Page 334 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

defences during the 14th Valence, crosses the river and & 3-6pm Wed-Mon Apr-Oct,
century. then joins the A62 highway 2-5pm Wed-Sat Nov & Dec,
(toll charge). Take exit 7 onto Feb & Mar, closed Jan) has a
54 p399 the D931, a much quieter road small collection of vin-
that meanders through rural
The Drive » The D653 travels countryside to Condom. tage Armagnac- making
part of the 61km southwest equipment.
towards Moissac, passing
through a delightful landscape 5 p333
of woods, fields and sleepy 6 Condom The Drive » The last stretch
villages. After about 39km, turn Despite its snigger- to St-Jean Pied de Port is an
south on the D2 to connect with inducing name, Condom epic 255km via the A65 and A64
the D16 and D957 into Moissac. actually has nothing highways, so you might like to
to do with contracep- break it up by combining it with
tives – its name dates stops detailed in our tours of the
5 Moissac from Gallo-Roman times, Pyrenees or the Atlantic Coast.
Moissac’s crowning when it was known as
glory is the monumental Condatomagus. TRIP HIGHLIGHT
Abbaye St-Pierre (place Established as a
Durand de Bredon; adult/child Roman port on the 7 St-Jean Pied de
€6.50/4; h9am-7pm Jul & Baïse River, the town’s Port
Aug, 9am-noon & 2-7pm Sep- Flamboyant Gothic Your pilgrimage ends
Jun), one of France’s finest Cathédrale St-Pierre at the walled town of
Romanesque abbeys. (place St-Pierre; h8am-6pm St-Jean Pied de Port, the
Above the south portal is daily) was the main point last stop for Compostela
yet another marvellous of interest for pilgrims. pilgrims on French soil
tympanum: completed in The tent-like cloister, before crossing the Span-
1130, it depicts St John’s covered by a vaulted roof, ish border, 8km away.
vision of the Apocalypse, was designed to offer With its cobbled lanes
with Christ flanked by wet-weather protection and impressive ramparts,
the Apostles, angels and while pilgrims waited to it’s one of southwest
PYRENEES & SOUTHWEST FRANCE 30 CHEAT’S COMPOSTELA
24 awestruck elders. pay their religious dues. France’s most authenti-
Outside, the columns Condom’s other claim cally medieval towns, so
of the cloister are topped to fame is as the home it makes a fitting end to
with carved capitals of Armagnac, a potent your trip. The founda-
depicting foliage, figures brandy brewed since tions of the Église Notre
and biblical scenes. Sad- medieval times as a Dame du Bout du Pont
ly, the Revolution took its medicinal tonic, but now are said to be as old as
toll – almost every face drunk as an after-dinner the town itself, but the
has been smashed. digestif. There are many building itself was rebuilt
Entry to the abbey distilleries around town, in the 17th century.
is via the tourist office but one of the best is While you might be
(%05 63 04 01 85; http://tour Armagnac Ryst-Dupeyron ending your pilgrimage
isme.moissac.fr; 6 place Durand (%05 62 28 08 08; 36 rue Jean here, spare a thought for
de Bredon; h9am-noon & Jaurès; h10am-noon & 2-5pm the real pilgrims – for
2-6pm Apr-Oct, 9am-7pm Jul & Mon-Fri), where you can them, there’s still another
Aug, shorter hours Nov-Mar). taste vintage brandies in a 800km to go before they
turn-of-the-century cellar. reach journey’s end at
54 p333
Nearby, the teeny Santiago de Compostela’s
The Drive » The easiest route Musée de l’Armagnac famous cathedral.
for the 85km trip to Condom (2 rue Jules Ferry; adult/child
travels west on the D813 to €2.20/1.10; h10am-noon 5 p357

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