The Gers, heart of Gascony, home of armagnac, Foie Gras, D’Artagnan the not altogether fictitious musketeer the Gascogne cuisine with its many canard based dishes & the city of Auch the heart of Gascony with its wonderful cathedral including some of the finest wood carving & stained glass in France, its medieval streets & all the facilities you could need but still maintaining its small town feel.

 

The Gers is the least populated department of France, has no prison within its borders, not one kilometre of motorway and was the last department in France to have a MacDonalds!

 

A land of rolling hills and valleys leading to the Pyrenees, a land of farms & vineyards with some of the best & least known wine, such as Madiran, Buzet & Cote St Mont, wonderful dark reds and fruity whites.

 

An area of peace and quiet, of empty roads and spectacular views, of medieval villages and inexpensive auberges, but with the life and bustle of any farming and grape growing community. An area where family values still hold sway and the pace of life is not that of the big city. The 2 hour lunch is still the norm.

 

For the nature lover an area of countryside walks, abundant wildlife and unusual birds, some of the freshest air in France due to the lack of any heavy industry, punctuated by the evocative “countryside smells”!

 

An area for relaxation & the good life where neighbours do not lock their doors. The Pyrenees and Spain are 1 to 1 1/2 hours away and the Atlantic coast, with its wonderful sandy beaches about 2 hours.

 

An area of great natural beauty, an area in which to relax and enjoy doing very little or as much as you want. There is a wealth of natural and manmade attractions. An area that has attracted more ex pats over the last few years but has avoided the some of the worst “ghetto” problems of some other regions.

 

We at La Batterie (www.french-help.com) have been in the Gers for nearly 20 years, one of the first to arrive! During that time we have been involved with the letting of gites and accommodation to holiday makers and the supply of English TV and radio to people making a new life in France. We have always been more than happy to advise and help with any problems and queries that may arise, so if we can be of service?

 

Do visit Gascony and the Gers. We are sure you will love it as much as we and many other “immigrants” do!!