Or alternatively “Gers, pays de Gascogne et d’Armagnac“
It was quite a cycle to Lectoure, more like my usual distance, but still a little too much.
It was raining, not too cold but arriving in Moissac the light wasn’t exactly ideal for photographs, the Moissac link will take you to a description of the Abbeye of St Peter that will satisfy all curiosity and save me boring you more than necessary. I took a few shots and then headed for the canal a section of the route I had looked forward to.
No traffic a good surface are ideal conditions for making some distance and it its not that bad looking either. I was that intent on my route with the canal that I missed my first turn and had Valence not gotten in the way I might not have turned south either and have ended up in Agen.
Arriving in Castet-Arrouy I had fully intended spending the night in as the Gite which although full of locals for some festival it was open. I hung around the village trying to decided if I should stay or go, it was late and I was tiered. So I searched for a phone to call Lectoure, the woman had previously been difficult on the phone, Im not certain I even spoke with the same person as I was under the impression I had a room booked. This time the woman seemed surprised at my arrival but yes it was possible for me to stay and yes I could eat. This was the clincher really as had I stayed here in the Gite it would have been another bowl of pasta. Not that there is anything wrong with pasta sauce made from olive oil, shallots air cured ham and Parmigiana, but as a recurring theme I am tiring of it.
I had a warm welcome and a rather nice room, dinner was in two hours and it was a real treat. We had roast duck thighs, the meat just melted off the bone and was utterly fabulous. To start though we began with a glass of Champagne as I was their first Pilgrim of the year!
The next day I had a bed booked in Eauze and expected an early arrival, but not long into the morning I realised that there was little power in my legs and by the time I arrived in Condom I knew I needed to stop. I eventually got a hold of the woman that was responsible for the Gite all 4ft of her and she had seemingly applied her eye shadow with a roller – a steam roller.
The Gite in Condom was locked up tighter than a Frenchmans wine cellar, the eye shadow woman gave me a key for the various rooms and I headed off shopping. I took it very easy and would have been asleep by nine had there not been a French language class for immigrants in the room next door, I’m certain there is a PC way of saying this but I don’t know what it is.
I also called Eauze and asked them to expect me tomorrow, which was no problem. I spent the next morning in the Gite as there was no point heading off early as I had less than a half days cycle so I had a protracted breakfast till around lunch and arrived in Eauze at 16:00. Eauze was a town who’s name had not stayed in my mind, but I clearly remembered having lunch one afternoon here.
The Gite here is brilliant, its the top floor of Marcel & Paulines home we had dinner together, Marcel is a fine man and when I stayed in Moissac the last time around I had met Pauline. Marcel is working hard on the Gite preparing it for the coming year. At dinner we had various drinks, but the best thing overall was a spirit Paulines father makes with oranges which has a slightly burnt orange tang. They have a new baby so I headed for an early night leaving my smelly clothes to dry by the fire.
The next morning just out of town there was an Armagnac producer. I had promised myself to find out more about Armagnac the next time I was in the region and until now had no desire to make detours in the freezing rain. Eauze is the capital of Armagnac production but sadly the shop in town where I could have a dégustation was closed, so despite the chilly rain I headed into the farm to see what I could see.
There was aparently no one around, the quaint tourist trap was closed and I had all but decided to head, when I was met by a young man, who was very happy to give me the tour. I was more interested in the still and process so we bypassed the shop and went through a nondescript side barn door, where we found his father tending the still.
His father who I think effectively lives with the still gave me a description of the process which was not what I had expected. It seems Armagnac uses a Column still invented by a Scotsman, they didn’t tell me this wikipedia if the entry is to be trusted did. What is difficult for me to sort out is that Armagnac has been around since the 14th century and this type of still only since the 19th. Either the process has changed or the French had this type of still before “Scottish bloke” invented it.
As I left the warm still room and went outside I was delightfully met by snowfall and resignedly got on my bike. The cycle was the usual down one hill immediately up another with only the briefest downhill between. The countryside is pretty enough, but in the snow and cold rain I just wanted to make it to Aire-sur-L`Adore.
My last time here I had stayed at the Gite just out of town, this time I stayed at Hotel PAIX which is a wonderful place. The Gite which was supposed to be open was closed as was everywhere else and I ended up staying three nights at PAIX , the Hotel and woman who runs it are both great.