France 4 to 8 June 2011

Sat 4 June to 8 June 2011

The terrain became much hillier as we drove south to the Gers.  Holidays are full of learning experiences like concluding that, no matter how nice it looks, coffee out of a roadside layby coffee machine is always awful. 



'A Bertin'



We were welcomed by Richard and Fran when we arrived at our accommodation ‘A Bertin’ a large country farmhouse built in 1812.  Because of some changes in bookings they able to offer us the self-contained apartment after all which was fantastic; it is huge with all we need including a very much sought after washing machine.  It is located in a very rural part of the region.  It is incredibly quiet and very peaceful with the nearest neighbour over 300m away. 

Prim, the English pointer, which Danny has retitled the English smoocher and an old sheep dog named Tag welcomed us as well as we drank our Rose at the outdoor table and spoke with Richard and Fran.  

                                                            

Headed off to a restaurant at Bassoues; a wonderful venue in the old town square. The restaurant had old exposed beams and window boxes full of geraniums.  There were lots of people watching rugby on TV.   We had the 11 euro menu of potage (vegetable soup – homemade full of celery and greens), potato salad and pate and then steak, potatos and beans followed by fruit and chocolate ice cream.  All very nice and washed down with a carafe of red included in the price.   

We have had a relaxing time. The Gers is the ‘bread basket’ of France.  It is a patchwork of fields of crops and vineyards. It is a little quieter than we thought it would be it but very picturesque and despite the fact that has been raining heavily Danny has reminded me that you really can’t have a bad day in the south of France.

We headed to Auch the capital of the Gers province.  Danny’s excellent French made it possible for him to interpret the guide map and before I knew it I was examining the excellent Auch refuse recycling depot, a construction site, a crumbling cathedral, a muddy river, a set of 100 stairs and a tattoo parlour.  Buoyed by his initial successes he then guided me along the green route and I got to see another refuse station, narrow alleyways, closed shops and an alleyway that people and dogs had been using as a toilet for quite some time.  The only shop that was open was a lingerie shop that Danny was interested in because of their colourful men’s undies but his interest waned when he realised they were 25 euro each.  Not to say that Auch didn’t have its charms.  It is quite a nice city, if a little quiet, and we did see a lot of old buildings. 

Came back via Ordan-Larroque, a pretty village with a church and mayor’s house and lots of beautiful flower boxes.  The village of Lupiac has some very pretty old buildings and is the village where d’Artagnan (of the three musketeers fame) was born.   

 

Lupiac





In Lupiac's main street





Headed home along narrow country roads through quiet beautiful countryside. 

On Wednesday 8 June, despite the threatening weather, we decided to do the vineyard, d’Artagnan driving route.  We stopped in Riscle where once again Danny’s French was invaluable as he was able to show me the town highlights of a closed tourist office, a derelict building, a dead pigeon, a toilet block and another tattoo parlour as we walked around in the rain.

 We went through some pretty but very quiet villages which seem to be centred around large caves (wineries).