Auch! Auch! Auch!

Literal ups and downs in the capital of Gascony

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Auch! Duck galore!

Auch! A cathedral perched on a hill with a monumental staircase!

Auch! D’Artagnan and the three musketeers!

I ended my 5-day, 4-night, 3-city mini road trip in the préfecture of the Gers department, home to 24,115 Auscitains and Auscitaines. And you’ve guessed it – I was pretty excited about this place. Are you?

My visit encompassed a riotous mix of color, surprises, and energy – the perfect antidote to my lugubrious sightseeing in Mont-de-Marsan the previous day.

An uphill start

The historical center of Auch is perched on a hill crowned by la Cathédrale Sainte-Marie d’Auch. I already knew I could take a “monumental staircase” to get there – literally known as “l’escalier monumental” — but quickly got distracted by one of the narrow streets also leading upward.

The photo above does not reveal how steep it was, but maybe this single house will give you an idea of the incline.

I was heading up Rue Vieille Pousterle, and on the verge of finding out what a pousterle was. I had barely arrived, and already the city’s rich history was calling out to me.

Pousterles are steep stairway streets, used in Auch since the Middle Ages to connect the Gers river banks to the upper city. Although the term is found sporadically in literature about Provence, the city’s five pousterles are considered a specific Auscitain feature.¹

These days, some residents are known to use them for sports training.

A cathedral worth the climb

My efforts led me into one of the grander cathedral squares I’ve seen so far: the secularly named Place de la République.

I experienced this square under two distinct atmospheres: excitingly full of Saturday morning market stands and in quiet post-market mode. It was the latter ambiance that took my breath away.

Sainte-Marie d’Auch holds the intriguing distinction of being by far the most recently finished of France’s Gothic cathedrals. An early Romanesque cathedral was consecrated in 1121, but burned down just 50 years later. Due to financing problems, numerous attempts to start anew over the next two centuries all failed.

It was not until 1489 that work finally got underway in Auch; by that time all of France’s grandes cathédrales were already finished – some for over two centuries.

Auch’s dogged determination paid off and Sainte Marie’s façade was finally adorned in 1680 — over 400 years after the completion of Chartres or Amiens.

Although the cathedral bears some stray traces of Renaissance and Neoclassical influence, and apparently a carving of a Native American in the elaborate stalls, the overall goal of giving Auch its own Gothic marvel was successfully achieved.

I wondered if Gascons are known for their patience.

L’escalier monumental

I knew that Auch had a cathedral and I knew it had a monumental staircase but, as is so often the case, I had made up a fantasy about them. In the “vague impressions of Auch” corner of my brain, the monumental staircase virtually marched one straight up into the cathedral.

This is not the case, which I found a bit disappointing, but I guess it’s too late for a renovation.

L’escalier monumental was part of a 19th century urban renewal project designed to facilitate access between the lower and upper city. Completed in 1863, its Neoclassical design was inspired by the Villa Garzoni gardens in Florence.

I’m not sure the city quite got the lush Italian vibe down, but the 370-stair monument is adorned with fountains, tiny gardens, and numerous benches. The goal of 21st century renovations has been to make it not just a passageway, but a gathering space.

Its emblematic feature, added in 1931, is the statue of the most famous Gascon musketeer, d’Artagnan. The literary character is based on the real musketeer Charles de Batz de Castelmore — I know, it’s not nearly as romantic-sounding — who was born in Lupiac, a small village 45 minutes from Auch.

He is quite dashing, isn’t he?

I went both down and back up this surprising staircase, taking in different views and angles.

My discovery of Auch had barely begun — and what a kick-off it had been.

Hey readers! Writing France in Between is fascinating and amusing, but one heck of a lot of work, not to mention travel expenses…

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Thank you for reading or even just looking at the pictures!

Betty Carlson

SOURCES

Auch, cette cathédrale à contretemps : un chef d’oeuvre ! – Dico du patrimoine

Visiter Auch, Georges Courtès, Editions Sud-Ouest, 2007

Auch, Pierres vivantes, éditions La Dépêche du Midi, year of publication unspecified

1. Pousterle — Wikipédia