Attractions and Places To See around Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont - Top 18

Budos Castle is the work of Raymond Guilhem de Budos, nephew of Pope Clement V. Largely supported by his uncle, he rebuilt the old family castle in 1306, adopting the architectural features of the neighboring Château de Villandraut, as evidenced by the following document from King Edward I, written from Wynten on March 9, 1306, to the Seneschal of Gascony[4]: "The Knight of Budos, nephew of Clement V, Sovereign Pontiff, has begged us to allow him to crenellate his house in Budos, to surround it with walls, towers, moats, and finally to fortify it. Out of respect for the Sovereign Pontiff, and because a fortress of this nature will protect not only our possessions in this part of Guienne, but also the subjects of the Pope's nephew, we grant the aforementioned Raymond permission to fortify his castle and we grant it to him, his heirs, and successors in perpetuity, and we undertake not to disturb him in any way in this possession." In 1422-23, the King of England took possession of the castle and placed Pons, Lord of Castillon, in charge. Around 1433, Henry VI granted the lands and the castle to the Duke of Gloucester. In 1446-47, Budos was given to Gaston IV of Foix-Béarn, Count of Foix, following the death of the Earl of Gloucester. After the conquest of Guyenne, the Budos family, which had supported the cause of France, regained possession of its lordships in Guyenne. Purchased from the Budos family by Raymond de La Roque in 1571, Budos Castle suffered a severe assault in 1652 during the Fronde Wars. Lasserre ransacked, pillaged, and burned its archives. The Budos lordship remained in the La Roque family until the Revolution, which nearly destroyed it. It was sold as national property and used as a quarry to build dikes on the Ciron. In 1841, the Gironde Historical Monuments Commission was informed of this by Léo Drouyn. In 1860, it became the property of Léon de Brivazac, son of Delphine Catherine de La Roque de Budos (born at the castle in 1789). Five descendants (including Savary de Beauregard) entrusted it to the Adichats association, which brings together young people to enhance and preserve what can be preserved. The castle was registered as a historic monument in 1988

Very interesting flood marks, sometimes you can't even imagine how high the water once was.

Seen from Toulouse, the last lock on the side canal.

Very scenic, a few places to stop for refreshments. In the Gironde department, the surface is better than in the Lot-Garonne department. Sometimes nice and shady, many small locks.

A pretty (private) chateau surrounded by its hillsides of vines.

The Garonne Lateral Canal is a navigable canal that connects Toulouse to Castets-en-Dorthe, France. 193 kilometers long, it follows the Garonne valley and connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the network of canals in southwestern France and is an important route for the river transport of goods. The Garonne side canal was built in the 19th century to meet the growing needs for transporting goods in the region. It made it possible to transport goods such as wine, wood and coal, as well as passengers. Today, the canal is mostly used for river tourism, with many cruises organized for visitors wishing to experience the beauty of the region from the water. Visitors can hire boats to navigate the canal or simply stroll along the towpaths, which offer panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The canal lateral to the Garonne is lined with picturesque towns and villages, historic castles and renowned vineyards. Visitors can also discover the local gastronomy in the many restaurants and inns located along the canal.

Beautiful ruins of the castle of Budos, accessible by road but also by paths along the river. Much nicer!

Incredible ruins of the 14th century Budos castle, in the middle of the vineyards. Under restoration by Adichats association for about thirty years.