laroumate

The Local Area

Here's some information about the area. Visitors to the house will find a folder full of detailed information about things to do.

Gers

The department of Gers lies at the heart of an area known historically as Gascony. Ruled by the English for 300 years, it was always renowned for the bravery and chivalry of its inhabitants - d'Artagnan of the Three Musketeers was born here and you can visit a museum in his birthplace. Equally, though, Gascons are renowned for their warmth and friendliness, a quality much in evidence today.

Geographically Gers is a rich and fertile country, where sunflowers flourish side by side with fruit and vegetables, and every village has its own wine-producing vineyard. As well as red and white wine, the area specialises in Armagnac, a (superior?) form of Cognac, and the delicious local speciality known as Floc de Gascogne, a mixture of wine with grape juice.

The climate is delightful -- Gers is on the same latitude as Nice -- and the summers are long and hot, so outdoor eating under shady trees is very much a feature of life here.

Gers is famous for its food, and duck features in many forms on the menus of the many excellent local restaurants, which pride themselves on producing imaginative regional dishes.

Nearby Towns and Villages

The nearest town to La Roumate is the ancient and beautiful market town Eauze, about 7 kilometres away. Originally settled by the Romans, it has many lovely historical buildings and a spectacular church. Large markets are held every Thursday and are well worth a visit for the excellent local produce on sale -- many producers are glad to let you taste their cheeses, sausages and wines. Also close by is the slightly larger town Condom, also worth visiting for shops, sightseeing and river cruises.

Larger towns, still within easy reach, are Auch and Agen, both about 45 minutes drive. The old town of Auch has a very famous cathedral and some delightful cobbled streets well supplied with boutiques and street cafes. Agen, which is a bit larger, has many very stylish shops and numerous good restaurants.

Bordeaux and Toulouse can both be reached in under two hours, and are well worth a visit if you enjoy the many fascinations of French city life.

But you don't have to go so far afield to discover wonderful historical places to visit. Within just a few miles of La Roumate are numerous medieval 'bastides' -- walled villages, originally built to withstand invaders. One of the most famous is Laressingle, a tiny village on top of a hill, which has its own chateau, church and museum as well as shops and a delightful creperie. Also nearby is Forces, an extremely well preseved round bastide, which is almost too pretty for its own good! You can eat there in moderately priced restaurants and cafes, or treat yourself to a very grand meal at the Chateau de Forces at the remarkably reasonable price.

Things to Do

Although Gers is quite a long way inland - it will take over two hours to reach either the Atlantic or Mediterranean coasts - it is well supplied with water in various forms. There are many rivers, of which the closest is the River Baise. You can take boat trips down this river from Condom, or canoe for miles from a nearby village. There are several lakes, with fine sandy beaches, slides and water-sports within easy reach, and a splendidly enormous swimming pool at nearby Gondrin.

Gers was once settled by the Romans, and just a few miles from La Roumate is the amazing Roman villa at Seviac, one of the largest in Europe. It makes a fascinating visit, as it has been very well excavated and preserved, and has a great collection of mosaics. Other mosaics from here on on display in the small museum at nearby Montreal, and Eauze also has a museum with many Roman and other antiquities. A great many local chateaux are open to the public, and a visit to the Abbey de Flaran should be made -- it is a lovely place, and has a permanent exhibition of impressionist and other paintings.

If you are visiting Gers in August, make time to spend a day or two at the village of Marciac, which hosts an annual two-week international jazz fesitival, with many free events as well as concerts by some of the most famous musicians in the world. Other short events take place throughout the year, and there is a most interesting Jazz Museum in the town.

There are various activities for kids in the area, including horse-riding a few miles away and white-water rafting in the Pyrenees! A large theme-park, Parc Walibi near Agen, makes a great day out for children and teenagers.

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