Fourcès – 7,5 kms
Fourcés, a picturesque old castelnau is the only circular bastide in Gascony. It is a member of the « Most Beautiful Villages in France ». It has a round central plaza, 13th- and 14th-century houses, a Clock Tower, an old City Gate, a belfry with a splendid pyramid steeple at its top, a 15th-century castle and a medieval bridge. Enjoy lunch at the local Auberge and discover the crat shops under the arcades.
Fourcès, an outstanding Gascon village will delight you! The village is immediately seductive thanks to its beauty and serenity. The River Auzoue, rich in fish, curls around the village, a living history book.
The round plaza is on the spot of the original motte and bailey, where once stood the original castle, destroyed in the 15th century. People gather in the shade of the plane trees to have fun, play pétanque, attend concerts, go antique shopping or get intoxicated with the smells of the flower market (on the last week end of April), considered te best in the région. Around the plaza, half timbered medieval houses stand next door with more recent dwellings of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The 13th-century Clock Tower, the richly endowed arboretums and the bucolic lanes will add to the pleasure of your stay in this Gascon village of 300 souls, proud of its héritage for which it fights ardently.
For groups:
one-hour guided tours (book with the Office de Tourisme de la Ténarèze: 05.62.28.00.80) will retrace the history of the village and architecture : the arcades above half-timbered houses, the Clock Tower, the Old City Gate and the Château. You will be told many anecdotes by professional guides.
Fourcès is on Ramblers’ Trail GR654, ultimately going to Santiago de Compostela and many walking trails are available around the village.
Village, 32250 Fourcès
http://www.fources.fr/
Une recommandation de Gascony Manor House