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There are many places to visit locally, some with historic interest and others with beautiful scenery:
Castera Verduzan - Our nearest village ( 8km cycle or drive) with a small supermarket, restaurants, bakery, butcher, tabac, post office, gift shop, tourist office and pharmacy. There is a small morning market every Sunday. The thermal baths (www.thermes-gers.com) are very popular and there is also a Casino (with ATM), Horse Racing and an inland lake with sandy beach.
Domaine les Acacias - Taste the wine made from grapes grown in the vineyard at the end our drive. We offer to take all our guests wine tasting and we drive !
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- Auch - The two main things to see in Auch are the Cathedral of Saint Marie (with beautiful carved choir stalls) and the staircase to the river with the statue of d'Artagnan half way down. South of the cathedral is the old quartier, a jumble of tiny streets and interconnecting stairways, where Nostradamus lived for some time. There is a good market by the river on a Wednesday. Also Museums, Art Galleries, Shops and an 18 hole golf course just outside the town with a fabulous panoramic restaurant.
- Condom - The capital of the Tenareze district, Condom is a favourite town of ours with great shops and a market on Wednesday. It's name is of Roman origin from condate = confluence and dum = hill. The Cathedral is beautiful inside and the Armagnac museum is well worth a visit. Salon de The offers superb homemade food. Condom is a port on the river Baise and boat trips are available daily in the season
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La Romieu - An ancient ecclesiastical town with an imposing 14th century collegiale church. The main street has many hidden stone cats! Nearby, there is a famous arboretum.
Vic Fezensac - The main village nearby (15 min) with plenty of shops, two supermarkets, several banks and lots of restaurants and cafes. The Tourist Office, just off the main square, is excellent. Two famous festivals running for 3 days - the corrida over Pentecost and Tempo Latino in late July, with concerts in the bullring, stalls and the rhythm of salsa. Market day is Friday and there are night markets in July and August
Lavardens - Beautiful chateau set high on a hill, which has guided visits and frequent art exhibitions. There are night markets on Wednesdays during July and August. Superb restaurant open in high season.
Larressingle - a 13th century fortified village, the smallest in France (the so-called Carcassonne of the Gers). The museum shows reconstructions of life in the Middle Ages and the Park Museum house medieval machines of war.
Lectoure - Gallo-Roman city, famous for its melons, with many interesting buildings to see and several museums. On the St-Jacques-de-Compostelle footpath. Thermal fitness centre. There's a nice little pavement café in the high street, just past the Tourist Office, called Le Meur (great pain au raisins!) If you fancy a super meal, then try out either the Auberge des Bouviers or, for a real gourmet experience, however, go to lunch at the quaintly named Restaurant de Bastard ! Huge outdoor feast in August and an antiques fair on the first weekend of Sept.
Fources - meaning "planted with trees" is the only circular walled bastide town in the Gers with a lovely castle nearby. A huge flower festival is hosted at the end of April. L'Auberge restaurant in the centre offers fantastic charcuterie at a reasonable price.
Mouchan - Lying between Condom and Eauze, this small village is said to have the most beautiful Romanesque church in the Gers. It is also on the St. Jacques de Compostelle route, so look out for the familiar shells on the outside of the church.
Valence-sur-Baise - A 12th century bastide village and river port. Nearby is the Abbaye de Flaran, a magnificent 12th century Cistercian abbey. There are three beautiful chateaux quite nearby; Busca-Maniban, Cassaigne and Montluc, the last of which in St. Puy is famous as the home of the lethal local aperitif known as Pousse Rapiere. Another favourite restaurant of ours is Restaurant Lucy which offers 5 course lunch with wine and coffee for 12 euros.
Marciac - a 13th century Gascon bastide town, famous for its terrific International Jazz festival held here every August. Nearby are the fortified villages of Tillac and Monlezun. Plenty of restaurants, so a good place to stop for lunch.
Bassoues - another pretty bastide village, with a 43metre high keep, a masterpiece of Gascon military art. Superb restaurant au centre - must book and the only place we have found proper roast beef, four courses and wine for 11 euros - a must!
Montesequiou - a fortified village on the Route de Bastides through the Gers.
Mirande - a lovely square in this bastide town, which has a Country and Western festival each July. The cathedral is considered to be a Gothic masterpiece. There is also a museum of fine arts and decorative arts.
Montreal & Seviac- A 13th century gascon bastide village. There is a Gallo-Roman museum with guided visits. Nearby is Seviac, a 4th century Gallo-Roman villa, which has been extensively excavated during recent years.
Saint Clar - unique bastide town with two 13th century squares with arches. Famous garlic market selling white garlic from Lomagne every Thursday from mid-July, with an annual festival to select the Garlic Queen!
Fleurance- visit its wonderful ornate covered market on Tuesday. Festival Sky and Space is held in the first 2 weeks of August.
Eauze - Armagnac and antiques fair in mid-may and corridas (Spanish bull fights) at its bullring first weekend of July. Superb Thursday morning market, the largest in the area
> Click here for details for places to visit as day trips
> Click here for information on local markets
> Click here for details of things to do
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