france

The Biran Roman Tower (Pile gallo-romaine de La Turraque) is one of a few Roman towers in the countryside in southern Gers. We sought out three of these towers near Biran, in the River Baise valley. The Michelin map for the Midi-Pyrenees #525 has three towers marked - Biran Roman Tower, Lasserre...

Another tower in the area. This one is hard to find and you can't get close. The red arrow points to the tower.

Closeup of the east side of the tower.

East side of the tower.

North side of the tower.

The tower sits in a field at the top of a hill.

Road signs on the N124 east of Vic Fezensac.

The tower sits in a field beside the River Baise.

This is the best example in the area and is easy to find.

Flaran Abbey (Abbaye de Flaran), a Cistercian abbey founded in 1151, is one of the best preserved abbeys in the southwest of France. Inside the abbey is a permanent exhibition on the Way of St. James, the pilgrimage route that passes through Gascony to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Two...

Saint-Jacques, 19th century from Church of Saint-Pierre, Auch. Pilgrim with the scallop shell.

Pelerin de Saint-Jacques, 18th century (estimated 1772) from Mezin (Lot-et-Garonne). Statue of a pilgrim walking, wearing scallop shells.

Inside the abbey.

Inside the abbey.

A beautiful building in a beautiful setting.

Cloisters.

Detail on columns.

Detail on columns.

A former Cistercian abbey founded in 1151.

Flaran Abbey (Abbaye de Flaran) in Gascony near Condom.