The beautiful rural Gers department is a little-known and rather secret corner of southwest France. For those looking for a laid-back lifestyle in la France profonde, a region where the good life is revered, and the people are friendly – the Gers is a fabulous place to live.
And if teleworking or working from home are an option, you’ll find that the Armagnac region of France has lots to lure you.
If you are searching for your dream home in the Gers, let local real estate agent Mourréjeau Immobilier help you. With offices in Marciac and Riscle, they have great local knowledge, and get to hear of properties coming onto the market before anyone else! They have a superb range of properties from gorgeous farmhouses with swimming pools to chateaux and apartments. And they also have a range of properties to let, including long lets.
Living and working in the Gers
The Gers, the heart of the ancient area known as Gascony, is a land of gently rolling hills, fields filled with sunflowers and maize, and vineyards producing some excellent wines and, of course, Armagnac. As the birthplace of d’Artagnan, Alexandre Dumas’ hero from The Three Musketeers – and France’s oldest brandy, Armagnac – Gers is steeped in history. The biggest town is Auch, the capital of the department, but with a population of around 32,000, it’s not crowded.
Brimming with beautiful “bastide” villages, famous for its vibrant festivals such as the renowned jazz festival in Marciac, motor racing in Nogaro, colourful markets, warm sunshine, mild winters – what’s not to love about the Gers?
It’s also a great place to live for those who work from home with high-speed broadband and fibre optic networks being deployed over the whole area. Toulouse and Bordeaux airports are within a couple of hours drive and the road networks are excellent. However, there are no motorways in the Gers! There’s a ton of advice and help on the internet regarding the practicalities and logistics of moving to France. It’s pretty straightforward for those wishing to become self-employed (auto-entrepreneur) which registers you into the French system. And the health care system in France is superb.
Gorgeous villages and heavenly countryside
Choose from picturesque stone bastide towns and pretty medieval villages. There are castles and manoirs alongside hamlets and villages. You’ll find it’s a feast for the eyes in any season. This little-populated region is crisscrossed by country lanes that wind over hillsides and valleys past swathes of sunflowers, fields of wheat and vineyards.
This is a land of plenty. Bestowed with phrases such as God’s larder, gastronomy is an essential element of ‘art-de-vivre’ in the region. In the fertile soil and with a mellow year- round temperature – everything grows. Most homeowners have a ‘potager’ – vegetable garden. And, if you’re a keen gardener, you’ll find yourself in good company in Gers. This is a land where chickens roam free and bustling local markets are a part of daily life.
With enticing areas such as the stunning Pyrenees, west coast beaches, Basque country, Spain and the Mediterranean on the doorstep, you’ll never run out of things to do.
Buying a property in the Gers
The low prices of properties in the area are a real temptation. Examples range from €50,000 for a 2-bedroomed village house to €400,000 for a country property set in an enviable location with a private lake.
If you don’t speak French, don’t worry. Though you’ll often read it’s necessary to speak fluent French to get by, you’ll find a smattering helps in most situations and the friendly locals are happy to help correct you as you learn.
If you long to escape the rat race, then this idyllic off-the-beaten track location might be just what you’re looking for. Mourréjeau Immobilier’s English agent, Julia, will be delighted to help you find your dream property in this beautiful corner of south-west France.
Take a look at Mourrejeau’s range of properties here: www.mourrejeau.immo
Contact Julia by email: julia@mourrejeau.immo
