Attractions
The bastide town of Beaumont de lomagne is only a few minutes drive away and is famous as the garlic capital of France, with its own racecourse. It has bars, restaurants, pharmacies, several shops and a Saturday market.
The surrounding countryside provides excellent routes for cycling and rambling and the local roads of the Tarn and Garonne are a “must” for bikers. The scenic views are a painter’s paradise.
The lake at Beaumont with it’s recreational facilities is ideal for children. Fishing is very popular on the lake and there are many other spots in the locality to suit those Carp fishermen!
The whole area is well-known for horses and there are several equestrian centres in the area if you would like to explore on horseback.
Great canoeing facilities are provided on the nearby Garonne and Aveyron rivers and further sailing facilities can be found at the lake beside Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave.
The medieval towns in the surrounding hills provide a market day – every day of the week. And from June through to October – all the local villages provide fêtes with gourmet evenings, music and dancing until the early hours.
Local Specialities
The region of Gascony is renowned for its gourmand fayre, particularly Foie Gras, Roquefort cheese, Canard dishes, amongst many other delicacies.
There is a different local market to visit every day of the week all year round where you can buy these regional specialities.
Gaillac, Cahors and St Sardos wines provide an excellent accompaniment to this local produce, which are available from local caves.
Throughout the summer months local villages hold gourmand evenings where you can sample a whole selection of dishes and wines at very reasonable prices.
Tourist Attractions
Toulouse is within a 45 minute drive and is a bustling city with shops, restaurants and theatres. It also has the famous Cité de l’Espace featuring many exciting aspects of space travel. Toulouse provides all the major facilities of a large city, whilst retaining its charm with its pink buildings and an abundance of cobbled streets, cafe/bars, and open markets. It is also famous for its delicious sausages!
Carcassonne is a medieval walled city – Le Cité – and is a World Heritage site with historical and architectural interest which encompasses a wealth of shops and restaurants serving the local speciality dish of Cassoulet.
Spend a day visiting the famous pilgrimage centre of Lourdes sitting in the foothills of the Pyrenees where you can learn about Bernadette Soubirous and discover the site of the apparitions and the ‘Message of Lourdes’.
A drive to the Pyrenees and Andorra is also a great way to spend a day, following a scenic route on the way to spectacular mountain scenery.
Links
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