Last Day on the Road - October 8, 2025

At le Château de Bonaguil

We had a long day ahead of us, so we got away early, heading north along the Lot. As we approached le Pont de Valentré, I took a few shots from the car. Cahors' most famous landmark was just as beautiful in the morning, as it had been the evening before. 

I spotted the bridge through the trees.

Morning reflection

Shortly afterwards, we stopped in Espère, a community just north of us, for something for breakfast–croissants and yogourt. Then we continued to follow the river west. In this area, a morning mist had formed, reminiscent of the conditions we had experienced two days previously.

Rolling mist

Le Pont de Luzech over the Lot

Also similar to that day, we spotted a beautiful bridge in the distance, le Pont de Luzech. Built in the late 19th century, its graceful arches are made of the red brick we had come to expect in this region. This structure was the first attraction we spotted in this town. 

Le Pont de Luzech close up

I love the little holes in the brick.

Bob found his way up to this bridge, in order to take some pictures from above the river. Interestingly, the bridge was much wider than it first appeared and included a pedestrian barrier of brick on the other side. Once a railway bridge leading to a tunnel, it is no longer in use. Close by it is le Barrage de Luzech, a hydroelectric dam constructed in 1940. 

Barrier and Hydroelectric Dam

The former railway tunnel

After these explorations, we made our way into the old town of Luzech, one of four baronies in the Quercy region. We walked la Grande Rue de la Ville past historic buildings. The first of these was la Porte du Capsol, a gateway where tolls were levied by the Baron of Luzech for every fish which entered the city.  

Porte du Capsol

Rue des Mariniers

Nearby, we looked down la Rue des Mariniers, an access route to the town from the river through a fortified gate. Clearly, in medieval times, this was primarily a fishing village. Continuing along the same route, we next arrived at a small church, Chapelle Saint-Jacques, dite des "Penitents".

Chapelle Saint-Jacques

Musée des Consuls

Dating from the early 13th century, the small brick Romanesque church has some notable features: a flat apse, a triplet of windows and a central rose window. Included among its congregation members were the Blue Penitents, a Catholic fraternity known to wear blue robes. We had first learned about them in Ax-les-Thermes a week earlier. 

Bob's earlier shot

Bob in front of the keep

Now the home of an archaeological museum, the 14th century Musée des Consuls is close by. During the Middle Ages, officials working here represented the people as advisers to the barons of the castle. We could see all that remains of Château Luzech above us–its 12th century keep (which Bob had photographed earlier from the bridge).

The Lot at Luzech

Reflected shrubs

Thus concluded our brief visit to Luzech, although before we pulled away from our spot by the river, we took a couple of artsy shots of the Lot itself, which narrows considerably here, and seems very shallow. Still, we can find beauty anywhere if we look. 

View over Puy l'Évèque

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at Puy-l'Évèque, another municipality on the Lot. We made our way to the Tourist Information Office on Place du Rampeau, where there is a belvedere which provides a beautiful view over the town toward the Lot river in the distance. We were pleased to find the office open, so were able to ask a few questions and get some ideas of what to see in the town. 

Abbatiale Saint-Sauveur

Umbrellas and shadows

This is a terraced town, and we were on the upper level at this point. In the distance, Bob spotted the 15th century Abbatiale Saint-Sauveur, a monastic church built during the 14th century. It was a little out of the way, so we opted to pass on visiting it. Instead, we descended a flight of steps to Grande Rue, Puy l'Évèque's main street.

The view from the north

Medieval house

We were charmed by the canopy of umbrellas above us. Unlike the ones we had seen elsewhere on this trip, these were multi-coloured. We followed this street, more or less, for the next 20 minutes or so, although we got separated and went in different directions. It was lined with stone buildings from the Middle Ages

La Chapelle Saint-Michel

Streetscape on Grande Rue

I stopped in front la Chapelle Saint-Michel, where the same Blue Penitents we had heard about earlier on the trip and on the day once gathered. This little church was created by combining two 13th century houses, which explains its unusual dimensions. Then, I ascended Grande Rue to meet Bob and to make our way, by car, to the lower town. 

The shot we were looking for

We crossed the Lot to a viewpoint where we sought to replicate the photos we had seen online, the reflected town on the river. It was worth the effort as you can see. On this side of the river, there is a dock where visitors can rent canoes or kayaks. This late in the season, this was a quiet spot.

Approaching the castle

Outbuildings below the castle

We left the town, taking about 20 minutes to make it to Château de Bonaguil, our last tourist stop of the day and our favourite, by far. This colossal castle loomed on the horizon as we approached it. Among the few buildings close by was a restaurant, Le Cellier, where we enjoyed a light lunch al fresco. 

Pathway to the castle entrance

Doorway to the barbican

It was about 2:00 pm when we paid our admission and entered the castle grounds. We passed through a gated archway into the barbican, a fortified courtyard protecting the main entrance. At one time, this was accessed by an outer drawbridge

The semi-circular wall

The castle wall as seen from the barbican

This space played an important part in the castle's defence system as a shield against the neighbouring hill, since, originally, it contained an outer and inner drawbridge. Its semi-circular wall is four metres thick, ensuring great strength; and its many gun ports would allow defenders to shoot at any attackers approaching the fortress. 

The rubbish tip

Bob in the barrel vault

This area was used for daily life too, since it contained a rubbish tip which previously had been a war room. During excavations of this part of the castle, common ceramics and glassware were found. Also in this area is a pigeonnier, under which is a low chamber, a barrel vault which might have been used as a defensive room in medieval times.

Inner drawbridge

The many layers of the castle

We crossed what was the inner drawbridge (now a standing bridge) over a dry moat to a courtyard. Here, we were in the middle level of the complex where the fireplaces of the many rooms that once existed here can still be seen. At each end, north and south, are towers.  

One of the towers

The other tower

The castle has an interesting history beginning in the late 13th century when it was erected by a vassal of the Lords of Fumel, the municipality in the area. Two hundred years later, Baron Bérenger de Roquefeuil fell in love with the deteriorating castle. He spent 40 years creating an impenetrable fortress, even though this sort of stronghold was no longer being built at that time. In fact, the castle was never under siege.

I stand on one of the terraces.

A fireplace

In the 18th century, the municipality of Fumel entered the story again when they purchased the abandoned castle and restored it. The Countess Marguerite de Fumel, widowed and seeking more comfort during her visits to the castle, had it modernized so that she could live her final years there. She dismantled the drawbridges and built terraces on which she could host parties with a view over the Thézou Valley.

Stairway to somewhere

Part of the fortified platform

At one end of the lower courtyard is one of those terraces, and some staircases too. One of these is a spiral leading to the Main Quadrangle. As you can see, some of the castle is in ruins, but there are enough remnants of the original building to tell its story and to fire the imagination.

Wall, windows and gun ports

Lots of this castle still stands

From here, we descended a staircase to the war room on the ground floor. Its spiral vault was created using formwork which was removed when the mortar had dried. There are three gun ports here, as well as a window, used as a vent for the smoke from the weapons.  

Stairs to the war room

War room vault

Another staircase leads to the fausse-braie, a fortified terrace protecting the foot of the château. It forms part of an arc of a circle on the east side of the castle. (Originally, there was one on the south side as well.) It is a remarkable area with a vaulted ceiling which would have also been created by formwork, like the one in the bakery.

Descending the stairs

The fausse-braie

Part of Marguerite de Fumel's plan for le Château de Bonaguil was to restore the medieval garden which is situated on a terrace with a clear view toward the countryside. Small in scale, it replicates the organization of state gardens and follows the horticultural practices of the late Middle Ages.

Medieval garden with a view

I walked through a bower in the garden.

We moved from here to the grotto, a natural cavity. It is the "good needle" (Bonne Aiguille) after which the château was named. (Bonne Aiguille=Bonaguil). Berenger used this space as a storage area; later, Marguerite de Fumel opened the north side to access the terrace and the Great Moat. Today, it is an atmospheric tunnel, popular with children who visit here.

A dragon 

I stand inside the grotto.

The (former) Great Moat was our next stop. Marguerite de Fumel had it filled in, creating a green area that almost surrounds the stone structure.  From here, we had a good view of many of the features of the old castle. We first spotted la Tour des Loges, and walked under the drawbridge, the one on which we had entered the complex.

Tour des Loges

There were a few men working on the area under the drawbridge when we were there.

Next, we found ourselves in a large open area, originally the West Moat. The photo that begins this post was taken there. On the left is the Great Tower. Standing 28 metres high and 14 metres in diameter, it has seven levels which can be accessed from the state apartments. It is a symbol of strength, with an elegant parapet decorated with inverted-pyramid-shaped brackets. 

The Great Tower

I stand at the chicane entrance in the West Moat area.

On the right is the Chicane, a small, low tower. This is designed as a Caponnier, a fortified structure used to guard a dry moat. Its small door leads to a narrow, zigzagging corridor which was created as a trap for anyone attacking the fortress. 

The Square Tower

Lower room in the State Apartments

We navigated our way to the main courtyard in the interior portion of the complex. In front of us was the Square Tower, an addition to the castle in the 15th century, when Berenger remodelled the castle. We climbed the stairway to have a look at the State Apartments inside. 

Fireplace in Marguerite de Fumel's bedroom

Detail of a ceiling in the State Apartments

The tower has four levels, but today, the floors are missing in most of them. Nevertheless, there is significant evidence of the purpose of the rooms. For instance, above is a photo of the fireplace that would have warmed Marguerite de Fumel's bedroom. The vaulted ceiling in the other picture indicates that the State Chapel was located in this room. 

Two fireplaces and then, the sky

There is no roof in the square tower either. Essentially, much of it is an empty space with a clear view of the sky above it. However, this part of the state apartments leads to other rooms in the Great Tower and the Keep, both of which are in much better condition.

One view of the Great Room

Another view of the Great Room

The Great Room is the largest space here. It was used for ceremonies, receptions, administration and trials. Because of its importance, the walls and the fireplaces were plastered, the windows were glazed, and the floor was tiled. These features have been restored.

Armour and Mail

Model of Château de Bonaguil

Since the castle is now a museum, some items have been added to the Great Room. As might be expected, there was a suit of armour on display inside a glass case. Also, a clay model of the castle itself is a useful visual aid to help visitors to grasp the scale of this place. 

Looking back at the entrance 

The well in front of the keep

We were now in the Main Quadrangle, where we saw more of the features of le Château de Bonaguil. One of these is its well, which was dug 48 meters through the limestone rock to the water seeping from the northern plateau below.

Looking down on the well and the remnants of the kitchen

The massive keep

Nearby is the kitchen, accessed by the door next to the well. Beyond that, a window and a fireplace are all that is left of this part of the castle. The kitchen was located outside the Apartments to reduce the risk of fire, but close to the Great Hall so that food could be delivered quickly through the courtyard. 

One of the rooms in the keep

Period costumes

The last refuge in the case of a siege, the Keep was mainly a symbol of the power of the owner due to its great height. Elongated in the shape of a ship, the one at le Château de Bonaguil contains three stories of rooms, topped by a platform, from which there are exceptional views. In the rooms here are displays of period costumes and pieces of art. 

Art in the keep

Painting

Across from the keep was a smaller tower in good condition. Bob and I climbed up its spiral staircase which led to a platform beside the Great Tower. In fact, this space was once a Great Hall in medieval times, and was enclosed under a roof. 

Bob looking up at one of the smaller towers

Spiral staircase

Actually, the roofs on all the towers have disappeared because after the French Revolution, in 1793, a law was passed to demolish the castle and reduce the height of its towers. This explains the condition of the upper portion of the stronghold. Thankfully, in 1862, the castle was listed as a historic monument and has been protected since then.

The medieval Great Hall

Close-up view of the parapet of the Great Tower

Château de Bonaguil is one of the best preserved castles in the country. One of its most attractive features is that it encapsulates two eras. Berenger built it with six towers, seven drawbridges, and two fortified enclosures at a time when such defences were no longer needed, since the 100 Years War was over by the time construction began. It was a kind of vanity project for him.

Loophole in the wall

I walk one of the many stairways here.

Marguerite de Fumel adapted the Château to her desires, but did not destroy anything of consequence. She saw its potential as a place of comfort in a beautiful setting, hence the addition of terraces, and the removal of ramparts. She turned a fortress into a party palace; in fact, her guests left graffiti on the walls of one of the rooms there; these markings can still be seen to this day.

The view from one of Marguerite's terraces up to the towers

A view over the town and valley

We very much enjoyed our visit to le Château de Bonaguil, the highlight of our day. Upon arrival, we were given a pamphlet, in English, which guided us through the complex. Although I speak French, it was nice to be able to navigate in my mother tongue. 

We exited here.

One final wave

It was after 4:00 when we left the premises and began the final leg of our road trip, our return to Bordeaux. We made one stop on the way to la Boutique Boucadi, where I hoped to purchase products from the Lot region, such as foie gras. This shop had been recommended by the woman at the tourist office in Puy-l"Évêque, but we did not find what we were looking for there.

Boutique

Vineyards

Then we drove past vineyards for over two hours. When we approached Bordeaux, we ran into lots of traffic, our first such experience on the road. As a result, it was getting dark by the time we arrived at our hotel, the Novotel Bordeaux Centre Gare Saint-Jean, and checked in. Then, we immediately returned our vehicle to the rental company and walked back to the hotel's dining room for our evening meal. Sadly, this was one of the worst dinners on our trip. I had tasteless fish, while Bob had veal. 

All in all, our road trip went well. My husband is an outstanding driver, and the car was dropped off without a scratch, although we had a few hiccoughs along the way. Discovering how to open the gas tank was an early problem; we regularly fought with the GPS, because she always recommended expressways, while we preferred back roads; and upon returning the car, I inadvertently set off the alarm, and Bob, distracted by this, forgot his passport and iPad in the back. These he retrieved the next morning, thank god.