SLOW TOURISM ❘ GERS
“WITH A FEW CHARMING BOUTIQUES AND CAFÉ/BAR TERRACES, SAINT-CLAR IS A LOVELY PLACE TO SIT AND PEOPLE WATCH”
exhibition areas (the museum counts a thousand objects from five continents and four millennia) and a large space devoted to temporary displays. My personal highlights are the Carillon of the Bastille, the monumental clock saved from pillage after July 14, 1789, and finally secured for posterity by the French state in 1989; and the unique collection of intricately hand-carved subrejougs – wooden objects attached to the top of cattle yoke to help the cow maintain balance. I’d never even seen one before, let alone learned about their place in the rural heritage of the Midi. In short, I cannot recommend this museum highly enough as a place to learn about subjects which are perhaps not usually on one’s cultural agenda. The sound of bells still harmonising in my ears after an impromptu ringing display from Bruno, I head up the D654 for a lunch stop with a heart in the delightful and surprisingly tranquil for a Saturday lunchtime (market day is Thursday) central place at Cologne. Le Comptoir des Colibris provides a winning combination of great food and considerate employment policy based on social inclusion. The Mousquetaires salad, named in homage to D’Artagnan and his swashbuckling pals and featuring iconic treats such as duck gésiers and slices of magret, is my Gascon go-to. This restaurant solidaire provides vulnerable unemployed people with workplace training – so lucky patrons can simultaneously eat well and help others.
GOOD FOR THE GOUSSE My next stop, on the outskirts of Saint-Clar, could not better typify farming life in rural Gers. The fabulous Maison de l’Ail – run by passionate and very jolly allium advocates Marie and Francis Gamot – showcases the garlic producer’s work calendar, with a ten-minute video demystifying the growing, drying and plaiting process for the uninitiated such as I.
Meanwhile, pretty bunches of white and violet bulbs tempt buyers in the shop. This place offers a great little clin d’oeil (as the French would say) into an ancient profession – and Marie and Francis are keen to stress that they welcome campervans to stay on their land. By mid- afternoon I was ready to head into Saint-Clar, a gorgeous village with the rare distinction of two arcaded squares and two separate historic centres. The first, with low, half-timbered houses,
72 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Oct/Nov 2023
IMAGES © CDT GERS, N. BACHOUX, G. VILMINOT, C. LAFFONT, S. DAUDIRAC, J.L. PEREIRA
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