SOIRÉE47 is taking place in the village of Monteton in Southwest France.
MONTETON, 47120, LOT ET GARONNE, FRANCE
Monteton is a tiny village in the Lot et Garonne department bordering the Dordogne in the Southwest Aquitaine region, which has a landscape of vineyards that produce some of the world’s finest wines. The festival is being held in and around Château de Monteton, Le Belvédère de Monteton and the 12th century church, all of which are perched on a hilltop with superb views across the Valléé du Dropt.
Resembling a mini Tuscany with its gentle rolling hills and fields of vines, sunflowers, maize, plum trees, ancient woods and more vines it’s an area not overly populated by tourists, away from the madding crowds. The area is studded with many historic medieval “Bastide” (fortified) towns – Monségur, Duras, Eymet, Miramont, Lauzun, Issigeac. The Lot et Garonne is a perfect place to holiday offering its gastronomy, markets, rivers, landscapes, agriculture, wines and heritage.
Locals themselves describe the area as unrivalled in terms of the hours of sunshine alongside the tranquility and richness of the landscape, the local gastronomy and history, therefore the very epitome of the french term ”l’art de vivre” or the art of living…aka the good life – perfect for a chilled out festival in gorgeous surroundings!
Discover our local specialties;
| What… | En français |
|---|---|
| Wine (Red) – Very similar to Bordeaux reds as the same grapes are grown here – just a few kilometres from the Bordeaux wine region. Cotes de Duras is the local appellation (wine area). | Vin Rouge |
| Wine (Rosé) – It’s RED grapes which lose their skins in the first pressing before continuing the process in the style of a white wine which result in the fresh, zingy Rosé wines of the area. | Rosé |
| Wine (White) – The white wines of the area are particularly acclaimed – the delicious crisp dry Sauvignon Blanc grape does very well here. | Vin Blanc |
| Wine (Sweet) – Made with overripe grapes and tastes like liquid summer sunshine – worth a try! | Moelleux |
| Duck – Everyone here loves duck. You’ll find it on most restaurant menus in one style or another! | Canard |
| Tomatoes – the best tomatoes in France come from Marmande, the local town, big, juicy, delicious | Tomates |
| Strawberries – So many varieties, so little time.. | Fraises |
| Plums – As you’ll see the orchards around Monteton are full of plum trees. These are turned into a variety of specialities including alcohol funnily enough | Prunes |
| Bread – of course the bread is delicious and cooked fresh locally every morning! | Pain |
There is plenty to see and do in this region, should you want to spend a little more time here. Monteton is surrounded by wonderful places to visit, you will be amazed as to what this part of France has to offer. There are plenty of activities available locally: swimming, cycling, hiking, golf, ballooning, fishing, tennis, horseback riding, see the local tourist website for more information. Lot et Garonne Tourist Information
Nearby there is;
Allemans du Dropt (4 mins drive) is the closest village with shops:
Boulangerie – Bakers,
Pharmacie – Chemist,
Tabac (Newsagents / Cigarettes),
Bar – Lou Drot, Boucherie / Epicerie (Butchers and small grocers with cold drinks)
Kayaking and stand up paddle boards for hire from the local campsite…
Monteton is equidistant between the medieval towns of Duras and Miramont which both have Petrol stations, banks, large supermarkets and restaurants.
Duras (10 mins drive) Set high on a hilltop with a fabulous Chateau to visit and night markets on a Thursday evening, Duras is a lovely place to pick up some of that quintessential french café vibe
Chateau-de-Duras
Duras Tourist Information
Miramont (10 mins drive) is a very typical french bastide town with a great local market on a Monday morning and more regular shopping than Duras eg. for camping supplies!
Miramont Tourist Information
Eymet (15 mins drive) Another beautiful bastide town with plenty of restaurants and bars and a weekly morning market on Thursdays and summer night market on Tuesdays.
For a great fun day out in the glorious summer sun, you could visit one of the areas swimming lakes / beaches, with slides, paddle boats, parks and snack bars, check out Lougratte Lake and Casteljaloux Lake
Bigger towns and cities nearby include Bergerac (35 minutes), on the edge of the Dordogne river which is characterised by its elegant medieval and Renaissance buildings.
The elegant and exciting city of Bordeaux which is classed as a World Heritage Site is only 1 hour 20mins away and Toulouse 2 hours away, with its old quarter, waterways and stunning architecture.
Or how about a trip to the beach? You can reach the stunning Atlantic Coast in just under 2 hours! Check out the beautiful white sandy beaches, sand dunes, pine forests, surfing and laid back seaside towns.
This truly is an exciting and unrivalled destination…
