FLEURANCE, 24km north of Auch, has a typical bastide central square, place de la République, bordered by arcaded shops and houses, with the difference that its medieval halle, now the town hall, was successfully converted into mellow classical stone in the nineteenth century. The church is worth a look, too, for its octagonal Toulouse-style belfry and, more particularly, the three stained-glass windows executed by Arnaud de Moles, the artist of Auch cathedral. The tourist office is on place de la République (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–6.30pm, Sun 9am–12.30pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9am–1pm & 3.30–6pm; tel 05.62.64.00.00). If you wish to stay, the only hotels are the central two-star Le Relais (tel 05.62.06.05.08, fax 05.62.06.03.84; €30–40) and, just out of town on the route d'Agen, the large, modern Le Fleurance (tel 05.62.06.14.85, [email protected]; €40–55).Eleven kilometres further north sits LECTOURE, the smallest and prettiest of the three towns, built astride a high ridge looking out over the surrounding farmland. Capital of the colony of Novempopulania in Roman times and of the counts of Armagnac until their demise at the hands of Louis XI in 1473, it's now renowned for its melons. In the middle of the main street, the Cathédrale de St-Gervais-et-de-St-Protais raises its enormous tower above the town, while down the rue Fontelié, among scarcely altered medieval houses, you come to the thirteenth-century Gothic Fontaine de Diane. Apart from the handsome mairie, with its Musée Archéologique (April–Sept daily 10am–noon & 2–5/6pm; Oct–March closed Tues; €2), containing some interesting Roman bits and pieces, this pretty much exhausts the sights. The tourist office, on place de la Cathédrale (Mon–Sat 8.30am–noon & 2–5/6pm, Sun 3–5pm; tel 05.62.68.76.98, fax 05.62.68.79.30), runs the GR65 gîte d'étape on nearby rue St-Gervais (same phone number). Just around the corner from the gîte is the superb but unfortunately named Hôtel de Bastard in rue Lagrange (tel 05.62.68.82.44, fax 05.62.68.76.81; €55–70; closed Jan; menus from €26), while the Auberge des Bouviers at 8 rue Montebello near the central market hall, makes for an atmospheric place to eat (from €19.50). Heading on to Condom with your own transport, stop in at La Romieu, half-way between the two towns, where there's a sumptuously decorated fourteenth-century collegial church (June–Sept Mon–Sat 10am–noon & 2–7pm & Sun 2–7pm; Oct–May Mon–Sat 10am–noon & 2–6pm & Sun 2–6pm; free), once an important way-station on the Santiago pilgrim trail.
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