Gimont

This hike will enable you to discover the history of the Gimontoise country house.

With the length of the course (approximately 1:30) you will find on panels of further information.

Installed on a long peak Gimont is a country house in geometrical plan and a covered market of XIVth century, half-timbered houses…

Gimont is a country house founded in XIIIrd century by the abbot cistercian of the Abbey of Planselve close in paréage with the count to Toulouse.

Here, in South-west, the country house is not an isolated construction, as opposed to what the word country house indicates in Provence. It is an agglomeration open to the exchange, in particular economic.

This characteristic differentiates it from the castelnau and from sauveté, with defensive vocation.

The Abbey of Boulaur is a priory about Fontevrault founded in XIInd century and restored by moniales about Citeaux:

Frescos of XIVth, medieval and traditional frontages, cloister of the XVII, the abbey conceals thousand facets of an inheritance that each one still can discover.

Also discover their farm productions (cheese of cow “Saint-Germier” pies and jams).

Guided visits every day except Tuesday

The time of one day come to go on the steps of the pilgrims by taking this mythical and historical way.

The Community territory is crossed by the way of Arles (GR. 653), and Gimont is historically a stage of reception of the pilgrims of St Jacques de Compostelle who walk on on this Way. The history of Gimont is thus impressed of this pilgrimage (historical creation, vault St Jean, Chapelle Cahuzac).

From Arles, the Provence , in Puenta-la-Reina, the Navarrese, is held one of the four great ways crossing France to join Compostelle.

This way, known as of the South, offers priceless attractions as well at the patrimonial level as geographical. It makes it possible to connect the Mediterranean and Atlantic slopes, with the Isle-Jordan like main door of Gers and first departmental stage after Toulouse.

Level of difficulty:

No particular difficulty, being equipped suitably and not to forget to make water provision per time of strong heat.

The undulating landscapes, with the relief soft and especially maintained by an agriculture still very present, constitute an important asset of the territory. It is a ground favourable with the family excursion, discovered of a rich flora, and with the reading of the landscape.

The various Walks and existing Excursions on the inter-commune territory Arrats-Gimone make it possible to benefit from the virtues of walk or the VTT as from the splendid landscapes which evolve at the rhythm of the seasons.

The Tourist office is happy to be able to propose the various loops which you will find on 4 cards “Rando Gers”.

2 loops at the beginning of Gimont:

• “The large turn of Gimont by Giscaro”
• “The three Jacquaires sites”

1 loop at the beginning of the Commune of Sainte-Marie:

• “5 churches of Sainte-Marie”
• “The mountain of Arrats”

The routes described in these cards are decorated comments which will make you discover the curiosities met on the course: a windmill, a Romance church, a locality whose history is revealed to you, a river etc.

The ideas of visits are suggested on the topic of the religious heritage, the country houses, the nature or the ways of Saint-Jacob de Compostelle.

After having listened to the last instructions and having received a chart to locate itself on the water, the adventure starts!

In the course, you will circumvent splendid cascades which are pretext with a pause, bathe or nap…

There is not any schedules on the water. On the banks, poplars, alders and acacias ravel. The vegetation is dense and bulky. With a little imagination, you will not have a sorrow to believe you on an equatorial river. But here, not of risk to cross a crocodile or an anaconda.

They are various types of birds, martins-fishermen, tubes or will hérons ashy which come to your meeting. And perhaps, if you are quiet, you will be likely to see roe-deers on bank.

The Save, tributary of the Garonne, is a calm and wild river, whose fauna and flora are dépaysantes. It is a river of initiation to the canoe or the kayak out of plain water, ideal for the relaxation and serenity. As for Gesse, it is also a river with range of all, but more sporting. This finished expatriation, it is enough to call us a little before the point of the arrival so that we came to seek you.

All is organized to spend a pure moment of relaxation between friends or in family.