Accessible by cablecar from the ski resort of La Mongie at the Col du Tourmalet, one of the great Pyrenean passes frequently on the route of the Tour de France. Gascony , It's not a region, it was never even a clearly-defined territory in old France ; but the name Gascony has long been attached to a large area of the southwest of France, stretching from the river Garonne to the Pyrenees.
Today, it is synonymous with "douceur de vivre", a relaxed way of life, gentle countryside, and fine gourmet cuisine. Make the most of your trip to Paris; Information on attractions, Paris hotels , transport, and lots more. The main tourist attractions and places to visit in France - historic monuments, art galleries, seasides, and more. Tips and useful information on driving in and through France - motorways, tolls, where to stay A mine of information about life and living in France, including working in France, living in France, food and eating, education, shopping.
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The glacial Cirque of Troumouse, encircled by high mountain walls, is another of the region's must-see beauty spots. At the pleasant spa resort of Cauterets , you can admire the impressive spectacle of the waterfalls cascading beneath the arch of the unique Pont d'Espagne bridge. The Pic du Midi de Bigorre will really wow you, with its unforgettable view of the Pyrenees, while the mountain lake of Gaube offers an exceptional environment at the heart of the mountains.
The towns also have a way of charming travellers. Auch , the historic capital of Gascony, overlooks the Gers Valley and reveals a remarkable heritage. At the heart of Landes , the town of Dax is France's number one spa resort, with its 12 treatment centres.
Lourdes , a major place of pilgrimage, is renowned for the mystical atmosphere that reigns there, as well as its beautiful surroundings. The Gers, or Gascony some call it, is one of the most rural regions in all of France. There are no big cities here. No high speed rail services either, though you can take the train from Toulouse to Auch, the capital of Gers. Bucolic, beautiful and bubbling with bonhomie.
What you will find are roads which take you through sweeping panoramas, undulating fields of sunflowers, corn and rapeseed. Vineyards lazing under the sun alongside lush grazing pastures dotted with wildflowers.
Hedgerows stuffed with hawthorne, broom and honeysuckle hug fields and forests. Pretty villages are seemingly on every corner. And bars are full of friendly folk, happy to share their little corner of paradise.
The Gers has more of its land under cultivation than any other French district. Humans in the Gers are hugely outnumbered by livestock, especially ducks, apparently And they really mean it. Just 30 minutes away and a whole different vibe from the big city. Next day was market day and there would be a stall selling vegetables where we had parked.
The food cooked by Chef Thierry Lair at the restaurant is superb. As the sun broke through the early morning mist and a symphony of bird song filled the air, it felt like the land that time forgot.
The old pilgrim route from Bordeaux to Jerusalem and the river Save wander through this 13th century bastide. Stall after stall of local produce, odd shaped vegetables, fresh baked bread, artisanal beers, cheeses and… Pastis Gascon, an apple tart which makes your taste buds sing.
Preserved just as it was in his day, Maison Claude Auge has wonderful stained glass windows and is filled with Larousse memorabilia — books, encyclopaedias, post cards and photos. There are huge bells from churches, Indonesian temple bells, Japanese, Roman, and Russian bells. The staff are happy for you to practise with special bell hammers and even a bell pulley system like an organ of the type you find in churches and cathedrals.
Building began in the Gothic style in and continued until by which time more of a Renaissance style took over. The stained glass windows created in the s are extraordinary.
Designed by Arnaut de Moles born around , these are not your average religious windows but feature unusual topics such as the Greek Sybilles who are shown presenting the coming of Christ — and even more unusually there are naked bodies galore. The colours are pure and fresh, vibrant as the day they were made with glass from Paris, transported by horse and cart, each pane of glass sealed in wax to prevent breakage.
Unusually there are two organs in the cathedral, the original enormous organ was built in A smaller organ takes centre stage. The originally reserved for religious members only room full of carved wooden images featuring amongst the many saints, some rather nubile young women, a man with a bare bottom and other rather worldly sights.
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