Agen gets a facelift! After seventy years of deep urban slumber, the department's capital is restoring its city center, and the results are stunning. Once a major port on the Garonne (now located on the esplanade du Gravier), from where prunes (dried plums for long voyages; a source of vitamin C, then the best enemy of scurvy), market garden produce and wines from the South-West used to transit, the town has, it must be said, undergone some of the most erratic post-World War II urbanization. Along the pont-canal or on the Passage footbridge, admire the submerged ruins of the old locks on the river, but above all, Le Petit Futé recommends a stroll through the historic center, now pedestrianized. The curious walker will be surprised by what can only be described as hybrid architecture: sometimes Haussmannian on boulevard de la République, sometimes typically Occitan (Médiathèque Lacépède), but also largely medieval in rue de Beauville, with its charming half-timbered houses. And with good reason: the town is at the crossroads of historic trade and religious routes, equidistant from Bordeaux and Toulouse, and has been influenced by them throughout history.. It's hardly surprising, then, that even today, the Lot-et-Garonnais people themselves are torn as to whether they're more Bordeaux or Toulouse; for before rallying to a strong regional identity, the Agenais is above all, and whatever they may say, a Gascon; that is to say, a messy mix of Toulousain and Bordelais, not to mention the geographical proximity of the two great French terroirs of Périgord and Gers.Agen has the discreet charm of a city that begs to be discovered... An archaeological millefeuille, the first step towards understanding this environment is to visit the Ermitage hillside, visible from the train station and Agen's first settlement. At least 400 B.C., the Nitiobriges settled in troglodyte dwellings at the top of this hill, and more generally on all the heights of the Garonne valley, whose level was much higher at the time. Nearly 1,700 prosperous years followed, from the Gallo-Romans to the Hundred Years' War. River trade was booming at the time, generating strong revenues that made it possible to build places of worship, including the Jacobins church, Agen's jewel and the oldest Gothic church in the Midi. The 16th century marked a new stage in the town's development: Bernard Palissy laid the foundations of artisan pottery by creating the first French enamels (only a handful remain in the world), the recipe for which had previously been secretly guarded by the Chinese. The current Musée des Beaux-Arts, located on Place du Dr. Esquirol, is a vestige of these years of revival, and houses 4 Renaissance townhouses. A Catholic town opposed to Nérac (the town of Henri IV was a major competitor at the time), Agen was even home to Marguerite de Valois, Queen Margot. After a difficult Grand Siècle (shortages and famines, plague epidemic), Agen specialized in the manufacture of cloth, sails and draperies.Unfortunately, the town missed out on industrialization in the 19th century, as its position as an intermediary between Bordeaux and Toulouse weakened as transport became faster and safer. That said, Agen was a significant center of the craft and pharmaceutical industries. In 1935, Dr. Camille Bru founded UPSA, his cloverleaf and aspirin products now sold to the Americans Bristol-Myers Squibb, but still produced locally ! Agen is also developing from a university point of view, welcoming many students to the Michel Serres campus, named after the famous French academic and philosopher from the town. In terms of culture, the Théâtre Ducourneau is sure to be a great evening out, and the Florida will delight the ears of the spectator. And last but not least, Agen is home to the legendary SUA rugby club and its Armandie stadium, providing adrenalin-filled moments for Agen locals and visitors alike.

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Pont-canal, Agen. Christian Preleur
Balade dans les rues d'Agen. david debray - stock.adobe.com

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