Authentic Southwest France – France Today | EUROtoday

Justin Postlethwaite Explores the Authentic Southwest on Road Trip, Taking in Beautiful Towns, Villages and Countryside, Plus Culture, Gastronomy and More…

It’s 10am on the Glorious Place Nationale, The Iconic Pink-Brick Heart of Montauban, Which Sits on the fitting financial institution of the Tarn River 50km North of Toulouse. The Sun Has Got His Hat On For This Glorious Late Spring Day, and SO Do I. As Bar and Café Owners Go About Their Business Along the Famed Double-Vaulted Arcades that newly souped-ups, pigeons get pleasure from a moring preen within the new water mirror (water mirror).

Trainly Named Place Royale Until A Certain Historic Event in 1789 Saw Regal References Removed Four Years Later, The Latest Renovation To This Prettiest Of Cool Summer Oases Bears Testimony to the Passing of Time through Key French Architectural Epochs, With Medieval Brick Towers Snuggled and mansions Built with pastel commerce wealth. Finishing up my espresso and croissant, it supplies the proper backdrop to swoon over what’s in retailer on my three-day street journey of genuine southwest, a brand new tourism label that watchcases essentially the most stunning villages, historic châteaux, cultural highpoints, Stunning LaScapes, waterways and strolling routes, in addition to the wealthy gustative delights of the Department Tarn-et-Garonne, Gers and Lot-et-Garonne. There is a lot to pack in, so after a quickstep tower of montauban’s bucket-list spots, included the newly renovated vacationer workplace within the coaching jesuit faculty, the backyard of the crops and the epic museum ingres bourdelle, which homes works by the city’s two D928 Road East to Montech.

This unassuming charmer holds two trump playing cards: one engineering, the opposite culinary. Entering the village, i spot the large chimney that. FORMED PART OF A PAPER MILL (NOW HOUSING The Tourist Office) Founded in 1857. GREAT FACT: by 1900, Four One-Mertre Machines Were Producing 3,000 Tons of Reeled Newsprint A Year. The Mill is on the lateral canal at La Garonne, and a significant attraction is the revolutionary water slope (water slope) Machinery that allowed boats to bypass 5 locks through a elevate powered by Two locomotive engines. It Ceased Operation in 2009 But the Recently Opened Interactive Museum on a Barge, and snazzlily Painted ‘Micheline’ Trains, Are Exceptional Examines of Industrial Heritage. What’s extra, the positioning is idyllic picnic stop-off for canal walkers.

Heading Back Into the Village Just Before Noon, Midi Midi Aromas Entité Me Into Montech’s Other Famous Lure: The Canalside Restaurant Bistrot Constant, Opened by the Now-retired, Montauban-Born Culinary Legend Christian Constant. Housed in A Modernized Form Lockkeeper’s House, It Draws Diners from Far and Wide, All desirous to Enjoy Chef Christophe Marque’s Cuisine, Which is creative, Reasonably Priced and Delicious.

Do the Math in Beaumont

After lunch, a dreamy 20 minute drive into the beautiful lomagne area of gently rolling hills and picturesque villages (Between Gascon Hillsides and the Garonne Valley) Brings Altogether More Cerebral Pleasures. Beaumont-de-Lomagne, an Idyllic Thirteenth-Century Bastide with an intact Halle (Covered Market), was the place the magistrate-turned-Mathematician Pierre De Fermat (1601-1665) was born and Spent Four Months a Year Holidaying when working on the parliament of Toulouse. While the Study of Maths -Notely Calculationus, Analytical Geometry and likelihood -was Only a Hobby and His Theorems we Largely Only Shared in Letters, History Would Judge Him a Pioneer. Being Scholarly is just not a prerequisite to Enjoying the Small Museum that outlines His life and Times, in addition to his contribution to a wealthy interval of discovery and creativity below Louis XIV that gave us, Among Others, La Fontaine, Molière and Canal Maestro Riquet. The Drive North on the D2 to Another Eye-Catching Village, Auvillar, Gives Me Planty of Time to Puzzle Over, then Abandon, Any understanding of Fermat’s Last Theorem (Look It Up).

I Park Up for a Quick Stroll Around This Aesthetically Faultless Plus Beautiful Village De France Gem, Which is a crucial course on the Chemin de Santiago de Compostela Pilgrims’ Route. Its Stunning Circular Grain Market Offers A Prize Photo Opportunity, and I Make a Vow to Return to Explore Further Another Time. But for now, i’ve an hour’s late afternoon drive (home windows down) in a southwesterly path, previous lectoure, into the gers heartland for an in a single day keep at valence-sur-baïse.

The Roads Grow Ever Narrower and Hillsides Fill With Vines and Billboards to Mark the Côtes de Gascogne Winemaking Terroir. Signs for Local Aperitif Floc Feature Prominently Too. After the i’ve Climbed Up the Church Tower for A Lovely View of the Fetching Village Square beneath, I Thoroughly Enjoy A Snifter of This Drink-Un Vin De Liqueur (Fortified Sweet Wine Blended with Young Armagnac)-Before Dinner on the little pig, the Lovely Renovated Village Friendly Bed and Breakfast Owners, Saskia and Andrew. They serve up a scrumptious arroy of native treats included new season Gariguette Strawberries and pleasant cat.

The Spiritual Side

Next Morning, an Early-ish Rendez-vous on the Nearby Abbey De Flaran, Founded in 1151 and one of many Best-Preserved Abbeys within the Southwest, Ensures Pre-Rush tranquierity and the Chance to Appreciate this alluing Cistercian Abbey in All Its Sotothing, Spiritual Glory. The Stern, Modest Appearance was not a falest. Cistercian monks adhered extra strictly to the rule of saint benedict (Labor and Prayer, Little Comfort), which they believed had steadily been eroded by the ‘excessis’ of the benedictine order.

The Gardens, partition (Jardin de l’Esprit) and Romanesque church are calm epitomized, whereas, maybe shock, to coach sleeping is now dwelling to the mickaël simonow assortment, a staggering showcase of recent artwork, which incorporates works by Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, Monet and Favourite, Dali’s Space Elephant Sculpture.

Lock and Larressingle

Following a Brief Yet Memorable Visit to the Nearby Hamlet of Graziac to Catch A Glimpse of the Bucolic Idyll Around Its Double Lock-The Baïse River is Navigable, with self-Drive or skippered Cruises Available I Make the Short Hop Up to Condom. Funny Name for Anglophones, Admittedly, But It Boasts Some Serious History. The Train Bishopric is one other essential stop-off for Saint-Jacques de Compostelle Walkers, While its Majestic Cathedral Saint-Pierre is an imposing edifice within the flamboyant gothic fashion, and boasts a panoramic partition. I Learn that During the Town’s Famed Annual Bandas (Fanfare Band) Festival in May, this quiet Space Becames a Party Hotspot, While The Company of Armagnac Musketeers Meet Here Each Year for A Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremony (Condom was a significant port 1839). An unmissable selfie alternative is offered by Georgian sculptor zurab tsereteli’s statue of artagnan and the three musketeers in entrance of the cathedral.

Leaving Condom In The Rear View After A Nice Lunch on terrace at 1,000 columns, My Next Stop. East on the D15 is Larressingle, a Thirteenth-Century plus stunning village with a twist. This is the Smallest Fortified Village in France, Built by a Lord Whose Castle’s Dry Moat additionally Protected Villars Living Alongsoid. It is essentially the most go to without cost tourism web site within the gers – with its eating and refreshment facilities, trinket retailers and complete immersion in medieval historical past, it is hardly shock. Our American Readers Will Enjoy Learning About the Generosity of the People of Boston in Funding Restoration Projects from the Nineteen Twenties.

I Pop to the Nearby Martin New Farm to Meet Roseline Who, With Her Husband, Jérôme, is a passionate producer of black pork (a uncommon pig breed) and duck merchandise, the latter so inerticublic tied to this terroir. You can replenish on jars of confit de duck and lengths of sausage on the on-site store or native marketes.

After a Fleeting Pause at Fourcès-Another Easy-On-The-Eye Plus Beau Village Bastide, With a Wonderful Brocante and A Uniquely Round Central Hub, I Set the GPS for Monflanquin, Due Northeast. 1 Barely Pass Another Vehicle AS I Wind Through Twisty Lanes, Distracted by Beautiful Properties Framed by Cherry Trees in Blossom or Cloaked in Billowing Blooms of Wisteria. This panorama is the candy France (Gentle France) Writ Large; The very essence of Authentic Southwest.

Beautiful Bastides

After a really Pleasant Overnight Stay at Boulède, a clutch of splendid gîtes Just a Stone’s Throw from Monflanquin Run by Excedingly Welcoming Dutch Couple, Karen and Rolf, I Head Into. This most stunning village Founded in 1256 is likely one of the Best Preserved within the Region, one in all 50 or so Bastides Created by Alphonse de Poitiers, rely of Toulouse. One can Become, Quite Wrongly, Almost blasé in regards to the Architectural Appeal of Such Villages But We Really Must Cherish Them as Visitors. Monflanquin’s Bastides Museum is fascinating, whereas the sprinkling of eating places, retailers and galleries is a successful mixture. I’m informed that the summer season evening marketes are particularly magical and common with guests, whereas i additionally study a brand new phrase – a sq. is a medieval pedestrian avenue.

Monflanquin_janouille © Teddyverneuil-Lezbroz

This being a saturday morning, a market go to is crucial, so i swap monflanquin for villeréal, yet one more extra stunning village quarter-hour north. It ticks all my french market bins: not possible loanty, with half-timbered homes and a coated halle (with an added second storey flurish) within the hand Square; Local Fruits and Vegetables in Abunance and at a superb value (I Snap Up Half a Kilo of Sweet, Juicy Pruneaux – Dried Plums, A Nearby Agen Speciality for Just € 3); and cheese vehicles that all the time appear to have the longest tails at market…

By now ravenous, i flip to the elegant resort restaurant of Europe, the place i get pleasure from one of the best meal i’ve had for a very long time. With impeccable Yet Unfussy Service, A Duck With Asparagus Main Course (Seasonally on Point, Of Course) and a Sumptuous Dessert Giving Due Prominence to Local Hazelnuts, it’s pretty much as good as French Dining Gets.

Restauranttabledel’europe © latabledel’europe

Next, A Real Catch-You-Breath Moment. After Heading East Towards the Village of Saint-Front-sur-Lémance, I spherical a bend to confront by a Behemoth Château-Fort (Fortified Castle); from atop an enormous rocky outcrop it dominates the valley beneath with intimidating majesty. The Château De Bonaguil (from Bonne Aiguille or ‘Good Needle’ After the Pointed Shape of the Limetone Spur Before the Castle Was Built it) Dates from the Thirteenth Century and was enlaged by By Bérenger De Roquefeuil from the top of the fifteenth Century. It’s a Wonder of Defensive PROWESS-HIGH TOWERS, 4M-Thick Walls So Good in FACT, That Nobody Every Attacked It! I Recommend an Audio Guide Tour and Visiting in Summer, when there are music and dance spectaculars aplenty.

Where previous meets current

To conclude the tower in fashion, i stroll the cobbled streets of the steep medieval stronghold of Penne d’Agenais, Perched High Above the Lot Valley (Boat Trips accessible). It is filled with Wow-Factor Plus Beau Village Sights: Ramparts and Town Gates, Fortified Houses Such As The Tour d’Alaric, and Thirteenth-And Sixteenth-Century Manor Houses, plus the Domed Notre-Dame De Peyragude Sanctuary Standing Proudly At The Peak of the Village, Affording Fine Views. Living History Blends Perfectly with Modern Appeal Here, Thanks to Craft Workshops, Art Galleries and Places to Rest Or Eat.

Penne d’Agenais Shutterstock_2259553193

With that, My Authentic Southwest Road Trip concluded, A Memorable Escape Into The Pure Heart of Rural France that all of us maintain so pricey. And one of the best bit? That there may be a lot else to discover subsequent time.

From France Today Magazine

Lead Photo Credit: Penne d’Agenais, © Shutterstock