The Way of St-James in France : Marciac, on the Arles Route – 40 photos.

Marciac is a small village of Armagnac in the Southwestern part of France. It is a 13th century fortified village called “Bastide”,nestled down the hills of Armagnac where d’Artagnan was born. It is a bastide typical of the Gascony atmosphere. This charming place is authentic and the inhabitants are proud of their local gastronomy (foie gras, croustade, wine and Armagnac..)

Marciac was also rewarded “Major Site of the Region” and is also one of the stages of the Way of Saint James, on the Arles Route also called the Via Tolosana (coming from Toulouse) on GR653.

Camino – Walking the Via Tolosana – Variant from Auch to Lourdes.

 

 

 

 

 

Click to enlarge the pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camino – Walking the Via Tolosana – Variant from Auch to Lourdes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click to enlarge the pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camino – Walking the Via Tolosana – Variant from Auch to Lourdes.

 

 

Marciac is far from being an international city and yet the Jazz festival created in 1978 has become one major European festival. Each Summer from the end of July to Mid August around 250 000 jazz fans come to applaude the greatest  names of Jazz coming from all over the World.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many things to discover in Marciac:
– the arcades
– the gothic church of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption (14th century)
– the Notre-Dame de la Croix chapel
– the old convent of the Augustins, the old convent of the Saint-Esprit and the old convent of the Dominicains
– the washhouse, the well
– the defensive wall
– the arenas

– the path to Santiago de Compostela.
– the Maison des Abbés and Maison du Roi
– Les Territoires du Jazz (exhibitions about the history of jazz)
– the Natural History Museum
– a forged cross from 1885

Camino – Walking the Via Tolosana – Variant from Auch to Lourdes.

 

 

Tillac is a small village, 10 km from Marciac. When you walk the Arles Route or Via Tolosana, it is worth the detour to admire the 15th century half-timbered houses. A street unchanged for 600 years!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camino – Walking the Via Tolosana – Variant from Auch to Lourdes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camino – Walking the Via Tolosana – Variant from Auch to Lourdes.