Auch
Capital of Gascony
Auch (pronounced Ohsh) in the Gers département is in the heart of the old province of Gascony and home to the fabled Musketeers! Indeed the Musketeers, in particular d’Artagnan, have added much to the allure of this very quiet attractive place.
Originally a Basque settlement on the River Gers, its more recent history has been due to being a convenient place to stay on the road from Toulouse to Bordeaux. It would have remained so had it not been for Alexander Dumas’ novel The Three Musketeers, whose main character d’Artagnan, was based on a real-life local man from Auch called Charles de Batz.
What to see:
Escalier Monumental