Gascony

Gascony (French: Gascogne, pronounced /gaskawn/ ; Gascon: Gasconha, pronounced {{IPA|/gasˈkuɲɐ/}}) is an area of southwest France that constituted a royal province prior to the French Revolution. It is currently divided between the Aquitaine région (départements of Landes, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, south of Gironde, and south of Lot-et-Garonne) and the Midi-Pyrénées région (départements of Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées, southwest of Tarn-et-Garonne, and west of Haute-Garonne).

Related Topics:
French - Gascon - France - Royal province - French Revolution - Aquitaine - Région - Département - Landes - Pyrénées-Atlantiques - Gironde - Lot-et-Garonne - Midi-Pyrénées - Gers - Hautes-Pyrénées - Tarn-et-Garonne - Haute-Garonne

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Gascony was historically inhabited by Basque related people. It is home to the Gascon language. It is also the land of d'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers, of world-wide fame.

Related Topics:
Basque - Gascon language - D'Artagnan - Three Musketeers

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Gascony is also famed for its douceur de vivre ("sweetness of life"): its reputed food (Gascony is home to foie gras and Armagnac brandy), its medieval towns and villages nested amidst green rolling hills, its sunny weather, the beauty of its landscape, with the occasional distant views of the Pyrenees mountain range, all contribute to the popularity of Gascony as a tourist destination. Due to rural exodus, Gascony is one of the least populated areas of western Europe, and so it has recently become a haven for stressed urbanites of northern Europe (France, England, Benelux) in search of quiet and peace of mind, who are increasingly buying second homes in Gascony.

Related Topics:
Foie gras - Armagnac - Pyrenees - Rural exodus - Benelux

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