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Agenais

Agenais is a historical region of southwestern France, centered on the town of Agen. The name derives from Agen and it is commonly described as the historic county or pays of Agenais. In modern administration, the area corresponds roughly to parts of the Lot-et-Garonne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Geography of the Agenais is tied to the Garonne river valley and its surrounding lowlands. The landscape

History and political status: In the Middle Ages, Agenais existed as the comté d'Agenais (county of Agenais),

Modern context: Today the term Agenais is primarily a historical or cultural designation rather than an administrative

is
characterized
by
fertile
farmland,
vineyards,
and
a
network
of
small
towns
and
villages.
Towns
historically
associated
with
the
Agenais
include
Agen,
Marmande,
Nérac,
and
Fumel,
reflecting
a
riverine
and
agricultural
economy
that
has
shaped
the
region
for
centuries.
a
feudal
territory
within
the
broader
Aquitaine.
During
the
long
contest
over
Aquitaine,
the
region
experienced
shifts
of
control
between
the
French
crown
and
the
English
crown
in
the
context
of
the
Hundred
Years’
War.
By
the
mid-15th
century,
following
the
French
reconquest
of
Aquitaine,
the
comté
ceased
to
exist
as
an
independent
political
entity
and
was
incorporated
into
the
Kingdom
of
France.
The
historic
county’s
legacy
continued
to
influence
local
administration
and
culture
in
the
ensuing
centuries.
unit.
It
remains
part
of
local
heritage
and
toponymy,
used
to
describe
the
historic
landscape
surrounding
Agen
within
the
contemporary
department
of
Lot-et-Garonne.
The
countryside
and
towns
that
once
formed
the
Agenais
continue
to
contribute
to
the
regional
identity
of
southwestern
France.