Gers/Gascony is a foody’s paradise. There is an extensive choice of good to outstanding restaurants for all budgets. A recommended selection are detailed in The House Information Book.

An excellent selection/choice locally. Normally in full swing by 8am and finished by lunchtime. Popular markets are Mauvezin (Monday), Fleurance (Tuesday and Saturday), St Clar and Eauze (Thursday), Lectoure (Friday) Miradoux and Nerac (Saturday) and Motaut-les- Crenaux (Sunday).
The House Information Book contains a complete list of all the markets and market days in Gers.

For morning croisssants and bread there is an excellent bakery in St Clar. There is also an excellent patisserie in Fleurance aswell as a newsagent on the main square.

There is a carrefour supermarket in Fleurance and an Intermarché in St Clar and Lectoure.

There are beautiful walks all around and from the house itself. Many are indicated by P.R. (Promenade et Randonnée) signs. There are also maps (series bleu) and suggestions in the house.

There are tennis courts in the local village which are free to use. A key for the court is kept at the house, along with tennis rackets and balls.

For garden lovers, visit Coursiana Gardens at La Romieu, (26 minutes/16 miles). Created in 1974 by Gilbert Cours-Darne, an eminent French botanist, the arboretum occupies 6 hectares and has 700 different species of trees and shrubs. There is also a medicinal and aromatic garden which opened in 2002 and a shop.
Then there is Couloume Park in Auch which is a 10-acre park created around a 16th century castle with vast lawns and a great variety of vegetation, including 450 trees, (257 different species) and 1900 bushes, (33 different species), mainly collections of hydrangea and dogwoods (cornus florida)

In Gascony, it is a major spectator sport, with as many as 600 events each year The ‘course landaise’ is an ancient form of bullfighting held in oval or rectangular arenas covered in sand, that involve no bloodshed. Experienced cows with great horns are used instead of bulls. The cows are selected from the same breed as the bulls used for the Spanish Corridas.

A fantastic way to view the country. Need to be booked in advance.

at Lectoure and Castéra Verduzan

Biarritz is 2hrs 57 minutes by car. The best beaches are at Hoosegor and Cap Breton. Great care should be taken as the surf is very strong.

There are tourist offices in St Clar, Condom and Lectoure where much local and regional information can be obtained and all have websites that can be consulted in advance.

There is a choice of courses locally at Auch, Eauze, Fleurance, L’Isle Jourdain, Masseube and Tillac

There is a local riding school/farm that offer riding trips and riding.

St Clar lake is very popular for children’s swimming and there is a restaurant there too. Likewise Gondrin lake and Castera-Verduzan lake. For sailing enthusiasts the Base de Loisirs, Lac de Thoux St Cricq between Mauvezin and L’Isle Jourdain is popular. Water skiing can be enjoyed on the lake at L’Isle Jourdain but eligibility should be checked in advance.

This is excellent bicycling country and a wonderful way to see and enjoy the local area. Bicycles can be hired from Condom.

During the summer there are local festivals, including a Country and Western Festival at Mirande, a Jazz Festival at Marciac and many high quality classical musical performances in local churches or Chateaux. The former Cistercian Abbaye de Flaran, (37 minutes/21 miles) has a beautiful ‘son et lumiere’ each summer.

The stunning town of Lectoure (14 minutes/8 miles) has thermal baths and a museum describing the history of wode, which made Toulouse’s fortune. Here also is The Chateau of The Counts of Armagnac with outstanding views of the whole area and an interesting antiques/brocante ‘village’.
Auch (32mins/19 miles) – Capital of The Gers, its cathedral is renowned for its world famous stained glass windows. The market on Thursdays and Saturdays, shops and historic centre combine to create an enjoyable and interesting visit.
Toulouse (1 hr 20 minutes/50 minutes) has many art galleries, museums, world class opera and music, as well as top quality shops and restaurants. Its also renowned for its Space Museum, plus the fascinating tours of the nearby Airbus factory.
There are a number of pretty villages in the surrounding area. An outstanding example is Auvillar, a stunning bastide village (35 minutes/20 miles) classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Another delightful village is La Romieu (26 minutes/16 miles) with its magnificent collegiale St Pierre, a 14th century cloister with tower. The Coursiana botanic Gardens and arboretum are also magnificent at La Romieu (see below)

There are many beautiful Chateaux which reward a visit. Chateau de Lavardens (25 minutes/15 miles) at Lavardens, 32360 has interesting art exhibitions, events and a fascinating history.
Chateau de Caumont. (55 minutes/38 miles) at Cazaux-Saves 32130 is a family-owned Chateau with a very interesting history and architecture. They offer certain tours in English.
For driving enthusiasts there is the famous Route des Batiments et des Castelnaux which runs from Auch to Marciac. En route you will see many fascinating buildings, including the Donjon de Bassous, masterpiece of XIV military architecture, pretty unspoilt villages and beautiful countryside. This is a half to full day tour.

Visit the Camp de Siege Medieval at La Cite des Machines, Larressingle 32100 (40 minutes/24 miles). There you can see a wide range of authentic siege-breaking machines.

There are churches of note, a jewel in every village, too numerous to mention by name. The Abbaye de Flaran hosts art exhibitions and each summer a beautiful ‘son et lumiere’.

There are a wide choice of local vineyards most of which encourage tastings and on the spot purchases. Gascony is famed for its Armagnac and lesser known local aperitif, Floc. Madiran is the local red and Pacherenc du Vic Bihl the best dry white. Juranton is a justly famous sweet wine

There are numerous brocantes and vide greniers where you can, if you are lucky, find little gems. To find out when and where they are consult/google ‘vide-greniers 32’.

There is excellent skiing in the Pyrenees at the appropriate time of year. Baqueira-Beret (2hrs 50 mins/112 miles) is a ski resort located in the heart of the Pyrénées, in the Aran Valley and Àneu Valley Lleida, Spain. The ski area extends from 1,500 to 2,610 metres in elevation. Piau Engaly ( has the highest skiing in the French Pyrénées and is a very family friendly resort (2hrs 30 minutes/95 miles). Saint-Lary-Soulan is also highly recommended (2hrs/81 miles).