Saint-Gaudens is a small, attractive elventh century town in the south of France. It is approximately 100km south of Toulouse, and near the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Why and When to Visit Saint-Gaudens
St Go, as it is affectionately called by its inhabitants, is a tranquil and pretty place, in a rural area. It is not a particularly touristic city, but there are several good reasons to visit. Firstly, visitors can get a taste of small-town life in France by checking out the Thursday market, which spreads throughout most of the town's centre, and attracts many people from smaller nearby villages. The whole town has beautiful views of the nearby Pyrenees. There are cafés in which to while away the hours, chatting and looking out towards the mountains. Saint-Gaudens can also be used as a base from which to get out into nature, as there are nearby areas for hunting, fishing, mountain sports, and more! The layout of the town centre remains more or less at it was in the eleventh century, due to the town's long history, more of which will be explained later in the article.
The town also hosts several events which are worth investigating.
- Innovative theatre season (Pronomades): May to December
- A jazz festival (Jazz en Comminges): usually in May
- The Tour de France passes through, in what former cyclist Jean-François Pescheux calls "the last of the big Pyrenean stages": July
- Town fair (Fête de Saint-Gaudens): at the beginning of September
History of the Town
Saint-Gaudens has a long history, much of which is documented on the tourist office's website.