The best MTB trails around Lizac

The abbey and its cloister, the historic center, the Art Deco buildings, the Napoleon bridge, the towpath, and the Cacor canal bridge are must-sees. Everything can be easily discovered on foot. Moissac is a major stop on the Camino de Santiago thanks to its exceptional heritage, particularly its abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its Romanesque cloister and sculpted tympanum make it an emblematic place for pilgrims from all over the world.

Abbey founded in the mid-7th century. After its affiliation with Cluny in 1047, the abbey was consecrated in 1063. Cloister built at the end of the 11th century (high altar consecrated by Urban II), portal completed between 1115 and 1135, fortifications and cloister arcades in the 13th century. After the troubles of the Hundred Years' War and the looting due to the Wars of Religion, the abbey came under commendatory abbots in the 17th century. After the Revolution, the abbey was bought back as national property and saved by the town hall secretary. The church was returned to worship in 1801 and was restored at the initiative of Viollet-le-Duc in 1847. In 1856, the conventual buildings located on the site of the seminary were destroyed and divided for sale. The repurchase of the plots allowed for the construction of the minor seminary and a chapel between 1860 and 1865. The seminary is built on medieval remains of the abbey, particularly the cistern and the Hall of the Dead, which retains painted decoration from the 14th century.

On July 29, 1808, Napoleon I arrived in Moissac, crossing the Tarn on a pontoon bridge. Since the Wars of Religion and floods, previous structures had been destroyed, and the perilous crossing was done by ferry. Work began quickly but ceased with the fall of the First Empire (1814). It resumed in 1820, leading to the inauguration of the Marie-Thérèse bridge on December 19, 1824. It was named in honor of the Dauphine, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, who is said to have laid the keystone of the bridge. It finally became the "Pont Napoléon" in 1859, after Napoleon III's visit to Moissac.

In the early 60s, Jean Aubert, an engineer from Ponts et chaussées, worked with his team on the construction of an innovative structure to allow boats to overcome significant differences in height in a minimum of time on the lateral canal of the Garonne (municipality of Montech). vnf.fr/vnf/points-d-interetss/la-pente-deau-de-montech

The main axis connecting these localities is the departmental road RD 813, which passes through Escatalens and Finhan, among others.

The Montech canal, 12km long, connects the Canal de Garonne (at Montech) to the Tarn river, in Montauban. It is bordered by two paths, one on each bank.

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Very smooth section of the canal with little traffic. Be careful of a section on the bridge with large cobblestones.