Our Region

T YPES OF HOUSES

The most popular type of house in the area is the traditional Gascon-style house, typical of the region. Dating from the late 1850’s, these white-stone properties are arranged with four rooms off a main corridor on the ground and first floor. Expect to pay around €300,000 for a renovated 200m² maison gasconne with swimming pool and a hectare of land.

Modern style housing is also featuring in search criteria, with house-hunters realising that a new build with all the mod-cons also needs to be investigated. A new build, 3 bedroom villa with pool, garden, garage & reversible heating system costs around €280,000. For those renovation hunters, the gems do exist still. However, many were snapped up pre-crisis and owners of ‘ruins’ know that they are selling an ever increasingly rare product. Be prepared to pay a bit more for a ‘Maison à rénover’ (renovation project).

G ASCONY – THE AREA

Many people who purchased second homes in Normandy and Brittany are now looking to the warmer, sunnier climes of Gascony. As too are new people eager to invest in a second home where good weather & al-fresco dining is virtually guaranteed for 8-9 months of the year.

The ‘Golden Triangle’ between Castera-Verduzan – Condom – Lectoure is the most sought after sector of the northern Gers. Looking west and south are the homes of famous festival ‘Tempo Latino’ salsa festival of Vic Fezensac and Jazz in Marciac. This region in 2014 was second in The Times “Top 10 places in the world to live”, an accolade which made those of us who call it home proud. The update by the French Office for National Statistics, INSEE, the statistical bible on such French matters, says the Gers has the lowest population density of the eight departments making up the former Midi-Pyrénées region. One can truly walk through the unspoilt countryside here and not see another person, indeed in places there are more ducks, cows and sheep in the Gers than people!

The local Gersois people are very friendly & affable. They are happy to include the British into the community even more so if one makes a stab at understanding the strong Gersois accent! Many a local joke & a shake of the head is poked at ‘la météo anglaise’ if a cloud is spotted in the blue sky! Enjoying the local fêtes is to be relished between the months of May to September and camaraderie is part of daily life, indeed one's diary can be rather full during the summer!

L IFESTYLE, FOOD AND DRINK

For a fête respite & in chillier weather, La Legende Irelandaise in Jegun is always worth a visit. An authentic Irish bar, owned & run by an authentic Irish landlord, Michael, yet in the middle of the Gers countryside! With live music concerts (famous musicians have graced the stage), local wines, beers & Guinness on sale it’s the perfect place to while away an evening. The locals are a sociable mix of French, English, Americans, Irish, Scottish, Spanish… all using varying degrees of sign-language to be understood!

For the wine buffs, the Gers means Armagnac, but the rolling hillsides of this beautiful western corner of France are also home to distinct wine & food delicacies. Treat yourself to dinner or lunch in the Michelin restaurant, Le Florida, situated in the thermal spa village of Castera-Verduzan. One can expect to savour local wines & aperitifs like Floc – wine fortified by Armagnac severed on ice; duck foie gras, confit, cèpes mushrooms, porc noir Gascon which is now reared locally & fast becoming a rival to the regional beef of the Blonde d'Aquitaine! Coming from Jersey, we find the local massive Blondes amusing; they stand tranquilly chewing the cud restrained only by a length of wire, usually not even electrified! Worlds away from the sturdy fences needed to keep in the little Jersey cows!

Two other sisters locally in business here are the Menegazzo sisters. These two Gersois ladies produce award winning wines, Armagnac and Floc. Being women in business can be tough especially in France, however the wine production world is highly competitive & male dominated! So we raise a glass to les deux sœurs! When in the area be sure enjoy a wine tasting at Le Domaine D’Embidore and ask for a glass of their red Médaille D’Or (award winning), Cuvée des Filles. It’s soft and fruity notes wash down extremely well with the local duck, cheese or just simply enjoyed on its own.

Agriculture in the Gers is largely arable: sunflowers, wheat, oilseed rape, and maize. Smaller farms remain and there is some dairy and meat production. Duck produce remains a firm regional favourite, as too do local cheeses.

The Gers remains relatively untouched by development, with traditional values and way of life still very much the norm. The people are warm, welcoming & very hospitable; ‘aperitif’ is served at 18h00, so be sure to try a chilled glass of Floc with the neighbours, it helps with the language & understanding the sometimes tricky Gascon accent!

G ETTING HERE

There are UK flights to Bordeaux, Pau, Toulouse & Carcassonne and the area is now very accessible with the Aire-sur-l’Adour junction of the Pau-Bordeaux motorway with an easy hours drive east to the Gers. From the northern ferry ports the drive down is very straight forward with good motorways. Unspoilt rural paradise in a little over 8 hours: 10 hours if one stops for a leisurely lunch!