Lauzerte (in Occitan Lausèrta) is a commune located in the northwest of the department of Tarn-et-Garonne, in the Occitania region (France).
Historically and culturally, the commune is in Quercy Blanc, corresponding to the southern part of Quercy (former Gascony), named after its Tertiary lacustrine limestones.
Exposed to an altered oceanic climate, it is drained by the Barguelonne, the Séoune, the Petite Barguelonne, the Lendou and various other small rivers. The town has a remarkable natural heritage made up of eight areas of ecological, fauna and flora.
Lauzerte is a rural commune that has 1,448 inhabitants as of 2021, after having experienced a population peak of 3,685 in 1831. Its inhabitants are called Lauzertins or Lauzertines.
Founded in the 12th century by the Count of Toulouse, the village is located on the routes of the Camino de Santiago to Santiago de Compostela.
It is a member of the The Most Beautiful Villages of France association.
Main attractions
The Carmelite Church
The facades and roofs were registered as historic monuments in 1974. The pulpit is referenced in the Palissy database.
At the exit of the suburb of Auriac, it retains the name of the religious order of Carmel which founded a convent here in the 14th century. It has a flat apse and a single nave, rebuilt in 1673.
Saint-Barthélemy church.
The building was registered as a historic monument in 1976. Several objects are referenced in the Palissy database.
In the upper town, it has a very sober square bell tower.
It has two facades from the 14th and 19th centuries. It was enlarged and ribbed from 1591 to 1654: five-sided apse, large single nave with three bays flanked by six chapels, rectangular bell tower. It has a gilded wooden altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin, a true masterpiece of Baroque art.
The Capuchin Monastery
A monastery of mendicant monks, founded in the 12th century, it was occupied by Capuchins until 1789. Having been chased out of the monastery by French revolutionaries, the latter dispersed across France.
The main square, Place des Cornieres, features an uplifted corner of pavers, a unique and whimsical sculpture created in 1988 by local ceramic artist, Jacques Buchholtz whose work also appears in the Jardin de la Brèche.
The local market takes place in the square on Saturday mornings throughout the year.
Wrought iron signs hanging from the exterior of a number of buildings indicate the type of business located within.
Lauzerte has a lively artistic community with artists working in such mediums as illuminated manuscripts, artist books, pottery, and textiles.
Festivals in Lauzerte include the Place Aux Fleurs in late April, the Journées du Patrimoine et des Moulins in mid-June, the Marché aux Potiers in early July, les Marchés Gourmands every Thursday in July and August in the main square up top.
How to get to?
From Paris: 5 hr 55 min (618 km) via A20
From Toulouse: 1 hr 19 min (94.9 km) via A62
From Andorra: 3 hr 33 min (276 km) via A62
From Barcelona: 4 hr 36 min (486 km) via AP-7 and A61
From Madrid: 7 hr 55 min (791 km) via A-1
From Monaco: 6 hr 37 min (675 km) via A8
From Moscow: 34 hr (3,392 km) via E30/M1
From Belgrade: 18 hr 56 min (1,952 km) via A4
From Istanbul: 29 hr (2,901 km) via A4
From Bern: 7 hr 44 min (805 km) via A89
Main information
Area: 44 km2
Population: 1448
Coordinates: 44°15′24″N 1°08′18″E
Language: French
Currency: Euro
Visa: Schengen
Time: Central European UTC +1
See here Pyrenees travel guide
See here France travel guide
See here Spain travel guide
