This large circuit which links the GR65 to the GR653 will take you through the Gers, passing in particular by Auch, Lavardens, Castéra-Verduzan, Valence sur Baïse, Condom, La Romieu, Sainte-Mère, Lectoure, Fleurance, Montestruc and Montaut-les- Slots.
On the paths of the Gers, you will cross the town of Auch, capital of Gascony but also Grands Sites Occitanie labeled Cities and Countries of Art and History. By taking the Claude Desbons promenade, you will be able to see, majestically dominating the city, the emblematic Sainte Marie Cathedral, a major site on the paths to Santiago de Compostela classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It stands on the site of an old Romanesque church from the 1489th century. Its construction lasted two hundred years (1680 - 2), which explains the variety of styles: Flamboyant Gothic for the entire work, and Renaissance for the facade framed by 1500 towers. This cathedral is one of the last Gothic cathedrals in France and one of the richest. Inside, there are multiple treasures to discover, including the stained glass windows by Arnaud de Moles, which are among the most beautiful stained glass windows of the XNUMXth century, the oak wood choir made up of high stalls and low stalls where more than XNUMX characters are sculpted and the great organ of the XNUMXth century.
In Lavardens, a village classified as "Most Beautiful Villages in France", let yourself be seduced by the charm of the old mills and panoramic viewpoints. You can visit its impressive 12th and 17th century castle overlooking the Gers countryside, its 13th century church and its medieval streets.
Listed as a Historic Monument in 1961 and designed in the refined taste of the 17th century, the Château de Lavardens presents unique architectural feats such as the towers on the trunk.
You will be won over by your visit to the heart of the spa town of Castéra-Verduzan which owes its fame to a child of the village, the famous professor of medicine Odilon Lannelongue (1840-1911). Today, the thermal complex allows you to treat digestive and metabolic conditions (AD), as well as conditions of the oral-lingual mucous membranes (AMB), but also to relax in the thermal space (swimming pool, sauna, hammam, etc.). ). As a bonus, this stage via Castéra-Verduzan offers very beautiful views of the Pyrenees.
From the Valence-sur-Baïse marina to its towpath, passing by the unmissable Cistercian Abbey of Flaran, classified as a Midi-Pyrénées Grand Site, you will need to take the time to stroll through this bastide.
Its abbey, a jewel of Cistercian art in Gascony, is the perfect illustration of a Cistercian ensemble from the XNUMXth century, remodeled until the XNUMXth century. The monastic buildings (church, cloister, chapter house, refectory, dormitory, abbey house) and the gardens will be revealed during the visit.
Around the cloister and the church (XII° - XIII° century) this astonishingly well-preserved ensemble extends over more than 2000m2; it allows a unique approach to the Cistercian community, settled here, in the heart of the Middle Ages, at the height of the order. During your journey, you will also discover an exceptional collection of masterpieces by masters from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century (Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, Braque, Tiepolo, Rubens, Courbet, Rodin...) for a wonderful trip to heart of European artistic currents.
In Condom, a town listed among the Grands Sites Occitanie under the title "Armagnac Abbaye et Cités", immerse yourself in the time when the town was a center of Armagnac trade by discovering its numerous private mansions in the classic style of the 17th and 18th centuries. centuries. You can stroll along the Baïse or contemplate Saint-Pierre Cathedral. A majestic 14th and 16th century building, its Gothic architecture, as well as its spacious cloister and its elegant episcopal palace, will reveal the history of the city to you.
Direction La Romieu where you will discover the legend of Angeline's Cats. You can observe the testimony on the arcaded square of the bastide decorated with numerous stone cats placed on the windows of the houses. Don't miss the St Pierre collegiate complex, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This essential site of Gers tourism was founded in the 14th century. by Cardinal Arnaud d'Aux, an influential figure in the papal court of Clement V. The visit to this remarkable ensemble of southern architecture will allow you to discover its single-nave church, its cloister and its two towers, one of which contains a secret passage with a double revolution staircase. You will also pass by the covered walkway, the gardens and the octagonal tower to see, at the bends of the floors, the newly restored frescoes of the sacristy.
You will then cross the charming little village of Sainte-Mère before going to Lectoure, labeled “Most beautiful detour in France”. Perched on a promontory in the heart of Gers Lomagne, Lectoure is adorned with a belt of ramparts from which emerge beautiful stone houses, gardens, fountains, alleys, old mansions, thermal baths and imposing monuments. You will be able to appreciate the rich heritage of the city: the heart of the city, the ramparts, the castle of the Counts of Armagnac and the unmissable Gothic Saint-Gervais Cathedral with the Episcopal Palace next to it. The Cathedral, built on the highest part of the city on a privileged location, stands out with its bell tower which dominates the city. The ground floor of the bell tower houses a collection of religious objects, liturgical vestments and fragments of decorations from the building.
Crossing Fleurance, a 4th century bastide town, you can admire its typical market hall with its arcades, its fountain statues symbolizing the XNUMX seasons as well as its southern Gothic style church. In this country house focused on astronomy, you will find the simple joy of contemplating a sunset or, looking up at the sky, rediscovering the stars which will make your Gers nights as beautiful as your days...
Then, your route will continue through the village of Montestruc and that of Montaut-les-Créneaux, a town perched on the top of a hill. In the heart of the walls of this Castelnau, let yourself be guided, from the Romanesque church to the medieval castle, as you wander its streets with picturesque charming houses.
From there, you will reach Auch, the loop is complete!
Route
In detail
- Type of route: Equestrian
- Type of route: Walking
- Type of route: Long routes
- Type of route: MTB
- Type of route: On the paths of Saint-Jacques