Dagenais

The d’Agenais is a historic region in southwestern France centered on the town of Agen. Located in today’s Lot-et-Garonne department within Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the area lies along parts of the Lot and Garonne rivers and forms part of the broader Gascon (Gascony) cultural zone. Its heartland includes towns such as Agen, Nérac, Marmande, and Villeneuve-sur-Lot, and it has long been associated with rural agriculture and river-based trade.

Historically, d’Agenais began as a medieval county or lordship around Agen and evolved into a recognized province within the Kingdom of France. Positioned on the frontier between the English-held territories of Aquitaine and the French crown, it played a role in the broader dynastic and military rivalries of the Middle Ages and the Hundred Years’ War. The region’s governance shifted over time, and it remained an identifiable administrative and cultural unit until the French Revolution.

Economy and culture in the d’Agenais have traditionally centered on agriculture, including wine, fruit, and market gardening. The area is especially known for the Pruneaux d'Agen, the dried plums that carry an AOC designation and reflect the long-standing agricultural heritage. The region also preserves Gascon cultural elements, such as local architecture, Occitan language remnants, and culinary traditions.

Today, the term d’Agenais is primarily historical. The province was dissolved in 1790 during the administrative reorganization that created departments, and its territory is now part of Lot-et-Garonne. The name remains in historical references and in regional identity linked to Agen and its surrounding towns.