In Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave, the Base de loisirs du Tarn et de la Garonne is located in a 25-hectare natural area designated as a Natura 2000 site, at the confluence of the Tarn and Garonne rivers.
The Base de loisirs du Tarn et de la Garonne is open year-round and freely accessible at no charge.
Nature
A 2-kilometre path along the water leads from the leisure centre to the ornithological observation point; the paths at the leisure centre are accessible year-round. The ornithological area at the confluence of the Tarn and Garonne rivers serves numerous migratory birds as a wintering, breeding and stopover site during migration.
The circular route Circuit de l'observatoire aux oiseaux can be accessed from the Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave leisure centre. It is very easy and takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. Parking is available at the starting point, and the route is marked throughout.
Activities
Depending on the season, the Base de loisirs du Tarn et de la Garonne offers activities including sailing, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, pedal boating, archery and cycling. In summer, guided cycling tours are offered, combining the confluence of the Tarn and Garonne rivers with the cultural heritage of the village of Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave.
The Carnaval de Saint Nicolas takes place every year and is considered one of the most important carnivals in the Tarn-et-Garonne department.
Anyone planning Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave as a travel destination may wish to rent a holiday apartment.
Culture
A document from 1135 mentions the Château dit de Richard Coeur de Lion in Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave. The façades and roofs of the Château dit de Richard Coeur de Lion have been listed as protected historic monuments since 23 June 1978. The Château dit de Richard Coeur de Lion has a rectangular layout, a courtyard and a tower at each of its outer corners.
The parish church of Saint-Nicolas is protected in its entirety under a decree dated 14 December 2021. It is believed to have been almost entirely rebuilt between the late 16th and early 17th centuries; the bell-tower porch was built around 1685.
The Musée Lamothe-Cadillac is housed in the birthplace of Antoine Laumet de Lamothe-Cadillac and presents his extraordinary life as well as a reconstruction of a 17th-century interior. The museum also offers an escape game centred on Cadillac, the historical figure born in Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave.
The church of Moutet can be visited; its history is presented during guided tours organised by the Office de tourisme Moissac–Terres des Confluences.
Visitor information
Audio commentary is available for several monuments in the municipality of Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave. Outside the stated visiting hours, the Musée Lamothe-Cadillac may be opened by prior arrangement and subject to availability.
Other places: Belvèze, Puygaillard-de-Quercy, Malause, Albefeuille-Lagarde, Montjoi, Saint-Cirq, Lacapelle-Ségalar, Loze
