Gascony is a place of unspoiled beauty, boasting rolling hills, castles, quaint villages, and Gallo-Roman ruins, and is a perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and take a break in nature. Visitors can delight in the area's gastronomy, renowned for its foie gras, duck breast, and Floc de Gascogne. When we spend holidays here at La Rivière Vacances, our friends are usually reluctant to leave the peaceful surroundings of the house & gardens, and quite happily wile their days away sampling the local produce followed by pool olympics or siestas in the garden. However, if you can bear to tear yourselves away from The Compound, there are plenty of places to explore and fun activities for all the family. Here are some of our favourites:
THE REGION
Places Worth Visiting...
Too many to list, there are lots of pretty villages worth exploring nearby:
Lombez, Samatan, Simorre, Sarrant, Montreal du Gers, Saint Bertrand du Comminges...
Toulouse and Auch, two stunning cities located in the Southwest of France, are an absolute must-visit.
Toulouse, less than an hour away, named 'the pink city' after its pink brick buildings, is small enough to explore in a single day. Wander through its streets lined with pretty independent boutiques, museums and old buildings, choose between a multitude of restaurants and eat in one of the shady squares, choose a rooftop bar, or one of the covered markets, Les Carmes or Victor Hugo.
Auch, located 45 minutes away, is the historical capital of Gascony and is a Great Occitanie Site labelled 'Land of Art and History'. A walk through its medieval alleys allows visitors to discover the city's rich heritage and charming atmosphere. Highlights here include Saint-Marie Cathedral (classified UNESCO and one of the biggest cathedrals in France), the Tower of Armagnac, an old prison which houses the Museum of the Cathedral's Treasure, and the 370 steps of the monumental staircase, adorned with the statue of the legendary D'Artagnan.
For a complete change of scenery, the Pyrenees are just 1h15 from the house, and Bagnères de Luchon, a thermal historic town, is a great place to visit. Take the cable cars to the top of the mountain for a picnic with panoramic mountain views.
Sporting Activities
Just a few minutes from the house, you can choose the tranquil river Save for floating down the river and enjoying the wildlife, or more adventurous canoeing on the wilder waters of the river Gesse. Lots of fun!
Horseback riding
Several stables near the house offer riding lessons or excursions from 7yrs+
Adventure park with rock climbing, zipwires etc. Great fun for all ages in a spectacular setting at the foot of the Pyrenees.
A walk with the most breathtaking view at the top. We have managed this with 3 year olds (although we carried them for part of it). You can picnic at the lake or buy steak-haché frites at the café. A little crêpe café is near the car park at the end of the walk for extra motivation to get back down again!
Tree-top adventure park with zipwires etc. Activities from age 2 and up. Café. Only half an hour from the house.
For all levels starting from 12 years old, you can picnic around the lake or eat at the lakeside bar. A great activity for teens!
Ten minutes from the house, there is a 9-hole golf course of over 3,000 meters, in peaceful, rolling countryside crossed by a river in the heart of the Gers countryside. Lessons available.
About fifteen minutes away by car, you can rent up to thirteen electric bicycles to explore the beautiful but hilly Gers region. The tourist office has created a mobile app with several itineraries; you can attach your smartphone to the bicycle to easily follow the map while pedalling.
Family Days Out
A great family day out and a childrens' favourite. In a wooded park with plenty of shade, Animaparc is especially designed for 2-9 year olds, but older children will have a good time too. Bring swimsuits if it's hot for the water games.
Safari and zoo with sea lion and bird shows, café, picnic and play area and lots of shade for summer visits.
Another firm favourite. Eco-museum, archeological and cultural park recreating a typical gallic village with demonstrations of jewellery-making, weaving, ironwork and wickerwork.
During our holidays at 'La Rivière', we always spend an afternoon here! We love the bouncy diving board and the slide. There is also a paddling pool, a cafe, loungers for sunbathing or in the shade. If you want to spend the day here, you can picnic by the lake, while the children play in the shaded playground. From 1 pm to 6.30 pm you can also hire pedalos.
For space enthusiasts, discover the wonders of the universe, real space vehicles, travel to the far reaches of the cosmos, make it rain or shine, and train like an astronaut.
A collection of street theatre machines up to 14 meters high, ride on their backs or stay below and watch how each machine comes alive... exhibitions, creative workshops and a café inside.
Fortified village of Larressingle
Officially the smallest castle-fortress in France, and listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, this castle is in perfect condition, almost unchanged since the 16th century. Learn all the fascinating details of the traps invented by medieval knights to survive enemy attacks. Opposite the castle there is a medieval weapons camp where visitors can learn the art of war and try their hand at full-sized reconstructions of medieval catapults and other weapons.