Fourcés - Gers, Midi-Pyrenees, France travel

Visitez Fourcés : gites | hotels | location des voitures | explore Midi-Pyrenees

Fourcés ('most beautiful villages of France') is at the northern limit of the Gers department, 10 kilometres north of Montréal-du-Gers (another 'most beautiful village of France')

Tourist Information

Fourcés is entered by a lovely stone bridge over the river.

The St Laurent church is on your right just before you enter Fourcés. The church dates from the middle ages, although it was in part rebuilt in the 1860's - the bell tower is particularly attractive.

The village itself is a perfect ensemble of medieval houses, some in colombage (half-timbered) and some in stone (built in the 17th and 18th centuries). The mairie occupies one of the finest arcaded-colombage buildings.

Fourcés is very unusual, in that although it is a bastide town, it follows a round design (almost all other bastide towns follow a strict grid pattern). The edges of the central square are surrounded by beautiful old buildings, with sheltered arcades below. The centre of the square is planted with London Plane trees - again unusual, and a lovely place to find some shade.

Around the edges of the 'square', between debates about the origins of the curios marks in the wood of the buildings (left by the builders hundrds of years ago) you can stop at a cafe or restaurant, and then browse the antique or craft shops.

If you are in the region at the end of April, a large flower festival is held in Fourcés, showing the town at its best and a lovely time to visit.