A large-scale orchard
Traveling through the Lot-et-Garonne requires a certain knowledge of flowers, so great is the diversity of the fields of trees that follow one another. From the hazelnut trees that make Cancon its French capital to the recognizable lianas of the actinidia that give the kiwi, or the emblematic plum trees, one could almost get lost. This characteristic fruit flora gives a year-round production, the kiwi revealing itself in the cold season when the peach trees, among others, provide the summer season. It is of course during the white blooming days that these trees invite admiration. Perched high up, you should take advantage of this period to contemplate this fragrant scum which made Michel Serres say that there are only two places in the world where you can witness such a spectacle: Japan and the Lot-et-Garonne!
The Agen tulip : unique
There are 400 natural species and 50 perennial species that populate the land of the Lot-et-Garonne. All of them have poetic names that "smell good": chickweed, Persian speedwell, annual bluegrass, field mustard... Among the perennials: giant horsetail, Aleppo sorghum, or yarrow. This diversity of flowers comes from the multiplicity of soils between limestone, sand, clay ... which cause different growths according to their specificity.
The tulip of Agen is unique to the department. Indigenous because of its age and its presence mainly in Lot-et-Garonne, the tulip of Agen finds its true origin in Iran. It is one of the rare tulips in the wild that can be admired, especially in the vineyards of Buzet. With its 25 to 40 centimeters height, it stands out thanks to its simple stem and its bell-shaped flower. In danger of extinction due to changes in agricultural practices, it is now protected nationally since 1995. It is absolutely necessary to admire its bright red and its yellow star drawn in the heart of its flower signing its particularity.
We cannot talk about the flora of the Lot-et-Garonne without mentioning the mushrooms and the cep. As in many French regions, it has its pickers, retired or younger, who brave the brambles and turn over the leaves in search of this noble fungus that is such a dream for gastronomes. We will take advantage of this opportunity to advise the curious to respect the warnings of private properties that forbid the picking of ceps... or chanterelles!
A typical country fauna
Deer, wild boar, small hares, rabbits, not to mention coypu and European mink, all this wildlife explains why a driver must be careful when driving through a forest! This small animal overview would be incomplete if we did not mention the deer and its bellowing. Its powerful and hoarse cry resounds in the Landes or in the northern forests of the department.
On the bird side, a passageway between the northern countries and those of the Maghreb, there are a number of them. Without having charismatic species which would identify the department as a specific land of welcome, there is a bird which meets a great success because of its passage in the sky of Aquitaine, the pigeon! This wood pigeon whose route towards the south passes through the Lot-et-Garonne sky causes what is called "le mal bleu". This means that hunters wait for a month in huts nestled in the trees, waiting for the birds to fly overhead. It would not be complete without mentioning the few days of the passage of the cranes, which, in addition to being a harbinger of the change of season, make one look up.
In addition, there is a large number of rivers and lakes: 540 hectares of water are recognized by the fishing federation, which means 38 lakes. All the fish fauna is represented: carp, tench, perch, pike, zander, catfish, sturgeon and shad. The great family of fishermen waits for the opening in spring, to spend the time bubbling, rod in hand, that the fish bites the hook. What is surprising and has a negative impact on the aquatic life and the flora of the waterways is the presence of exotic crayfish which eat everything: aquatic vegetation, insects, mollusks, tadpoles, fish fry, newts, mud, eggs, chicks, frogs, dragonflies, gastropods... They weaken the banks and can damage an entire ecosystem in 10 years.
The most beautiful tree in France
The trees are diverse and varied. One can come across chestnut, maple, juniper, oak (of course!) as well as, more specifically in the Casteljaloux area, the charismatic maritime pines of the forest of the moors. There are some beautiful walks to be done, especially in autumn, in the state-owned oak forest of Mas d'Agenais and Senestis, a popular site for mushroom pickers. This is a popular site for mushroom picking, as you can see from the cars parked on the side of the road during the season.
The Lot-et-Garonne, land of conservation of an age-old nature. Magical, magical, breathtaking... adjectives are lacking when we talk about the characteristics of the Tombebœuf oak, this "Ancient" French champion. With its almost 300 years of age, its 25 meters high and its 38 meters span, the "Tombebœuf oak" was elected the most beautiful tree of the year 2019 by the magazine Terre Sauvage in partnership with the Office National des Forêts, against a hundred candidates. It is its size and longevity, but also and above all its beauty that seduced the jury. This unique oak tree is enthroned in the green meadow of Tombebœuf. A refuge for fauna and flora, it is a place privileged by man and invites to rest and wisdom. Far from a hostile nature and an anthropocene era, the multi-centenary oak of Tombebœuf is the demonstration of the link that unites man and nature and is part of the long term. Its recent recognition makes it a natural site not to be missed.
