Places to visit in Gascony by Alan Ness

Not found on any modern map, the ancient duchy of Gascony was replaced after the French revolution in 1789 by a new departmental and regional structure. Today, Gascony is centred on the department of the Gers - although its boundaries stretch a little further east into Tarn-et-Garonne and Haute Garonne. These three departments, together with 5 others, comprise the region now known as the Midi-Pyrenees. Nevertheless, the locals are still proud to call themselves Gascons, and will give you a warm welcome to their beloved corner of France.

Gascony has had many successive settlements, newcomers always attracted by its fertile soil, trade roads, and rivers making shipping possible. The region shared all the turmoil of southern France's rich and strife-ridden history, but more than in any other period, the fierce fighting between French and English deeply moulded its aspect and culture, with the town of Agen, for example, on the Lot-et-Garonne /Gers border, changing hands eleven times.

Here is a small selection of some of the must-visit towns and villages in Gascony:

Auch - capital of the Gers department, Auch is known for its Armagnac production and the finest foie gras de canard that France has to offer! The bustling Saturday markets are a great place to sample some of this local fare. If you can tear yourself away from the market however, take a stroll to the town's Cathedrale de Sainte-Marie, one of the last to be built in France, with remarkable choir stalls and 15th Century stained glass. Gascony is Three Musketeer country, and D'Artagnan, the main character in Dumas' much loved novel was based on a real hero, Charles de Batz Castelmore, who served under Louis IV. Linking the cathedral square to the quays below is the escalier monumental (22 steps in total), dominating which is a statue of this famous figure of literature.

Historically an important trading post linking its larger southern neighbour Toulouse, in the Haute-Garonne, with the Atlantic coast, Auch is a convenient spot for exploring the Gers countryside, with its picturesque villages, such as Lavardens (above) and Boulaur.

Condom - a charming and prosperous small town on the River Baise, it is the admininstrative centre for the Armagnac trade, with elegant C18th mansions, an Armagnac museum, and, surprise surprise, a museum of 'preservatifs' ... Hire a little motor boat and take the family out on the river, or travel in style on a guided lunchtime cruise.

 

From Condom, it is possible to visit three of France's officially listed 'most beautiful villages' - Larressingle, the smallest walled town in the country (world?), Montreal and neighbouring Seviac, the remains of a Gallo- Roman villa, with remarkable mosaics, and delightful Fourcès, built around a circular square, shaded with plane trees and surrounded by picturesque, medieval houses, tucked behind which is a pretty château. Then there is La Romieu, a world heritage site with its C14th abbey-church of Saint Pierre and cloister, and Lectoure, one of the loveliest towns in the Midi-Pyrénées. And outside the village of Valence-sur-Baise, you will find L'Abbaye de Flaran, a beautiful C12th monastery.

Further east is pretty St Clar, garlic capital, with narrow streets, half-timbered houses,stone arcades and covered market.

Even further east,just over the border into the Tarn-et-Garonne but still in Gascony, are the towns of Montauban and Moissac:

Montauban - this is a delightful example of a bastide town set out in a geometric pattern. It is built entirely of the same pink brick as is found in Toulouse, and boasts a charming 17th - 18th century main square (Place Nationale), surrounded by some superb shopping. Of noteworthy praise is the Musée Ingrès, which has a great collection of the artist's work. Ingrès was born in Montauban in 1780.
 

Moissac - those who love Romanesque art are in for a real treat in Moissac, for it is home to Abbaye-St-Pierre, which served as a model for other religious buildings in the south of France. The south portal is particularly stunning, and depicts St John's vision of the Apocalypse. An attractive town, Moissac sits on the north bank of the Tarn, surrounded by orchards and vineyards. Moissac also has its own marina, built in 1991, giving it a certain sense of chic too!

Returning to the Gers, and taking the scenic route south of Auch brings you through yet more lovely villages; Mirande, Marciac (famous for its jazz festival each August), Barran, Tillac - tiny but much filmed, and charming Montesquiou, Barran, Bassoues... Here the countryside is even more rolling, and on a clear day the mighty Pyrénées form a majestic backdrop.

The Algerian writer Albert Camus described this lovely region as 'the Tuscany of France'. Perhaps the beauty of its scenery is not as dramatic, and the medieval villages tiny by comparison, but the parallels are there, with the added advantage of a tourist industry still in its development stage, and a sense of unspoilt, rural tranquillity. For us, love at first sight!
 

 

---

Your Holiday Matters - approved properties