago. On the other side of the bridge is another small medieval chapel with its own pleasant garden and then you come to the Porte de Pujols, and the rest of modern Villeneuve-sur-Lot.
After passing through the Porte de Pujols, it is only a few kilometres to the village of Pujols itself, a picturesque community that unlike Villeneuve has changed little in decades. Another of the fortified towns, the walls of Pujols are still standing, and a walk around the ramparts provides some great views back towards Villeneuve-sur-Lot and over the surrounding scenery. This part of the French countryside has always been popular with walkers and cyclists and there are many marked routes that you can follow, either on two feet or two wheels, with maps available in local tourist offices.
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