La Tombe:
'La Tombe' is so called because in the C14th, the Seigneur who owned all the surrounding land, chose to be buried on top of the hill, the better to look out over his property, (but don't worry, there doesn't seem to be any sign of him now!) The house also has an orchard, and a second house, (which I haven't done up yet - ah so many things to occupy time...) It's a painter's and photographer's paradise, indeed 'Lectoure', one of the local towns, has been named one of the official 'Centres de la photographie de la France.' (Of particular interest to me as I am a photographer.)
The views...:
The views from 'La Tombe' are magnificent. Sometimes in the mornings the valley fills with mist and the local village, 'La Sauvetat' (The Sanctuary,) floats ethereally on top of it's hill. On mornings like this the toll of the church bells seems much clearer and the high pitched cries of the hawks hang suspended in the air. During the day the sun moves around, painting an ever-changing panorama and bringing different hills and crops into definition from hour to hour. With the sunflowers in full bloom the landscape is a saturated bright yellow, and the last light of the day shines across from the west creating ever-lengthening shadows from the trees, indeed, the shadow of the hill on which the house is built seems to creep slowly up the adjoining one, until the sun disappears to be replaced by an unbelievable array of pinpricks of light and shooting stars. If you walk up to the back of the property on a clear day, the Pyrenees form a majestic jagged snow-capped line in the far distance.
History...:
Gascony has had many successive settlements with new-comers always attracted by its strategic situation and fertile soil, ideally located on trade roads, with rivers making shipping possible.
The region's culture and history can be well illustrated by what happened to the village of Pujols, a charming township in Lot-et Garonne. It was first occupied by a Celtic oppidum (in the middle of the first millennium BC), then turned into a Roman castrum (around 56 BC), then changed into a Gallo-Roman village (during the first centuries of our time), to be invaded by the Vandals, who where followed by the Visigoths (in the 5th century AD), and then taken over by the Arabs (during the 8th century,) followed by the Normans, before being totally destroyed and reconstructed (with new fortifications) for the Hundred Years War...
However, it's a lot calmer now!!! There are just the wonderful fortified bastides left to show this turbulent history.
Golf:
The golf de Fleurance charges green fees of €18 and offers a 9 x 9 hole course.
The golf d'Auch, while being a little further away embraces the undulations of 5 small valleys, even if not too taxing, some strokes require thought and dexterity. A place where you will be in communion with the charm of the Gascony. The elevated Club house offers a unique view on the golf course and in the background, the blue line of the Pyrenees.
Other Activities:
ah, need I say! EATING & DRINKING rather too well!!!
