Stroll to the silver-domes of Penne-d'Agenais

The charming hilltop town of Penne-d'Agenais is located
on the borders of the Guyenne, Quercy and Périgord regions
in the Lot-et-Garonne.

I've lived in France nine years now, and yet, this is the first time I've visited the village of Penne-d'Agenais. For many months I've been seeing fabulous photos of Penne-d'Agenais posted on Facebook, and I've been waiting for just the right sunny day to take the short drive to the eastern edge of my department, the Lot-et-Garonne. 

Overshadowed by the showier basilica up the road,
L'église de Penne-d'Agenais is still a lovely church.

Penne-d'Agenais is a medieval town whose name (Penne) means "mountain peak" in the Celtic language. It's an appropriate moniker, since the village sits atop a tall hill overlooking the Lot River. The Romans were the first to settle here, followed by Vandals, Alamans, Goths, Francs, Arabs, and Normans before being handed over to the English after the marriage of Aliénor of Aquitaine and Henri Plantagenet. Their son, Richard the Lionheart fortified its fort, and visitors can still find traces of his legacy in the village.

Penne-d'Agenais contains a generous selection of restaurants.

The glass blower (souffleur de verre) at Verre Zé Bulles in
Penne d'Agenais welcomes an audience as well as shoppers. 

As we approach Penne-d'Agenais, we can see the silver domes of the basilica Notre-Dame de Peyragude at the top of a hill. We drive up and park near the center of the village. As we continue upward on foot, we pass several restaurants and more than a few artisan shops. In normal times, all these shops are open in July and August, with only a few open year-round. A weekend craft faire takes place Aug. 27-29 (2021). Throughout December, artisans, exhibitors, and producers of local goods are usually on hand for a Christmas market.

Lovely stone buildings line the narrow passages
through Penne d'Agenais. 

Lush flower boxes hang from a brick-and-stone building
in Penne-d'Agenais.

Keep an eye out for charming touches found along the
walkways in Penne d'Agenais.

The village streets are steep, some with steps and others without. You can also park at the top of the village near the basilica. The buildings here are well cared for and contain charming accents.  

With its silver domes, Notre-Dame de Peyragude is the most
notable landmark in Penne d'Agenais.

When we arrive at Notre-Dame de Peyragude, we rest a few minutes on a shaded bench in front of the basilica to catch our breath before heading inside. The interior of the massive church isn't particularly ornate, but it's pleasant, and on this very hot day, it's a cool place to visit. 

A mosaic arch adorns the entry to Notre-Dame de Peyragude
in Penne d'Agenais.

Although not ornate, the interior of Notre-Dame
de Peyragude in Penne-d'Agenais contains
several striking stained-glass windows. 

From the church's plaza, I find my favorite view of the day overlooking the Lot River valley. If you were to continue down the hill, away from the main part of the village, you'd come to the Port de Penne, where you can rent canoes and other watercraft. Le Musée Découverte de la Rivière Lot is also located at the port. 

The Lot Valley views are très belles from Penne-d'Agenais.

After our stroll, we have lunch in one of the restos near the square; the food is tasty and fairly priced, but the service is a bit slow. Luckily we are beneath umbrellas, and a light breeze keeps us from sweltering. Before we head back to the car, we stop at the ancient chapels, which we can peek into from the street. Arrows point toward the medieval prison, but it's all closed up.

When in Penne d'Agenais, be sure to peek inside the
chapels from the 14th-15th centuries.

On the way home, we talk about Penne-d'Agenais — surprised that we hadn't visited before today, but confident that we'll return. I've already put that Marché artisanal de Noël on my calendar.

If I ever have the occasion to commission a trompe
l'œil mural, I'll contact this Penne d'Agenais artisan.