Condom / Castéra-Verduzan

Condom’s cathedral and Armagnac Museum underline the importance of this little city in Gascon history. There’s no better ambassador for the town than that most celebrated of Gascons, 17th-century d’Artagnan, portrayed, along with his daredevil companions, in a statue beside the cathedral. Condom would be a fine place to re-read Alexandre Dumas’s world-famous 19th-century novel, The Three Musketeers, based on this group of swashbuckling friends. Before rejoining the Baïse on a stretch where its flow has been calmed, first the Vallée de la Baïse à Vélo leads you west for 6km, along a greenway, the Voie Verte de l’Armagnac. Then, at the level of Cassaigne, leave the former railway line for vineyards, riding through typically unspoilt Gascon wine-making lands. Before reaching Valence-sur-Baïse, don’t miss two gems, Graziac double lock and the Cistercian abbey of Flaran, one of the best-preserved in southwest France, packed with masterpieces from the 16th to the 20th centuries. The neighbouring village of Valence-sur-Baïse boasts a charming river port. The route continues on high above the Baïse River, affording wonderful views of the countryside. The thermal spa village of Castéra-Verduzan marks the end of this stage that’s sure to leave you with a warm glow!

The Route

To leave Condom, the Vallée de la Baïse à Vélo cycle route takes you along the cycle path over Barlet Bridge, then along Route de Mézin to join a greenway, the Voie Verte de l’Armagnac. Along this greenway, at the level of the bastide of Cassaigne, follow signposting indicating Valence-sur-Baïse at 9km to leave the greenway and continue on quiet little country roads.

There are some significant slopes to tackle before you get back to the riverside at the level of Graziac double lock and, after this, to reach Flarembel Chapel. The surfacing is rough as you ride alongside the river from Flaran Abbey to Valence-sur-Baïse’s river port. Note that there’s also a long slope before you reach Valence-sur-Baïse.

Link
Voie Verte de l’Armagnac, a greenway from Condom to Lagraulet du Gers. At time of writing, this is a provisional link using quiet little roads until the route along the former railway line up to Eauze is completely laid out.

Don't miss 

• Condom: the cathedral; the cloisters; the historic Maison Aurian; the Hôtel Polignac (an historic mansion, now a state school); the statue of d’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers
• Cassaigne: château selling both Côtes de Gascogne wines and Armagnac brandy
• Écluse double de Graziac: built between 1838 and 1850 from stone blocks, at this double lock, measuring some 30m, the shift in altitude between upper and lower parts is 4.5m
• Abbaye de Flaran: cistercian abbey dating back in part to the 12th century but transformed in the 18th, the whole extremely well preserved, including a splendid walled garden
• Valence-sur-Baïse: a medieval bastide town built along a promontory measuring 600m in length and 150m in width, perched over 60m above the valley below, while from the viewing point beside the partly transformed 14th-century church, it’s possible to make out the Pyrenees on clear days
• Castéra-Verduzan: a small thermal spa resort crossed by the Auloue River, a pleasant place to go shopping as well as offering the following leisure activities: a casino; hiking trails, including to the hamlet of Vieux Castera; bathing in the lake (accredited Blue Flag status for its clean waters) with watersports available in summer from the outdoor leisure activities base (base de loisirs)