Villeréal is a small commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in the region of Nouvelle Aquitaine in south-west France. The commune has existed since the middle of the 13th century and even today still retains the rustic charm that so characterised it in its earliest days, despite enduring the ravages of both civil and religious wars. Despite its small nature, Villeréal certainly has its fair share of activities, sports and entertainments and is reasonably accessible from larger towns or cities with both air and rail travel well within driving distance.
Access
Villereal is located 30km south of Bergerac which has both an international airport and a train station. Additionally, the commune is 60km north of Agen which again has both an airport and a train station. One of the capital cities of the Aquitaine, Bordeaux, is just 2 hours drive from Villeréal.
Activities and Sports
There is a wealth of entertainments and activities in this commune. Sight-seeing includes:
The Church: A listed building, this church dates back to the building of the commune in around 1269 and has over the years suffered from both age and conflict. It was designed with two ideas in mind: a place of worship and ultimate refuge in times of mortal danger. The religious wars (between Catholics and Protestants) in the Middle Ages resulted in the damaging of much architecture and sculptures which even now still bear the scars of fighting.
The Market Hall: Again, a listed building although it is not quite as old as the church as it was constructed shortly after the completion of the commune in 1269. The original wooden floor was replaced over time, as the wood rotted, by stones.
There are 20 churches in the area immediately surrounding Villeréal. Also, Bonaguil Castle, built in the 13th century is nearby.
Villeréal is well-known for its pottery (with a blue lace decoration), and the fabric and textile industry bringing in much of the commune’s trade throughout recent centuries.
Being positioned as it is in the middle of rural France, Villeréal has many outdoor activities to partake of, including an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts and the opportunity to go hiking, cycling and horse-riding.
Gastronomy
Aquitaine houses delights both culinary and alcoholic. There are of course regions including the Béarn, the Basque and the Landes de Gascogne which provide some of the most sumptuous food on offer in France.
- The Béarn area supplies the dish of “Poule au Pot” as well as the dry or medium white wine from the Jurançon area just south of the town of Pau near the Spanish border.
- The Basque region with its infusion of French and Spanish cookery frequently introduces tomatoes and sweet or fiery peppers to dishes to give them a distinctive, sweet and peppery flavour.
- The areas of Landes de Gascogne is home to the major city of Bordeaux, long considered one of the premier grape-growing areas in the world, providing some of the most famous and well-liked wines on the planet.
Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property in Nouvelle Aquitaine. We have a large network of agents in Aquitaine. All of them are registered French estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle or chateau, we will do our best to find a property in Aquitaine matching your requirements. Do not hesitate to contact us to find out more about our selection of properties for sale in Villereal.