Agen Again...

The reason for my latest trip to Agen was to see the Agen rugby team play Bath in the European Challenge Cup. Check out the matchreport. So I thought I’d make a day of it.

The train line between Agen and me was undergoing maintenance so there was a replacement bus service. I say bus, but I think rollercoaster is more appropriate. The countryside of the Lot-et-Garonne is undulating, to say the least. However the journey gave me a chance to see parts which you don’t get to see from the train, like the picturesque riverside town of Penne d’Agenais, which boasts a fantastic hilltop cathedral. I also noticed some very grand property, which I can only assume is owned by highflying city dwellers during the holidays.  An hour later we pulled into Agen, and I went in search of the hotel I’d booked into for the night, seeing as the match didn’t kick off until 8.45pm. I was fully aware that when I booked the Hotel des Ambans I shouldn’t expect the Four Seasons, seeing as I only paid €34. However, I was starting to rue my thriftiness when I saw the sign for the hotel, with just the single *, but was happy at least that it was signposted. 

My hope took a further knock when I turned into Rue des Ambans and I was greeted with this sight…

Rue des Ambans

A further sign that perhaps this place was not for me was the fact that it’s actually locked for four hours at lunchtime. So I was forced to kill some time in Agen before I could check in, providing I still wanted to. Having sussed out the area around the Boulevard de la République on my previous visit, I ventured east off Rue President Carnot where I found endless upmarket fashion boutiques, bars and the Agen rugby shop, which sells everything from replica jerseys to berets. After heading back to the boulevard to try and soak up some pre-match atmosphere, I stumbled across the Serge Blanco Shop.

Finally appreciating the region’s passion for rugby, I stumbled upon a hoard of travelling Bath fans in Café de la Bourse, this was the atmosphere I’d been searching for. I grabbed at cracking baguette from deli chain La Mie Calîne at a bargain and headed back to my hotel in high spirits. These spirits were heightened further when I discovered that my back-alley hotel was actually pretty good.  Yes it may appear to be a converted brothel, with narrow winding staircase and as many rooms as possible crammed onto the three floors, but, once inside my room, imagining what may have happened in this room in the past, I was pretty happy with my booking. The double bed was incredibly comfortable, I had my own shower, and although the toilet was shared with the other rooms on the floor, I wasn’t complaining for 30 euros.

The match was fast approaching, and after meeting my friends, we made the easy walk from the boulevard to Stade Armandie. Heading south on the main drag of Rue President Carnot, we picked up the crowds and took to our seats. (For more details see match report). 

After a good night’s sleep at the hotel, I again wandered around Agen and got the impression that it must be quite an affluent city, as the majority of clothing stores I visited were massively upmarket. The city was thriving even early on a Friday morning and I couldn’t help feeling that being out in the sticks, I’m missing out on the real French lifestyle, the one I envisaged when I signed up for this year. Oh well, it was another great trip to Agen and I’ll definitely be spending more time there, both at the rugby and the city in general.

Hotel des Ambans, 59 Rue des Ambans, Agen, 47000

La Mie Calîne, Boulevard de la République, Agen, 47000