Things To Do

For a small, rural French village Gramont and its environs offer a wide variety of cultural, touristic and sporting activities that cater to every visitor’s taste.

Things to do in Gramont itself:

Le château de Gramont

Gramont itself is home to le château de Gramont, a beautifully preserved renaissance château complete with original paintings and tapestries.  The chateau is open from 10am – 12pm and again from 2pm to 6pm and entry to the chateau is 5€ for adults and free for any accompanying under 18s.  The entry price includes a tour of the château and its grounds by the château’s trustees and knowledgeable guides, and a tour in English, including all translated literature, is available.  For more information visit the château’s website at: http://gramont.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/

Le musée de miel

Located in Gramont village and run by residents Emile et Chantal Molès, Le musée de miel in Gramont is the largest Honey Museum in Europe and was rated among “The Top 100 Gastronomic Museums in France”.  Whether your passion lies with the farming and production process or with the finished product itself, le musée de miel, with its detailed explanations about how the honey is harvested and its well-stocked boutique and dégustation session, will not disappoint.

The museum is open every day expect Wednesday, from 10-12 pm in the morning and 2-7pm in the afternoon.  Entry to the museum and dégustation (a tasting session) costs 3€ for adults, 2,30€ for children aged 7-12 and is free for children under 7.  For more information visit: http://www.musee-du-miel.com/

Outdoor Activities in the Area:

Walking

There are minor walking circuits ranging from 1 to 5 hours that encompass Gramont, allowing vistors to start and finish their  walk in the village.  The walking circuits are clearly marked throughout the route and are classified according to their length and difficulty.  There are suitable routes for all ages and abilities and it’s a great way to take in the virtually unspoilt, surrounding countryside.

Cycling

With very little traffic and a combination of large and medium sized hills and gentle flat pieces of road and slopes the Tarne-en-Garonne and Gers regions are perfect for cycling enthusiasts and energetic novices alike.  Le Petit Feuillant has two road bikes for guests to use and as with the walking routes there are well marked cycle routes in and around Gramont.

Le lac des trois vallées

A perfect place to take the family on a warm summer’s day.  Le lac des trois vallées is a large lake complete with waterslides where you can swim, sunbath and eat and drink at the lakeside café.  A 30 minute drive from Gramont village, le lac des trios vallées is a great place to take a picnic and spend a sunny afternoon.

Towns and Cities around Gramont:

Although beautifully rural itself the village of Gramont is only a 10minute drive from the nearest town , St Clar, and only a 15 minute drive to the charming market town of Fleurance, 20 minutes away from the Roman town of Lectoure, 50 minutes from the cities of Agen, Auch  (the home of D’Artagnan) and Condom and 1 hour and 20 minutes away from the lively, student city of Toulouse. Le Petit Feuillant is the perfect way to explore all of these neighbouring towns and cities as well as all of the culture, gastronomie and beautiful architecture they all have to offer.

St Clar: Gramont’s nearest town is a former Roman market town that now boasts only a few shops, a couple of small restaurants and boulangeries, a small bar frequented by regulars and the occasional tourists, and a very helpful office du tourisme.  The cathedral, like the majority of chapels and cathedrals in the Tarn-en-Garonne region, is well worth a visit, and the town itself is a great place to enjoy a cold pression on a hot summer’s day whilst overlooking the town’s old market square.  Like Gramont, a visit to St Clar is a slice of real French country life.

Fleurance: Another beautiful market town that doesn’t seem to have changed much since the 1800 when its  market square flanked with concrete columns was first built. There is still a market in Fleurance every Tuesday morning, an opportunity for residents to buy fresh, locally produced vegetables and for local boulanger, pâtissiers and epicuriens to showcase their produce.  The market now also has a few furniture makers, booksellers and clothes and jewellery stalls.  A lovely way to spend a Tuesday morning and the best place to find fresh, reasonably priced, local produce.

Lectoure: Larger than St Clar and Fleurance, the Roman town of Lectoure – dubbed “la cité d’Art et d’Histoire” -  boasts the magnificent  Cathédrale Saint Gervais  as well as the former château of the Comtes d’Armagnac, and its own Roman-style baths and spa.  The town has a host of delicious cafés, eateries and bars to tempt visitors and is a great place to spend a morning or afternoon sightseeing – the office du tourisme offers hour long tours around the town’s main monuments for 3€ a person.  The market in Lectoure is on a Friday morning, from 8am until 12:30pm.

Agen: Home to the famous pruneaux d’Agen, Agen is the best place for a spot of shopping in the area.  For their stunning architecture and rich history Agen’s 13th century chapel and convent Notre Dame des Jacobins, and its Palais de Justice are well worth a visit, as is the impressive Musée de Beaux Arts.  Notable itself for its striking Renaissance architecture Le Musée de Beaux Arts d’Agen is one of the most important fine art museums in the Aquitaine region and includes a rich and diverse collection of local artwork.

Auch: Capital of the Gers department and the historical capital of Gascony, Auch is teeming with history.  The town is split in two, with the old medieval part on the left bank of the river and the 19th century and 20th century constructions on the right bank.  Its monuments include the 15th century, UNESCO protected Cathédrale Saint-Marie d’Auch with its stunning stain glass windows; La tour d’Armagnac, a  14th century tour and former prison, and the iconic D’Artagnan statue, a homage to Alexandre Dumas’ fictional character who was reportedly based on Auch-born Charles de Batz d'Artagnan.  Aside from the history – both real and literary – Auch offers a good selection of high street clothing stores and boutique shops as well as an array of eateries and bars.

Condom: Like all of the large towns or cities in the Tarne-en-Garonne et Gers regions, Condom has its own beautiful cathedral, la Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, complete with impressive stained glass windows and original paintings and sculptures.  Situated next to the Cathedral is the newly erected bronze statue of Alexandre Dumas’ Three Musketeers by Russian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, yet another dedication to one of Gascony’s more famous exports :  D’Artagnan.  Condom’s Armagnac distillery in the Château de Cassaigne includes a detailed and informative museum showcasing old, Armagnac making equipment and barrels, a short film about the production of Armagnac in the Gers region and finally a dégustation session with one of the chateau’s bilingual Armagnac connoisseurs.

Note: The Le Petit Feuillant is not only the perfect country retreat, offering tranquillity and repose away from the hustle and busy of city life but its proximity to the Spanish border -Gramont is only a 5 hour drive from Barcelona - makes it the ideal location from which to begin or end an exploration of Northern Spain.