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The Gers

Wine production

Saint-James the Great in Compostela

Fois Gras

Ski resorts

The Gers is a department in the southwest of France named after the Gers river.The river Gers is 178 km long with its source is in the foothills of the Pyrenees, near Lannemezan. It flows north through the departments Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers and Lot-et-Garonne. Then into the Garonne near Agen. The city Auch lies along the river Gers. There is a population of 174,500 within the department that covers 6,291 km2.

Auch Cathedral

The Gers is department number 32.

Geography

The Gers is part of the Midi-Pyrénées region. It is surrounded by the departments of Hautes-Pyrénées (65) Tarbes, Haute-Garonne (31) Toulouse, Tarn-et-Garonne (82) Montauban, Lot-et-Garonne (47) Agen, Landes (40) Mont de Marsan, and Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) Pau.

History

Historically, the Gers was part of Gascony. It was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Guyenne and Gascony.

The inhabitants of the department are called Gersois.

Wine growing and Armagnac top

Vineyards in the Gers

The Gers is part of the historic Armagnac region The dominant commercial activity is the production of "l’eau de vie d’Armagnac". The Gers is also a diverse agricultural region producing cereals, poultry and the reputable "fois gras". Wild mushrooms are also abundant.
The Gascon language is a dialect of the langue d'oc, but it is not spoken much today.

Armagnac

The renowned vineyards of Gascony are essentially dominated by Armagnac, princess of the “eau de vie”, considered as the most ancient water of life in the world.

The history of vineyards in the Gers is ancient and precedes the Gallo-Roman times as depicted in the mosaics of Séviac à Montréal.
Today, vines grow principally in the west of the department. The soil, climate and “savoir-faire” all combined, gives the wines of Gascony all their richness and diversity.

History of Armagnac.

The history starts in the beginning of the XV century in Gascony, with the first production of the waters of life. Everything is in its favour and success is assured, as this drink, they say, has all the right qualities. “It removes the redness in your eyes, heals hepatitis, the gout, lifts the spirit, revives past memories and keeps you young….”

In the XVII century, Dutchmen transported and traded these waters of life throughout Europe. Later the American war of independence had a great impact on the commercialisation of Armagnac because the insurgent Americans decided to boycott all alcohol coming from Europe.
However, at the end of the XIX century, the production of Armagnac practically stops due to the arrival of phylloxéra.

Armagnac of today.

Today, the vineyards of the Gers represent 21,000 hectares, much less than the 107,000 in 1873, but now of a much higher quality.
They extend to three principal regions: Haut-Armagnac, Ténarèze and Bas-Armagnac.
The manufacture is one of distillation of white grapes picked from the vines. The grapes ferment until winter when it is distilled, resulting in a harsh alcohol of between 52 and 72° proof. It requires a number of years to mature beginning in new oak wine barrels, and then it is transferred to older oak barrels, where the alcohol content progressively diminishes by evaporation to around 40 to 48°.
Finally the blending takes place to allow commercialisation.

An old alcohol still.

Armagnac

Wines

Madiran ( A.O.C. ).

This is a wine from the hills and slopes spanning three departments. For a long time Madiran wine was used in catholic church celebrations. Its success can be linked to the pilgrims of Compostelle.
Very rich in taste, the red is rough and woody. The white, called Pacherenc, is dry, round and rich, emitting a complex perfume of fruit and flowers.

Côtes de Saint-Mont ( V.D.Q.S. ).

Produced in the south west of the department, the centre of Gascony.
A truly ancient vine and difficult to find now. Following the efforts of dedicated growers in the Gers a new strain has been developed to produce a wine of unquestionable quality. Red, white or rosé, they all have a wonderful taste.

Côtes de Gascogne.

Local wine: Red, white or rosé, certain of them have enjoyed some success. They are the products of local regional growers with their extensive knowledge of wine making.

Floc de Gascogne.

The product is a marriage of grapes and Armagnac. Floc de Gascony is prepared following very ancient country traditions. Red or white, it accompanies melons, foies gras or desserts and fresh fruit.

The Pousse-Rapière.

Coming from a family recipe, it brings together the liqueur of brut Armagnac and the traditional methods of champagne making. The wine and liqueur are grown together as one, from the same roots, the same vines, to guarantee a perfect harmony.

Saint-James the Great in Compostela top

The St.James' shell, symbol of the Saint and the pilgrimage.

The Gers, mythical and mystical country of the routes to Santiago de Compostela.

Since the 9th century and the discovery of the tomb of Saint-James the Great in Compostela, thousands of pilgrims have been travelling across the Gers.
They discover the Gers through the chapels, abbeys and multiple vestiges, bearing witness to the passing of pilgrims over the centuries, the magic of the routes to Santiago de Compostela.

The department of the Gers is crossed by two of the main itineraries to Compostela: le Puy and Arles, with two variants Rocamadour and Vézelay :

GR 65: from Le Puy to Roncevaux, it crosses the department through Miradoux, Lectoure, Condom, Eauze, Nogaro with over 153 km of pathways.
GR 653: from Arles to the Somport pass, it winds through the department for over 140 km passing through l’Isle-Jourdain, Gimont, Auch, Montesquiou, Marciac.
GR 652: route from Rocamadour to La Romieu, it crosses the department for 18 km.
GR 654: route from Vézelay to Montréal, it crosses the department for over 15 km.

Fois Gras top

With more than 4,000,000 ducks and 130,000 geese produced per year, the Gers is one of the main foie gras producers in France.
Here you wil find co-operatives, commodity groups, farming enterprises and farmers who coexist harmoniously, all of them offering consumers quality products, relying on a savoir-faire and quality product chain organisation.

More than 1500 producers, all faithful to ancestral practices, sell their products directly to consumers. The fresh foie gras and carcasses (ready to cook) are sold directly off farms or on local markets. The ducks are reared, fed and slaughtered traditionally, on the farm, while meeting sanitary regulations (EEC agreed or identified slaughter rooms).

For those who are fond of farm products local producers of Foie Gras offer whole foie gras, carcasses, confits, cassoulets, magrets, pâtés and rillettes. A Consumer Quality Charter is well established ensuring that each producer meets agreed standards.

Where to buy fois gras?

At one of the many local farms offering such services or in one of the recognised markets :

The "marché au gras" is the oldest manner to sell and buy foie gras. The "halles au gras" propose every morning of the week fresh foie gras, carcasses of duck and goose.

Ski resorts in the area top

SKI STATION

Web Site

Haute Garonne

Mourtis

http://www.boutx-le-mourtis.com/

Peyragudes

http://www.peyragudes.com/site/skitherapie/

Luchon Superbagners

http://www.luchon.com/uk/index.php?lan=UK

Haute Pyrénées

Saint Lary

http://www.saintlary.com/default-a.htm

Val Louron

http://www.vallouron.com/

Gèdre-Gavarnie

http://www.gavarnie.com/en_hiver.asp

Piau Engaly

http://www.piau-engaly.com/

Cauterets

http://www.cauterets.com/cauterets2006/index.php

Hautacam

http://www.argeles-pyrenees.com/ski/ski-hautacam.html

Station du Tourmalet

http://www.tourmalet.fr/

Luz Ardiden

http://www.luz.org/

Cauterets

http://www.cauterets.com/cauterets2006/index.php

Val d'Azun

http://www.valdazun.fr/

Val Louron

http://www.piau-engaly.com/

If you are a ski buff the Gers provides an excellent base for the many opportunities that the Pyrenees Mountains offer.