Domaine de la Brette

Can you visit vineyards around here? You betcha you can – the question around these parts isn't so much 'where' as 'where do I start'? If you're made of sturdy stuff, stroll half a kilometre over to Le Château le Courrejot, where you can sip locally-produced armagnac almost straight from the still. There's also the hand-crushed wine on sale at the Domaine de Pouypardin (10 minutes' drive), as well as the Domaine de Magnaut (20 minutes), where reds, whites and rosés all require a thorough sampling. Need something to clear your head? An early-morning coffee in the gorgeous riverside town of Nérac (15 minutes) should perk you up and awaken your senses to its medieval and renaissance architecture. Les Jardins de Coursiana (20 minutes), a botanical garden stuffed with some of the finest flora around, is another prime pick for restorative rambles. History hunters will be well-served throughout the region, whether heading to the regal Roman ruins at Éauze (35 minutes), Agen's far-famed 12th-century cathedral (45 minutes) or riverside Flaran Abbey (20 minutes).