Visit Gascony in south-west France

There are many beautiful landscapes in south-west France, from the Dordogne in the noth of the region to the Pyrenees in the south, but one region gets perhaps less attention than any other - yet offers some of the most attractive places to visit.

The Gascony region is a landscape of quiet small scale agriculture and rolling hills, scattered with sunflower fields and ancient hedgerows interspersed with commiced woodlands.

Note that the name Gascony officially fell into misuse after the French revolution, to be replaced by the Gers department, but memories are long in France and the name Gascony is still widely used.

Because there are few major sites the region has stayed off the more established tourist trails, and is also one of the least populated regions of France. This has acted to the benefit of Gascony which now stands out as one of the few genuine unspoiled regions of France, and a place where tourists can still discover the old France, the France profonde as it is known.

The lack of major sites shouldn't deter you because there are numerous small market towns and villages to discover and explore before returning to your villa to enjoy a glass of wine as the birds circle overhead and the noise of crickets in the fields is the only sound to break the silence.

The 'capital' of the region is the town of Auch, best known for its cathedral standing above the impressive 'monumental staircase' that leads down the hill to the lower town. other highlights include a sprinkling of half-timbered houses and a fascinating collection of primitive art at the Jacobin Museum.

Other popular market towns to visit in Gascony include Fleurance, Lectoure and Condom.

Head to the north of Gascony for a cluster of three villages that have each been listed as 'most beautiful villages in France'. It is unusual to discover three such villages in such close proximity and each has its own particular charm. Larressingle is a medieval fortified village; Fources is a traditional bastide (medieval) town; and Montreal-du-Gers is a quiet market town on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella - with the extra advantage of having some excavated roman mosaics nearby.

Summary

Each year more people discover the Gascony region. Many keep their discovery secret so that the tranquility remains unspoiled, while others trumpet the pleasures of the department to anyone who will listen. One thing is sure - it is worth visiting soon before the tourist industry notices that there is an unspoiled region to be discovered in south-west France and it becomes the next Dordogne or Provence.