The best traffic-free bike rides around Cantois

In 1079, the Benedictine abbot Gérard de Corbie and about ten monks and knights founded Notre-Dame de La Sauve-Majeure in the large forest (in Latin Silva Major) of the Entre-deux-Mers. The support of the dukes of Aquitaine and the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela favored a rapid boom. At its peak in the 12th and 13th centuries, the abbey had about a hundred monks. The Hundred Years' War precipitated its decline.

Majestic in its size and appearance, the Loubens mill is one of the most remarkable in the Entre-deux-Mers region. Its installation seems to date back to the 11th century. A square, medieval tower, built on an island, bears similarities to the Bagas mill located 2 km downstream. It includes three sets of millstones still in place. However, it is not a fortified building; it is a weir mill. To the north construction, a bridge with a double row of arches was added in the 18th century, containing two more pairs of millstones and a fulling mill (a machine used not for grinding grain, but for fulling textiles. These mills were often called "beating mills"). This southern part of the mill earned it the name "little Chenonceau". The mill has been classified as a Historic Monument since 2000.

Built by John Lackland, Duke of Normandy (1199-1204), Duke of Aquitaine (1199-1216) and King of England from 1199 to 1216, the castle was built on a rock occupied since antiquity. Witness to the Hundred Years' War, the castle of Rauzan was taken twice by the French, including by Bertrand Du Guesclin in 1377. Classified as a historic monument in 1862, it was only revived in people's minds from the 1970s onwards when the municipality of Rauzan, owner since 1900, and some enthusiasts of medieval architecture undertook clearing and restoration work. (sources Wikipedia)

Beautiful passage with a train relic recalling the history of the place, formerly a railway.

At the Creon station, several information panels about the history of the railway line are offered, and wagons and engines that operated on this line can be seen.

Beautiful view of the ivy-covered mill.

Sauveterre-de-Guyenne is a bastide. A bastide is a type of French medieval town, founded in the 13th and 14th centuries, primarily in southwestern France. A bastide is characterized by a rectangular street pattern that divides the town into eight blocks around a central market square. The Treaty of Paris (1229) prohibited the building of walls around new towns. Many bastides were provided with some form of fortification, such as gates, after their founding to provide some protection during turbulent times. Most bastides had only local significance and did not develop into large towns. As a result, many bastides, such as that of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, have been preserved in their original state.

Stay in a modest guest house, with a very friendly welcome at Les Chambres de l'Archange. Dinner is also available. Booking in advance is recommended, as it's also possible on Sundays.