garedesos.com
garedesos.com
The old province of Gascony is still relatively undiscovered and therefore the “tourist industry” in the area is relatively underdeveloped, but you can find most things that you might expect, and several unexpected treasures too.Visitors are usually warmly welcomed everywhere - there seems to be little of the “tourist fatigue” found in the Dordogne or on the Mediterranean coast - and there is still a great deal of local pride in the area which will readily be shared with you by the local residents, especially if you can try to communicate in French. There is a tennis court in the village, several good golf courses within half an hour’s drive, various horse-riding possibilities, lake swimming and boating, a mini theme-park/funfair (Parc Walibi) just outside Agen and a tourist railway or two. There are also museums to the prune, to armagnac, to cork and to the condom (in the town of Condom), the French national collection of water lilies (where Monet bought his for Giverny) and a collection of ancient fruit trees and vegetable varieties of worldwide importance. Villages still have village fetes and meals to celebrate the solstice and the change of seasons (leaping over bonfires a speciality in June), and Sos and others organise rambles and historic tours. There is a classical concert season in July/August and occasional visits from theatre or folklore groups.The elegant and spacious former railway station of the little village of Sos sits in the valley of the river Gélise at its foot and was converted during 1993/4 to a high standard to provide comfortably furnished holiday accommodation. Although only a few minutes away from Sos village, the station is set in peaceful wooded countryside and hidden from the village (during the summer) by a magnificent avenue of hundred year-old plane trees.A delightful swimming pool and pool house for guests' exclusive use were added during 1996 and 1997. The station was inspected and classified Gîte rural in January, 1999 by the Gîtes de France organisation with a two “ears of corn” rating.