Auch

The main part of the day was our visit to Auch, the ancient capital of the Gascogne region. Today it is the main town of the Ger Department. 

Libération Square in Auch

Our day started earlier than usual with an early morning walk into the centre of Fleurance, where the weekly market was getting underway in the old market square - how many of hundreds of years has this been going? Purchased a few items before returning to the van for breakfast. 

Saturday morning market in Fleurance. 

We got on the road at a reasonable hour arriving on Auch mid-morning. We passed through the newer part of the town before we crossed the river and climbed up into the old town on the outcrop overlooking the river Gers. 

No sooner had we ventured into the old town we stumbled upon another market in the Républic Square in front of the cathedral.  

From the market we wandered into the restored late Gothic Cathédrale St Marie, begun

in 1489 - and completed 200 years later. The furnishings of the cathedral are considered remarkable: highlights are the carved wooden choir stalls,  and the equally magnificent 15th-century stained glass. 

Auch went through an urbanisation program in the 18th century. Some fine houses from this period can be seen in the old town. One medieval house that wasn’t replaced was the 15th century tradesman’s house. This half-timbered house is a perfect example of the style of houses of the times. 

Steps from the river lead up to the old town - 274 in fact! Halfway up is the statue of d’Artagan, the captain of the king’s musketeers - a famous Gascon. 

We later visited the Museum of Contemporary Art - located in an ancient convent. Interesting!

We came across other interesting activities around the town. 

Folk Music and Dancing:

Latin Dancing - Tango

... and, of course, a wedding. 

Later in the afternoon we drove on to Gimont where we parked up by the lake and settled in for the night. 

An interesting area along the rampart wall - a place set aside for “doggies do”!

Some notes on:

D’ARTAGNAN

Gascons call their domain the “Pays d’Artagnan” after Alexandre Dumas’ rollicking hero from The Three Musketeers (1844). The character of d’Artagnan was based on Charles de Batz, a typical Gascon whose chivalry, passion, and impetuousness made him ideal as a musketeer, or royal bodyguard. De Batz’s life was as fast and furious as that of the fictional hero, and he performed a feat of courtliness by arresting Louis XIV’s most formidable minister without causing the slightest offense.