The Region
Laplechade can be used either as a base to explore the sights, sounds and flavours of Gascony, or as somewhere just to laze in the sun and splash in the pool. The house offers families or groups of friends the chance to enjoy a golden holiday in tranquil surroundings in the heart of La France Profonde yet within easy reach of the major Gascon sites and the towns of Auch, Agen and Montauban.
The house is just a few miles from Lavit de Lomagne, where there are several small shops, restaurants and bars, a post office, bank, petrol station and pharmacy. Beaumont, 15 minutes drive away, has two good supermarkets and a regular Saturday market under the spectacular 14th century wooden market hall.
For those who wish to experience the delights of the table, you are in the heart of foie gras country - and then there's the goats' cheese, the garlic - Beaumont and nearby St Clar vie with each other as "The Garlic Capital of France" - the plums, apricots, mirabelles, melons - and, of course, Armagnac and the wines of Fronton, Cahors, Gaillac, Madiran, Buzet.
Several good but inexpensive restaurants, offering the many delights of Gascon cuisine, can be found in nearby villages.
Also nearby there's fishing, horse riding, tennis and golf, and water sports on the vast plan d'eau at St Nicolas de la Grave as well as the lakes at St Sardos, Beaumont and St Clar.
Excursions
The rolling countryside is a patchwork of woods and fields, rivers and lakes - with tiny ancient villages dotted among the fields of sunflowers, the vineyards and the orchards.
Close to Montgaillard, a village that regularly wines prizes in the local Village in Bloom competitions, are:
Lachapelle - with its intimate baroque church
Gramont - a renaissance chateau and museum devoted to honey
Auvillar - with its circular market hall and spectacular views across the Garonne
St Nicolas-de-la-Grave - birthplace of the founder of Detroit, Lamothe-Cadillac
- also at St Nicolas is a leisure centre and wild life reserve
St Creac - whose church has incredible wall-paintings
Gensac - a farm specialising in delicious goats' cheese
St Clar - an ancient bastide town with two market squares, a beautiful lake and a sandy beach
Belleperche - a restored Cistercian abbey now used for concerts and exhibitions
Castelsarrasin - with its summer jazz festival
Moissac - with its world-famous 12th century cloisters
Ferme des Etoiles - an observatory for dedicated star gazers
Montech - for boat trips on the canal and unique lock system
St Sardos - where a local co-operative sells its wine
and Donzac - where another co-operative has its wine cellars
Slightly further afield there's:
Parc Walibi - "Alton Towers with a French accent"!
Fermeraie du Jougla - a rare breed centre where you can feed the animals
Clairac - The Magic Forest for the under10s and a model railway for the more mature!
Larressingle - medieval walled village with interactive museum of siege engines!
Cit矤e l'Espace, Toulouse - home of the Ariane rocket
Montauban - the county town, with Cathedral, museums, art galleries, shops and dramatic views of the Tarn from the Pont Vieux
Condom - with its museum of Armagnac
Seviac - and its Roman villa
Auch - with wonderful stained glass and oak carvings in its Cathedral
And if you want to travel a little further, in a little over two hours you can be at the Atlantic coast in one direction or the Med in other, head south for the Pyrenees, Spain and Andorra or visit such famous centres as:
Carcassonne - the magnificent medieval walled town
Albi - with its massive brick Cathedral
Cahors - with its bridges spanning the Lot
Rocamadour - a medieval pilgrimage centre
Labouiche - and its underground river
Wildlife
The wildlife is amazing: geckos bask in the sun or scamper up the walls, bright brimstones and red admirals, swallowtails and fritillaries flutter by; deer graze the meadow in the valley below Laplechade and dormice come into the garden. And the bird life! - buzzards circle overhead, while songbirds serenade. At Laplechade we've seen - or heard - hoopoes, nightingales and skylarks, while inquisitive red-legged partridges often visit the garden in the early morning. Brilliant golden orioles can be seen and heard in the treetops and goldfinches, greenfinches and white wagtails abound.
At night, myriads of stars are visible - no light pollution here!
The Owners
We are an English couple who live in the region all year round in a house about 5 miles north of Laplechade - so we are nearby if you need us. We call in at least twice a week to clean the pool, do any grounds maintenance, and generally make sure that you are enjoying your holiday. We can also provide a baby-sitting service.