La Romieu
La Romieu is a pretty village with charming, stone-built houses in northern Gers between Condom and Lectoure, just 10km from the department of Lot-et-Garonne.
History of La Romieu
At the end of the 11th century, a German monk named Albert returning from a pilgrimage to Rome and on his way to Santiago de Compostela , settled in this area. He founded a priory attached to the Abbey Saint Victor de Marseille on land belonging to the Seigneurs de Firmacon, Vicomtes de Lomagne. A ‘Salvetat’ village (place of safety) was built around the priory. « Roumiou » means pilgrim in Gascon. In the 14th century, the village grew in importance when Arnaud d’Aux, a dignitary at the Papal court in Avignon, decided that his native village should be the site of his family tomb and so built the collegiate church of Saint Pierre there.
The village of La Romieu has an irregular pentagonal shape, and was originally equipped with crenelated walls, ditches and drawbridges, gates and towers. All this did not prevent Protestant troops, led by Mongommery, from entering the village and burning down a large number of dwellings and archives. The parish church on what is now the main square was destroyed after the French Revolution. The northern gateway still exists in its original form. It is crowned by a square tower with machicolations and corner arrow slits. The central square and the arcades, which contain shops, have recently been renovated. Water from the Petit Auvignon river flows gently through the wash pool and Gothic fountain in a wonderfully tranquil setting.
The delightful historic village of La Romieu is well-known for its collegiate church, a jewel of Gothic architecture, listed building and World Heritage Site since 1998. Visited by 28,000 tourists every year, it is a major attraction for the village which in July 2018 became one of the « Loveliest Villages in France ». This remarkable example of southern architecture comprises a church with a single nave, a cloister and two towers, one of which has a secret passage and double staircase. There are also gardens, a rampart walk and an octagonal tower with newly-restored frescoes.
Sight-seeing in La Romieu
A junior treasure hunt along a discovery trail with a certificate at the end is a fun way for children to explore the village. As you stroll around, count the number of stone cats on the arcades of the main square and window sills of houses. They were a gift from Maurice Serreau, a sculptor from Orléans, who fell in love with the village. He got the idea for the sculptures while listening to a grandmother telling her grandchildren about the legend of Angeline and the cats.
Walking : the destiny and fame of La Romieu are inextricably linked to the pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela, thanks to its position at the intersection of the GR65 and GR652 (hiking paths) on the Via Podienses between the stopovers of Lectoure and Condom. Religious heritage buildings include the church of Saint-Caprais, Chapelle de Martet, the remains of the Gothic Chapelle des Clarisses and the original parish church.
- La Romieu was originally surrounded by high walls. Remains of a few of them are visible along with the Gateway ""de la Fontaine"".
-The Château de Madirac, a listed building, and the Château de Saint-Aignan, both dating from the 16th century.
Village events : Marché aux Rosiers in May, Art au Mieux in June, ‘vide grenier’ second-hand sale on 14 July, Marché des Potiers in September. And for plant lovers, Coursiana, a ‘Jardin Remarquable’ on the outskirts of the village features four wonderful gardens.
Not far from La Romieu : heritage and gastronomy
Villages near La Romieu : Larressingle the smallest fortified village in France, Condom capital of Armagnac, Lectoure with its thermal springs and Valence sur Baïse with its Cistercian Abbey de Flaran.
Good food : There are 2 restaurants in La Romieu. La Ferme de Mont Saint Jean is a Ferme-Auberge at Saint Mézard. There are weekly markets at Lectoure on Friday morning and Fleurance on Tuesday morning.
The Château de Mons is a vineyard where you can visit the cellars and taste Floc and Armagnac. Nearby farms belonging to the Bienvenue à la Ferme network : La Ferme de Bidache at St Puy raises Gascon black pigs, Saffron grower at Lectoure, ‘Aux Evèques Gourmands’ at Roquepine makes cordials, jams and sorbets from flowers and herbs.
Top tip from an enthusiastic traveller : "" La Romieu is an essential destination for those who love peace, tranquillity, Gascon good living…and I almost forgot…history. Join walkers along the pilgrim way to gradually see the collegiate church come into view, keeping some energy back for the climb to the top of the tower to admire the view of the countryside you’ve been walking through for the past few hours. Cars arrive along a winding road and have to park outside the timeless village which has retained its character and charm from the late Middle Ages. Stop for something to eat under the arcades of the main square before stepping back in time during a good-humoured tour of the collegiate church. There’s plenty to see, but you’ll want to learn more… ""
How to get to La Romieu : the village is 14.3km from the Abbaye de Flaran, 12km from Lectoure, 10km from Condom, 15.6km from Larressingle, 26km from Agen and 38km from Auch, capital of Gascony. The nearest airport is Agen La Garenne (35km). The nearest TGV railway station is at Agen. A bus service runs from Agen to Lectoure or Condom. You can get a taxi from there to La Romieu."
