[Alexandre Dumas] Go to the birthplace of one of these famous intrepid soldiers.

The castle of Castelmore is located in the commune of Lupiac, in the French department of Gers. It owes its fame to being the birthplace of Charles de Batz de Castelmore, known as D'Artagnan.

[The Cistercian] Go to this sacred space, where the Baïse and Auloue rivers meet.

Flaran Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey, daughter of Escaladieu Abbey (Hautes-Pyrénées), located at Valence-sur-Baïse in the Gers department. It was founded in 1151, at the confluence of the Auloue and Baïse rivers.

[Henri Lambert] Isatis tinctoria, a plant used for its beautiful blue color. It is still produced in the Gers. Visit its production site.

Founded in 1994 by Henri Lambert, Bleu de Lectoure has become a key player in the development of dyer's woad (Isatis tinctoria). For several years, Henri Lambert has brought ancestral dyeing techniques up to date. He also built the reputation of the "Bleu de Lectoure" brand. Today, the company is located at 15 Avenue de la gare, in the former Lectoure railway station.

[Action!] Go to at least one movie location in the Gers.

A number of films have been shot in the Gers department. Here is a list of some of the films, TV films, soap operas and documentaries shot in the Gers: Auch - 1994: Le Sourire, by Claude Miller Eauze, Vic-Fezensac - 1995: Le bonheur est dans le pré by Étienne Chatiliez Lectoure - 2001: Le Pacte des loups by Christophe Gans Auterives - 2018 : Les Vieux Fourneaux by Christophe Duthuron Auch - 2022 : Les Vieux Fourneaux 2: Bons pour l'asile by Christophe Duthuron

[Monumental] It links the lower and upper towns. Its esplanades have been embellished with statues and the observatory of time.

The Auch Monumental Staircase is a listed site and a 19th-century historic monument, forming a pedestrian walkway linking the upper and lower town of Auch via the 374 steps of its staircase. There are 374 steps in total, including the double flights.

[Square] This tower could have been called the Tour d'Astarac had it not passed into the hands of another family.

The Tour de Rohan, in Mirande. In the 13th century, the Count of Astarac Bernard IV and his son Centulle III wanted Mirande to become the capital of the Astarac region. So they left Simorre to settle in the new town, where they had a castle built. Inside the bastide, they built a seigneurial residence with a square brick tower, which can still be seen today. In 1739, the Earl of Astarac married a member of the Rohan-Chabot family (descendants of the Dukes of Brittany), hence the current name of the tower visible at the corner of rue des écoles and rue Sérignac.

[Sarragachies] They're over 200 years old! But they still taste just as good, especially with a few sulfites.

The vineyard of Sarragachies or "vigne de la Ferme Pédebernade" is a parcel of vines in the Gers, in the heart of Gascony, part of the vineyard of Plaimont Producteurs, whose vine stocks are among the oldest in France.

[Quack] They teach cats to walk in Disney films. There's a museum dedicated to them in this department.

Little Goose and Duck Museum, in Gimont

[Foodie] Taste and present culinary specialities from the department.

Some ideas for tasting: All dishes cooked with duck and goose (foie gras, magret, etc) White garlic from Lomagne (IGP) Lectoure melon Armagnac Floc de Gascogne (a blend of grape must and young Armagnac) Pousse-Rapière (armagnac liqueur and wild wine) produced by Château de Monluc, in Saint-Puy

Gers, winter, hitchhiking, adventure!

« La nèu deu mes de heurèr ten coma l’aiga dins un panèr » (February snow stays as long as water in a basket)

Proverb from the Pays d’Oc

2022, February

This time, it’s the turn of Paul-Emile, an engineer and climber from Agen, and Éliot, a doctoral student and artist from Paris, to discover a department previously unknown to them… the Gers! And so it was that this southern adventure began.

The two pairs set off from Toulouse at 8am on Friday February 11 and returned on the evening of February 12, hitchhiking only.

Follow the path of the pairs

Our cultural challenges to discover le Gers

[Alexandre Dumas] Go to the birthplace of one of these famous intrepid soldiers.
The castle of Castelmore is located in the commune of Lupiac, in the French department of Gers. It owes its fame to being the birthplace of Charles de Batz de Castelmore, known as D’Artagnan.
[The Cistercian] Go to this sacred space, where the Baïse and Auloue rivers meet.
Flaran Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey, daughter of Escaladieu Abbey (Hautes-Pyrénées), located at Valence-sur-Baïse in the Gers department. It was founded in 1151, at the confluence of the Auloue and Baïse rivers.
[Local fauna] Finds a breed of animal endemic to the Pyrenees, resident in the Gers.
```
Answer
```
[Henri Lambert] Isatis tinctoria, a plant used for its beautiful blue color. It is still produced in the Gers. Visit its production site.
Founded in 1994 by Henri Lambert, Bleu de Lectoure has become a key player in the development of dyer’s woad (Isatis tinctoria). For several years, Henri Lambert has brought ancestral dyeing techniques up to date. He also built the reputation of the “Bleu de Lectoure” brand.

Today, the company is located at 15 Avenue de la gare, in the former Lectoure railway station.
[pink gold capital] In this town, a market where gold is sold takes place every week. Find it!
```
Answer
```
[Ancient capital] A palace, mosaics, terms... These places are a treasure trove!
```
Answer
```
[Action!] Go to at least one movie location in the Gers.
A number of films have been shot in the Gers department. Here is a list of some of the films, TV films, soap operas and documentaries shot in the Gers:
- Auch – 1994: Le Sourire, by Claude Miller
- Eauze, Vic-Fezensac – 1995: Le bonheur est dans le pré by Étienne Chatiliez
- Lectoure – 2001: Le Pacte des loups by Christophe Gans
- Auterives – 2018 : Les Vieux Fourneaux by Christophe Duthuron
- Auch – 2022 : Les Vieux Fourneaux 2: Bons pour l’asile by Christophe Duthuron
[Monumental] It links the lower and upper towns. Its esplanades have been embellished with statues and the observatory of time.
The Auch Monumental Staircase is a listed site and a 19th-century historic monument, forming a pedestrian walkway linking the upper and lower town of Auch via the 374 steps of its staircase. There are 374 steps in total, including the double flights.
[Square] This tower could have been called the Tour d'Astarac had it not passed into the hands of another family.
The Tour de Rohan, in Mirande. In the 13th century, the Count of Astarac Bernard IV and his son Centulle III wanted Mirande to become the capital of the Astarac region. So they left Simorre to settle in the new town, where they had a castle built. Inside the bastide, they built a seigneurial residence with a square brick tower, which can still be seen today. In 1739, the Earl of Astarac married a member of the Rohan-Chabot family (descendants of the Dukes of Brittany), hence the current name of the tower visible at the corner of rue des écoles and rue Sérignac.
[Sarragachies] They're over 200 years old! But they still taste just as good, especially with a few sulfites.
The vineyard of Sarragachies or “vigne de la Ferme Pédebernade” is a parcel of vines in the Gers, in the heart of Gascony, part of the vineyard of Plaimont Producteurs, whose vine stocks are among the oldest in France.
[Quack] They teach cats to walk in Disney films. There's a museum dedicated to them in this department.
Little Goose and Duck Museum, in Gimont
[Foodie] Taste and present culinary specialities from the department.
Some ideas for tasting:
- All dishes cooked with duck and goose (foie gras, magret, etc)
- White garlic from Lomagne (IGP)
- Lectoure melon
- Armagnac
- Floc de Gascogne (a blend of grape must and young Armagnac)
- Pousse-Rapière (armagnac liqueur and wild wine) produced by Château de Monluc, in Saint-Puy