Guyenne-Gascogne jewels?
 

To my shame, I admit I have never visited most of the far south-west of France. Taking the Toulouse-Bordeaux autoroute as one's "northern" limit, what lies in the SW area beneath that line? (Probably will not go quite as far as Biarritz, though.) Pau and Auch, anyone?

FYI: Flying into and out of Lyon, October 1 and 13 respectively, with car rental. After 2 days in the Drome, we wander SW via Carcassonne. Probably looping back to Lyon via Toulouse-Brive-Clermont F.-St.Etienne route.

Hmm -- still hoping for some advice.......

The cathedral is Auch is well worth a visit: both the Renaissance windows and the wooden stalls. There is also a market of regional products in a former covered market which has an interesting selection of goods, including a variety of armagnacs and local ap&eacute;ritifs. Labastide d'Armagnac is the center of armagnac production and has a nice town square. You might want to look at Michael Busselle's <i>Discovering the Villages of France</i> for an idea of what to look for.

Thanks -- will do if I can find it.

If interested in photos, try this:

http://photomail.photoworks.com/shar...k3F9NUQyKD6n2k