La Réole (; oc, La Rèula) is a commune in the

Gironde Gironde ( US usually, , ; oc, Gironda, ) is the largest department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,6 ...

department in

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by ...

in southwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Geography

La Réole is located on the right bank of the Garonne, southeast of

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectu ...

by rail. La Réole station has rail connections to Agen, Langon and Bordeaux.

History

There is evidence of a Roman villa, ''La Pontesa'', with an adjoining cemetery which has been dated to be from the 3rd or 4th century. There were other Roman villas nearby. At this time in the region, there were Roman buildings every kilometre and a half or so. Evidence of later dwellings on the ''La Pontesa'' site show that it was inhabited between the 7th and 8th centuries. Nineteen sarcophaguses and funeral articles have been found on this site. Map of La Réole, Gironde, 1757

La Réole grew up round a monastery founded in the 7th or 8th century, which was reformed in the 11th century and took the name of ''Regula'', whence that of the town. During the Middle Ages, La Réole was a royal town, administered by six ''jurats'' (pre-revolution municipal officers), who were elected by the town's ''bourgeois''. The law was upheld in the name of the King. During a significant period of time, La Réole was the second most important town of Guyenne, after Bordeaux. Twice during the 17th century in 1678 and 1690, Bordeaux's parliament was exiled to La Réole.

Population

Sights

The church of St Peter, dating from the end of the 12th century as well as the impressive buildings of the 18th century

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monastery are still both in use. The monastery currently houses a museum, library and the offices of the current town hall. There is also an old town hall building that dates from the 12th and 14th centuries. The town fortifications were dismantled in 1629 by order of Richelieu, but remains dating from the 12th and 14th centuries are to be seen, as well as a part of the Château de Quat'Sos, which was begun by Louis VIII of France and completed by

Henry II of England Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin kin ...

. The south-western tower, called "la Thomasse", still looks over the Garonne river. Other sites of historical significance in the town include the House of Wine and Art (15th century), the hospital chapel (18th century), Briet's Hotel (17th century) as well as a town centre with cobble streets and houses that date back to the 15th century. Of more recent note is the suspension bridge that links the town centre to the southern bank of the

Garonne The Garonne (, also , ; Occitan, Catalan, Basque, and es, Garona, ; la, Garumna or ) is a river of southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux – ...

river. The architect responsible for its design was

Gustave Eiffel Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (born Bonickhausen dit Eiffel; ; ; 15 December 1832 – 27 December 1923) was a French civil engineer. A graduate of École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, he made his name with various bridges for the French railway ...

, at the time a still little known public servant. The population in 1906 was 3,469. By the year 2000, inhabitants numbered around 4,200.

Economy

According to the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition (1911): :The town is the centre of. the district in which the well-known breed of Bazadais cattle is reared. It is an agricultural market and carries on trade in the wine of the region together with liqueur distillery and the manufacture of casks, rope, brooms, etc. As the 20th century progressed, La Réole played the role of a regional economic centre, second to Bordeaux. More recently, the administrative responsibility has moved to nearby Langon. La Réole now is an important town centre in the Entre deux mers wine region of the Bordeaux classifications and has concentrated on tourism to stimulate the town economy.

Twin towns

La Réole is twinned with: * Oliveira do Douro, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, since 1992 *

Sacile Sacile (; vec, Sathìl ; Liventina: ; Western Friulian: ) is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Pordenone, in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy. It is known as the "Garden of the ''Serenissima''" after the many pala ...

, Italy, since 2000

Sport

La Réole has an International Motorcycle circuit Grasstrack circuit. It has hosted many European Championship meeting as well as the World 1000cc Sidecar Final in 2010.