Escrimis-la-Chapelle
Gascony

near Condom-en-Armagnac

Escrimis@alienor.biz

"The perfect place for a holiday in France
with family and friends."

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Things to do... in the area

Things to do... Sightseeing

Bastides or new towns as they were called during the Middle Ages are a characteristic feature of south-western France.  Built between the 13th and 14th century (often by the English) they are characterised by their streets crossing at right angles and their magnificent centrally situated squares and are considered as the region's greatest heritage jewels.

There are many beautiful bastide towns, cathedrals, castles, museums and other local historic places; further details can be found in the housebook but to name a few:.

1. Condom - cathedral and cloister in our local town 7km/10mn)

2. The mediaeval fortified village of Larressingle (our children favourite outing: you can run around in the old moat, watch the mediaeval weapons in action, and have a crepe in the courtyard or eat at the Auberge opposite this mini-City, 9km/15mn)

3. The Gallo-Roman "Villa de Seviac" at Montreal-du-Gers (16km/18mn). In this place, you can discover the farm-house estate of a Roman nobleman who lived there in the IVth century. The villa was equipped with luxurious water "thermes" and decorated with a great deal of mosaics.

4. The bastide of Fourcès (10km/15mn) built according to a very original circular plan with a superb and massive château, now a smart hotel&restaurant, also the charmingly located on the "place du village" informal Auberge de Fourcès.

5. The Roman XIth century church of Mouchan (12km/17mn), one of the oldest in the Gers département

6. The Cistercian abbey at Flaran (15km/17mn) is "a marvel of precision and simplicity", now houses a cultural centre, the Simonov collection (with works by great artists of 16-20th Century- Monet, Rodin plus 20 works by Z Ruszkowski and more)  as well as a documentation centre. Also there's a good restaurant nearby: La ferme de Flaran.

7. The charming village of Cassaigne and its beautiful Chateau de Cassaigne also famous for its delicious Armagnac (18km/18mn).

8. The collegiate church and the arboretum of Les Jardins de Coursiana in La Romieu (20km/20mn)

9. The renown glass-making craft and the bastide at Vianne (30km/30mn).

10. Labastide d'Armagnac (50km/50mn) a superb example of the Bastide villages found in South West France – its central arcaded square looks much as it must have done in 1300, and is said to have inspired King Henry IV to build the Place des Vosges in Paris.

11. Montauban (122km but on the way to Toulouse) is the mother of French south-western bastides as one of the first to have been built (1144) and the last stronghold of Protestantism. It is also the birthplace of Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, the leader of the French Classical Art School. The old Episcopal palace -now the Ingres Museum boasting approximately twenty paintings and some 4,000 drawings, and the 'Place Nationale' tell the story of the golden age of the 13th century.

You may chose to follow a "circuit découverte" to tour locally in your car and take in many visits in one concentrated cultural day! Suggestions in the housebook are: "around Condom" or "around Nérac".

Alternatively a Tour by Classic Car may entertain you: Jean-Paul Cazelles runs Chronotours a company that hires out classic cars with their owner-drivers, and he has put together a home-to-home chauffeured day tour tailored for Escrimis-la-Chapelle!  The chauffeurs are passionate about their genuine gems of shiny metal and leather ("as comfortable as a sofa on wheels"), and also knowledgeable guides (in French) on Gascony.  Of course the outing includes stopping for a lazy gascon lunch: choose from the country charm of L’Auberge de Larressingle, the classic haute cuisine of La Ferme de Flaran, or the heavens of Michelin-starred gastronomy at La table des Cordeliers…  Take a look at the prospectus which shows some of the cars and details the itinerary.  Jean-Paul is happy to adapt the day to suit your desires and do ask for help with writing an email in French for a booking.

Fetes and street parties are great ways of visiting and "feeling" a village. They take place mostly at week-ends as per calendar from local Tourist Office and in local daily papers like "La Dépêche" (subsection specific to each "département" according to where you buy it!). The area is alive with fêtes, festivals, celebrations, markets and activities. Every week sees some get together and often the publicity for the event appears at the last minute, so there is always a surprise around the corner!

Our favourite is to party 10 minutes up the road en famille and play "palet gascon" with locals at Lialores.  This fete usually takes place on 15 August.

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