Local Produce
France is renowned for its cheese, wine and fresh bread but each region has its own claim to fame too. Agen is renowned for its plums & prunes (Pruneaux d'Agen). Tarn-et-Garonne is central to fruit and Foie Gras production with a wealth of unusual produce too, such as tobacco!
The area is rich in fruit orchards; apple, cherry and pear with numerous hectares of vineyards alongside producing in the main; the Chasselas grape - an eating grape of the region. In addition there is extensive plum growing to provide the fresh material to become Pruneaux d'Agen - a drying porcess usually carried out either on the farm itself or very close nearby.
There is also extensive duck and goose rearing to sustain the foie gras market. Whilst many areas claims to be the centre of this activity; This corner of the south west actually is!
Gourmet Museums
As with all gourmet ingredients each is treated with reverence and dedication which extends to museums and specialist shops or markets. Below is the local selection within 25 km but you'll discover many more with a little travelling about.
I defy anyone to suffer museum legs and a compelling loss of will to live, when a museum is exhibiting delectable food stuffs and then offer their exhibits (fresh in their shop) for the tasting! We have more information at the gite.
The museum is in the countryside at Granges-sur-Lot, on the D.911, between Villeneuve sur Lot and Damazan. The address is:
Domaine du Gabach, Granges sur Lot, 47320 Lafitte sur Lot
Tel : 33 (0)5 53 84 00 69 / Fax : 33 (0)5 53 84 03 83
Open: 9am-12noon & 2pm - 6.30 / 7pm
Located about 20km from Roujol and 15km from Villeneuve sur Lot at:
"Souleilles", 47140 Frespech
Tel : 33 (0)5 53 41 23 24 / Fax : 33 (0)5 53 41 31 90
Open: all year
Gourmet Outlets
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Moissac Foie Gras Deli - Maison Rey
7 Rue Flandres Dunkerque 1940, 82200 Moissac
Tel: 05 63 04 51 37
Open: Shop hours - Mon to Sat .9.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00
Borde Basse , Lauzette 82110
Tel: 05 63 94 68 08 / Fax: 05 63 94 66 87
Open: ALL year
Recent Celebrity Visitors
For those who missed Rick Stein's French Oddessy (the BBC series), he travelled through Agen, Valence d'Agen and Moissac by barge along the canal Lateral, sampling the culinary delights of the region, the web site is: (http://www.rickstein.com/rickstein_frenchodyssey2week5.htm)