If you choose Auch as a destination for a cultural stay, you’ll find a range of attractions: a cathedral with UNESCO recognition, historic routes through the city, gardens and museums. The Escalier monumental connects the historic and newer parts of the city across a precisely measured difference in elevation. Every year, sculpture exhibitions and meetings with artists are held in the garden of the Musée des Amériques. You can tailor your stay to architecture, the city’s history, gardens or museum topics.
Cathedral, Staircase and Medieval Routes
Sainte-Marie Cathedral is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Route of the French Churches.” It was built between 1489 and 1680; construction spanned two centuries. The cathedral’s significance therefore lies not only in its designation, but also in its long history of construction.
Completed in 1863, the Escalier monumental connects the historic and newer parts of the city across a difference in elevation of 35 metres. The staircase has 234 steps, or 374 in total when the double flights are included. Since 1992, the first landing has featured the contemporary sculpture “L’Observatoire du temps” by Catalan artist Jaume Plensa. From the lower landing, you can enjoy a view across the Gers Valley and, in clear weather, of the Pyrenees.
The medieval Pousterles also make the routes through Auch part of the city’s history. These steep lanes, some with steps, connect the upper town with the river. Together with the Escalier monumental, they illustrate different historic connections between the city’s districts.
Gardens and Cultural Sites
Jardin Ortholan is a 7,600 m² French-style garden. The water features show Hispano-Moorish influences, and the garden also includes an English-inspired garden for children. Square Jérôme Cuzin offers a different focus: this 2,800 m² garden surrounds the former seminary chapel and has held the “Jardin Remarquable” designation since 2022.
Every year, sculpture exhibitions and meetings with artists are held in the garden of the Musée des Amériques – Auch. The museum houses France’s second-largest public collection of pre-Columbian art. The collection and garden programme offer two distinct reasons to visit: the art collection and the recurring annual cultural programme. If you’re planning to attend a specific exhibition or meeting, check the relevant dates.
The Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation du Gers conveys the realities of the Second World War and the links between local and national history. Founded in 1954, the museum collects objects belonging to former members of the Resistance. Since 2023, it has been located in Auch’s historic centre, in a modern space with extensive documentation.
A Cycling Route and a Greenway
For a cycling route, Parcours 3, “La nature à Vélo,” is another option: the cycle route is about 6 km long and rated easy to moderate. It has a steep section in the upper town. The approximate distance and the specific gradient are useful details for assessing the ride. The Promenade Claude Desbons is a separate greenway reserved for non-motorised travel.
When choosing a hotel in Auch, your travel interests can help you decide: architecture and historic routes, gardens or museum topics each offer a different focus. If you’re planning to attend a sculpture exhibition or meet with artists, check the dates for the relevant programme.
Discover more destinations: Pavie, Mérens, Panassac, Castelnau-D'arbieu, Sarcos, Jégun, Lamothe-Goas, Laujuzan.
For the broader travel overview: Gers.
