What do to in Vic ?

There are 80kms of countryside paths, or 20 different hiking routes around Vic-en-Bigorre and Montaner. It goes through old towns and villages and borders a river. The land is particularly good for its different landscapes and its territories rich in ancestry. It is the discovery of a 3 time millennium and an authentic, sustainable area. It will amaze you.

You can ask the tourism office in Vic-en-Bigorre or visit their website to see their plan:

http://www.tourisme-vic-montaner.com/fr/4-bonnes-raisons-venir/nature/promenades-sentiers/

This impressive brick tower hits us by it’s grandeur and by it’s particular shade of red… It was an ancient medieval fortress, a place full of history. When visiting the museum, we dive into a world of knights. Completed with the rest of the village, there is a theatrical scene of grandeur known as “Médiévales de Montaner”, a festival that takes place every year on one of the weekends of July.

It’s one the most important and realistic recreation events of its time, with artists known from around the world.

Maubourguet is a small medieval town, fortified by the English in the 15th century. Destroyed several times during religious wars, its church, dedicated to Saint-Martin was built in the 11th century. Les Rencontres de Maubourguet is a very festive gathering from the 1st to the 20th of August 2017. The festival is theme around the Art of Sport. It allows sportsman and artists to visit the public. These gatherings can be based around a knight, a book, a game of rugby or an exposition, characterized by the local ambiance of the South-West.

‘Le Théâtre des 7 Chandelles’ offers a theatrical program of a dozen plays per year. You will find both professional and amateur performers.

The program : http://theatreles7chandelles.com/saisons-culturelles/

The small town of Madiran is reputed for its AOC strong wine. It is produced on this land since the gallo-roman era, as it’s marked by many archaeological remains. 1300 hectares of vineyard, divided between 3 departments: Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The vineyard produces well-structured red wines, with a strong personality.

Each year, this small town holds a celebration known as ‘La Fête du Vin’. For 3 days in August, the town celebrates tasting and sampling as well as thrilling concerts…

The program can be found on the town hall’s website:

http://commune-madiran.com/fetes-de-madiran-du-13-au-16-aout-2016-programme-complet/

La Foulée de Madiran

In 2015 ‘La Foulée de Madiran’ proposes a Trail of 23km – 92 trainers, a 15km race – 130 runners and a 14km walk – 476 walkers. This gathering is inscribed in ‘Octobre Rose’ (breast cancer month) in partner with the league against cancer and for this cause, each woman had worn the pink t-shirt.

If you’re going on a road-trip in Madiran, you will find a route suggested by the tourism office to discover the unique domains of the Madiranais in the link below.

Visit to website office de tourisme

In 7 steps, you will be able to explore to the most popular sites like the Château Montus and Bouscassé or still the Château de Crouseille. There are also curious places such as the Labranche Laffont which is the last exploitation of vineyard de Tannat to have survived the “phylloxera” virus that had destroyed the vineyard in 1890.

Armagnac is a large and beautiful region that spreads across three departments: Gers, Landes and Lot et Garonne, reputed for its gastronomy, its wines, and most importantly its holy water. An old gasconne legend tells us how the Armagnac holy water was created… It is one of God’s tears, saddened for having forgotten a piece of the Gascony when he created the world. This tear would be the first tear drop of Armagnac liquor! No surprise that it lends the area many kinds of virtues…

The vineyard extends to this day across 15000 hectares, and more than 160 000 hectoliters of wine is distilled each year to later age under oak wood, the incomparable holy water of Armagnac, is distributed in more than 130 countries.

Places to visit in Armagnac:

Condom (Gers): Musée de l’Armagnac, a gothic cathedral with monestries and several distilleries, including la Maison Janneau… A bandas festival takes place at the beginning of May.

Condom’s other picturesque sites are must-sees: the Cirstercian Abbey of Flaran in Valence sur Baïse, the Château de Busca-Maniban in Mansencôme and the Château fortifié de Larressingle that dates back to the 13th century and its distilleries.

You can also find The Gallo-Roman villa of Séviac with it’s famous mosaics and its magnificent roman baths, it is a remarkable archaeological site to see. Situated in the town of Montréal du Gers, you can also visit the museum that exposes all kinds of marvelous discoveries found during excavations (everyday objects, jewelry, sculptures…)

Eauze: Gothic church and the house of Jeanne d’Albret

this town is a true ancient capital and holds many well preserved sites from its occupation during the gallo-roman times. It is a vast Renaissance heritage with its church a its villa purchased by the mother of the future King Henri IV , which served a a rest stop for the family during their travels between the Béarn and the Nérac region. More info on the site:

http://www.tourisme-eauze.fr/patrimoine.html

Le Château de la Cour of Henri IV in Nérac: this castle form the 15th century became a true royal court during the time of Henri IV and his first wife, Queen Marguerite de Valois. Visiting this palace will transcend you in the heart of the Renaissance period and the times of wars on religion, on traces of the “Bon roi Henri”.

Bassoues

The legend of Saint Fries and the village of Bassoues in Armagnac…

Charles Martel beat the arabes in Poitiers in 732, the army followed by Abder Rhaman fall back in their effort to take over the South and win over the Pyrénées. During their retreart, their come across a small troupe of Francs, commanded by Fries, in the small town of Bassoues.

The Francs were victorious, however their commander was killed during combat. The fallen hero was carried by his horse near a small river where his men buried him.

The legends says that a cattle farmer noticed that one of his cows would often separate itself from the herd to go lick at a stone close to the river. The cow was the most beautiful of his herd… When the farmer brushed around the rock, he found a tomb, where rests the warrior, intact in his armor… Not a doubt for the farmer, he had found the body of the martyr of Bassoues.

Wanting to offer the man a proper burial worthy of his story, he attempts to move the body of the warrior, however non of his cattle could move Fries body, so they decide to have the small cow that would lick the stone try, and miraculously it pulled the wagon…

Ever since then, Bassoues is a place of miracles and pilgrims come from all around the world to visit. Monks have built a convent in the community.

Bassoues is today a highly touristic area, a small medieval town where sits a magnificent dungeon from the 14th century.

Vic-Fezansac: a passage through a roman path, this town is traditionally a crossing and a place of rest. Ideally situated on this roman path, the monastery of Notre Dame, today a hot spot in Armagnac, welcomed pilgrims on their way to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle in the Middle Ages.

You can also visit the arenas and make the most of the festival Tempo Latino that takes place end of July…

The Château de Castelmore in Lupiac (Artagnan)

Country Music Festival in Mirande

Nogaro and its surroudings:

The car circuit and its regular races: coupe de Pâques, auto and motor championship…

http://www.circuit-nogaro.com/fr/

The Romanesque collegiate church of the 12th century: from a simple chapel from around the year 1000 to a collegiate church over the centuries, the church was at the heart of wars on religion and was often destroyed and restored… The last restoration of the 19th century initially gave it an austere feel, a feeling that vanished as soon as you walked through its porch. We find ourselves in a jewel of Romanesque art, where stained glass windows from the 2000s are perfectly integrated with plant motifs, created by a master glass maker from the Lot.

Another magnificent Romanesque church, the Church of Panjas and its wonderful frescoes.

Le Donjon de Termes d’Armagnac: a medieval military palace from the 13th century dominates the surrounding valleys. All year, the area follows a rhythm of activities: concerts, plays, tales, activities for children, games… Things to help dive into the world of knights in a time of Jeanne d’Arc.

http://www.tourdetermes.fr/

Thermes de Barbotan: Known for the benefits of its thermal mud for centuries, Barbotan-Cazaubon spa welcomes you for a moment of care and well-being.

http://www.barbotan-cazaubon.com/etablissement-thermal.html

The wood covered arenas in Estang: the architecture of these arenas is very rare and picturesque…

Temple de la couse of the Landes with écarteurs (toreros) who compete in skill to avoid the horns of a bull, these 120-year-old brick and wooden arenas are classified.

Gothic bell tower of Mauvezin: Mauvezin became the capital of Fézensaguet, a disbanded territory from the Count of Fezenzac around 920. Stronghold of the famous Jeanne d’Albret, mother of the future King of France Henri IV, it is a place of wars on religion. It was in turn in the hands of the Catholics, then later the Protestants and experienced its share of destruction and violence. The church and convent were also partly destroyed. All that remains is the magnificent bell tower that dominates the town with its height.

The bell tower of Montégut du Gers: this brick church with a low church bell and reinforced buttresses has the appearance of a fortified dungeon. Montégut is a town perched around an imposing castle and is to be inhabited since the Gallo-roman era.

13th century tower in Hontanx: Hontanx is a small town in the lower part of Armagnac on the department of the Landes. It is a 12th and 13th century bastide that houses the Château d’Aon, a traditional “Landes fortified house”. The village was originally entirely fortified, accessed through a guarded gate. These strongholds were used to conquer new territories and served as outposts.

Jardin Massey and museum:

Placide Massey, botanist, director of the gardens of the Château de Versailles, elaborated this garden between 1825 and 1850.

Today, it is a very beautiful park with bicentenary trees, classified as a “remarkable garden”… Enjoy a moment of peace and quiet by strolling through the garden’s paths, admiring the sculptures, monastery, the greenhouse and its collection of succulent plants, wild birds, water features, flower beds, rare species…

Come have a picnic under the cedar trees and… watch out for squirrels!