Auch

We had driven through Auch a week or ten days earlier--topped off our LPG there--and were intrigued by the cathedral and its setting. After reading about the cathedral, and Napoleon's proposal to simply move its glass and wood carving to museums in Paris, we were determined to see it. We arrived mid-day, another scorcher, found a place to park at the municipal aire, and then walked along the river a kilometer or so to the centre ville.

We elected not to spend the night in Auch, but rather to practice safe camping
near Condom, on higher ground

On the walk to the old city, a pooch pissing post, something we'd
not seen before, but which apparently is common in this past of
France

The river Gers and its levee, an unusual pigeon roost

Everything is tree-lined in this beautiful part of France

The 235 steps from the river up to the old town--the Escalier 
Monumentale--are getting some restoration, and, alas, the
famous statue of D'Artagnan is not at its best for viewing
(D'Artagnan, of but not one of, The Three Musketeers,
was based on a local, Charles de Batz)

Another view

Near the top of the Escalier Monumentale, much Latin, in bronze

A beautiful old building on the town square,
now housing the Office of Tourism

After spending a couple hours in the cathedral (next post) we walked the main
street and shoppes; here, inside one of the largest independent toy stores I have
ever seen; they also had cool stuff too

Old market building

A view of Auch from the river