Did you know that Toulouse was a candidate for European City of Culture 2013? In fact it was pipped at the post by Marseilles, but that doesn’t in the least detract from its attractions. Toulouse has the second university in France (after Paris), and some really outstanding churches, lovely streets with buildings in the local brick (up around Miradoux it’s all stone), and museums. The museum in Place Saint-Sernin, the Musee Saint-Raymond (musee des Antiquites de Toulouse), has a lot on interesting artefacts from the Roman city of Tolosa and from the late Roman cemetry that developed around the tomb of Saint Saturnine (Sernin); but most spectacular are the discoveries made in the 19th century at the Roman villa of Chiragan—particularly a large quantity of sculpted heads. There are so many one wonders if it was an atelier for sculptors, or a gallery of busts of the period. When we last went some rather silly plastocene noses had been stuck on many of them for fun. The museum is housed in a 16th century college which is itself designated a Historic Monument. You can get to Toulouse in just over an hour from Miradoux (parking meters round St. Sernin). Don’t miss the Jacobin church, either. And of course Toulousain food is renowned.
The Tour de France always generates excitement, and it isn’t confined to French enthusiasts any longer. There’s a good book on it in English by Geoffrey Wheatcroft, Le Tour: A History of the Tour de France. In 2012 the route of the Tour comes past Foix and south of the Gers (our department) via Tarbes and on up to Bordeaux. If you’re staying in Miradoux at the time there should be a chance to see some of the stages.
Another date for your diary, as every year, is 14th July, French National Day. Each year there’s an open air lunch or dinner in the Halles just opposite our house, and everyone is welcome to book themselves in. Unlike the reputation that some Parisians have acquired the Miradousains are a very friendly lot and welcome visitors. You may even find yourself singing the Marseillaise after lunch, or at least ‘Sur le pont d’Avignon’.
Later in the summer (not sure of the date in 2012 yet) there is the Fete de la Chasse when the local hunters (on foot, with guns) produce a couple of wild boar shot in the district which they roast on spits out in the Place du Forail in Miradoux. Long trestle tables, jugs of wine, a local brass band, and some venison sausages with salad while you wait for the wild boar to cook. Wild boar can’t be sold outside the area in which it’s shot, we are told, so this is very much a local festivity, though it draws in plenty of people from surrounding villages. Not an evening for vegetarians, though.
Looking at the TGV (high-speed train) timetable I see that you can get on the Eurostar in St Pancras at 0855 and, with a decent interval to get across Paris (and maybe have a light lunch near the station at Montparnasse) arrive in Agen at 1829 hours. No changing at Bordeaux on the way down from Paris. There are some very good deals if you book early (up to 3 months in advance), and even more so if you are a ‘senior’. There’s also the route changing at Lille to another platform rather than going across Paris, but we haven’t tried that yet. Agen station is only a 25 minute drive from our house in Miradoux; the station bistrot is the genuine French article.
The two free tennis courts in the village have been quite a hit with some of our guests. There’s no booking system, all very informal, and I have the impression they are seldom used other than by people staying at our house. They’re both hard courts, and in pretty good condition. Just behind the tennis courts is a rough football pitch with equally informal arrangements i.e. open to anyone staying in the village.
Miradoux House for Rent 