Location description from owner

The Midi-Pyrénées region

The Gers is the central department of Gascony in the Midi-Pyrenees, located just north of the central Pyrenees and since Napoleon times has been named after the Gers river which runs north-south through the department. It is largely agricultural and is the least densely populated department in France.

The Gers is sometimes referred to as the French Tuscany because of its gently rolling hills and old villages, including many "bastides" or fortified towns. Gers is separated from the Pyrénées by Comminges and Bigorre and the scenery is of rolling hills and glacier formed flat valleys with views of the Pyrénées from the southern hills.

The towns and villages tend to be small and far apart and the local economy is mainly agricultural - vineyards, cereals, cattle, and of course, ducks and geese for the famous Gascony preserves, pâtés and particularly foie gras.

The Gers is one of the least densely populated départments in France and there is no heavy industry or autoroutes so consequently it has some of the cleanest air in all of Europe. It is therefore no surprise that Gascons live longer than any other people in France.

The climate in Gers is warm and the winters are mild, snowfall being extremely rare, and the temperature rarely falls below freezing. Summers are warm but there is the likelihood of electrical storms. Nurtured by the warm southern sun, the land is rich and fertile, the gently undulating hills covered with fields of corn and sunflowers, as well as the vineyards of the Armagnac producers.

Condom

The town name 'Condom' is derived from 'Condatomagus', meaning 'old gallic market'. Condom lies on the river BaIse along one of the main pilgrimage routes of Saint Jacques de Compostelle. Because of its location on the riverbanks of the Baise, in the 19th century Condom became the capitol of the Ténarèze region and the access gate to the Armagnac. The river Baise is nowadays still very well suited for all kinds of boating trips. At the Capitainerie in the small harbour you can even rent a boat yourself. Canoeing excursions can be booked a little bit further upstream in Beaucaire.

There are many delightful places to visit in and around Condom: the Armagnac museum as well as the Cathedral St. Pierre are almost mandatory (and only a short walk from La Petite Gensac Apartments). A stroll through the weekly market (on wednesdays) is also a great delight for all senses. For those who prefer more physical pursuits, tennis, horse-riding, swimming, fishing and golf are all available nearby. There are also some wonderful walks along the Pilgrim Route to Compstela, and you might meet some interesting pilgrims along the way, as this route is still widely used for this purpose.

Book a boat trip on the river and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings along the river. Believed by many to be one of France's loveliest regions, the Gers is even more delightful when viewed in this manner. You can gaze out onto fields of golden sunflowers, vineyards, woodland and pastureland, and sip your Armagnac as you go. 

The town of Condom also hosts an international music festival every year, and this proves very popular with the local people and visitors alike. Chess fans will be delighted to know that Condom is the venue for not just an international festival of the game, but also hosts a chess marathon!