Where to stay
La Bastide In the ancient village of Barbotan, overlooked by its medieval church, and surrounded by Armagnac vineyards, La Bastide is based in a former 18th-century Carthusian monastery, with a spa and healing waters at its heart. With suitably luxurious, spacious rooms, there’s also a restaurant under the three-Michelin-starred guidance of Michel Guérard. Doubles from £170. 32150 Cazaubon,
00 33 5 62 08 3100, bastide-gasconne.com
Les Bruhasses This 18th-century farmhouse run by Hélène and Jean Royer is set in its own private gardens complete with pigeonniers (dovecote towers) and surrounded by sunflower fields. Jean makes breakfast every day with an assortment of wild jams and pastries, including bread and butter pudding with plum jam. He also cooks when there are six guests or more. Doubles from £77. 32100 Condom,
00 33 5 6268 3835, lesbruhasses.fr
Château de Fourcès Found in a unique setting in Fourcès, one of the most picturesque villages in the region, this Renaissance-style private château dating back to the 15th century is located in its own woodland. Owners Olivier and Maria Lesaffre serve breakfast and dinner on request and offer five bedrooms, all with four-poster beds. The property also has a pool, plus a gite that can host six people. Doubles from £130. Rue du Château, 32250 Fourcès, 00 33 5 6229 4953, chateau-fources.com La Ferme de Flaran Owners Gérard and Michelle Tête sold their foie gras farm of 25 years and, having seen this once-renowned restaurant turn to ruin, they decided to take it on, modernise it with an outdoor pool and air con, and make it their own. The rooms are neat and the place is ideally located in the middle of the region – 8km from Condom, 35km from Auch. The owners are always at hand and the food is heavily Gascon-based. Doubles from £57. Route de condom, 32310 Valencesur-Baïse, 00 33 5 6229 3983, fermedeflaran.com
Hôtel de France At the very centre of Auch, with views across the square and towards the cathedral, location-wise it’s impossible to beat. Once home to the great Gascon chef André Daguin, it boasts quirky, spacious rooms full of eccentric Seventies character (so don’t be surprised to find your bed overlooked by a faux-Romanesque bust). There are also two excellent food options: a grand dining room and a relaxed terrace bistro serving local fare at a very reasonable £20 for three courses. Doubles from £72. Place de la Libération, 32000 Auch, 00 33 5 6261 7171, hoteldefrance-auch.com
La Villa des Remparts In the village of Labastide-d’Armagnac in the west of the region, the Armagnac en Fête takes place every October to celebrate the distillation of the eponymous spirit. Host Bertand has four bedrooms in this wonderfully shabby-chic villa, offering a home-cooked dinner with plenty of advice on local hotspots. Doubles from £60. Rue de la Chaussée, 40240 Labastide-d’Armagnac, 00 33 6 7296 6835