Check Out The Local Area
scroll right down if you just want the local shop and bistro details
Gascony, this wonderful old region, isn’t booming with tourists so you won’t find an industry of tourism here like you would find at the Med or in the big cities. You will find platefuls of mouth-watering regional food and lots of local wines to discover plus a host of treasures that just take you by surprise sometimes, like tasting the local cheeses in the markets or the local famous prunes. So we make no apologies for the quantity of eating and drinking photographs that follow – they sum up our region and if you’re a “foodie” (or a “drinkie” for that matter) then you won’t be disappointed in Gastronomic Gascony. You’re on holiday so gorging out a bit is compulsory. Most local villages have weekly markets and here in Sos during July & August we have the weekly Farmer’s markets on Wednesday evenings. Lots of local producers set up their stalls for you to choose your aperitif and then your meal and you can smell the delicious aromas of the cuisine on offer as you approach the village on foot from the station. Tables and chairs are laid out for you in the open square and under the medieval arches and there’s live music & dancing to boot. If you walk up the steep path to the village square, do remember that it’s a steep path back down again in the dark! Many a visitor, including ourselves, have giggled and stumbled and rolled down the path after a Wednesday Summer Evening Market. Tracey’s Top Tip – practical shoes, a torch and an appetite!
There are plenty of vineyards to visit and sample the local wines and armaganc – if you like brandy and have never tried armagnac, try a “degustation” – a tasting at the vineyard – see & swirl & sniff & sip this amber nectar – it’s made in this region from distilled local wine and often enjoyed at the end of a meal here. They also make a regional drink called Floc, armagnac and grape juice, a pleasant chilled aperitif, in red or white. Flick through the photos below to discover a sample of local villages; our village Sos is a ten minute walk, Poudenas is 6 kms away and further on from there is Mézin at 11kms and both can reached by cycling or walking down the old, bumpy but traffic-free track bed. Fourcès is 10 kms away and can also be cycled to on quiet roads, between the vines, the pines and the sunflowers with spectacular views of the Pyrenees on somedays. Nérac & Condom are 25 kms away if you want to find a bit more hustle & bustle, bigger supermarket options, cinemas and more shops – both have riverside parks and plenty of outdoor cafes. Cyclists will love the low-traffic rural roads and the many “Voie Vertes” – often former railway lines now converted into walking & cycling routes. The section from Gabarret to Mont de Marsan is a well managed section of old railway line and cyclists can pay homage at the chapel Notre Dame des Cyclistes en route at the beautiful, medieval village of Labastide d’Armagnac. Turn right out of the station door and you’ll soon be on the old track bed, a slightly bumpy bike ride but traffic free and manageable to Poudenas or further on to Mézin, walking or cycling. A great way to explore this wonderful area is by bike and we recommend Gascogne Bike Hire for excellent bike hire service and for their experienced guided tour, tailored to your requirements on Trek bikes or E-bikes, taking in the beautiful countryside on two wheels and resting for lunch and wine tasting.
see – https://www.facebook.com/gascognebikehire/
If you are on a cycling or motorbiking holiday, we have secure storage for your bikes in the former railway lamp room or our own garage.
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Click on an image to see the individual photo, starting with some local vineyards and wine and armagnac tastings….
Some local scenes – Sos village, some surrounding countryside and on the old railway trackbed
Sos Wednesday Evening Summer Markets
Poudenas – up at The Chateau and down at Cafe Galerie for Jean-Claude’s legendary pizzas
Fources, a Gascon Bastide in The Gers department
Mezin (and cakes from Mezin)
Nerac and the river Baise, Vianne, Condom and other interesting visits – Go Explore
Gastronomic Gascony (general gluttony )
Souviens toi, some of the local memorials to Resistance Fighters in WW2, dotted all around SW France, a moment to pause & reflect – there are some remarkable stories once you start researching
Some local fishing and leisure lakes within a forty minute drive of la gare de Sos, some striking Autumn colours….
All Lit up for Christmas in Sos and Mezin
Local services
The local restaurant, new owners & open from Jan 2022 – opening times vary with seasons – generally closed on Tuesdays during the Summer – please check opening times during your stay – we’re happy to make reservations in advance for you. Check out their facebook page for special events too. Le Bistro Sotiate in Sos, 28 Pl. Armand Fallières 47170
CONTACT Tél.: 05 53 65 12 82 Email: contact@bistrosotiate.com
https://bistrosotiate.com https://www.facebook.com/Bistrosotiate
Above pics of the local restaurant, Bistro Sotiate – last pic in the gallery is Lee with David Heath, the chap who saved la gare – “santé!”
The local shop – please see French opening times
For those who are not vegetarian, you might be interested in some excellent meat suppliers:-
http://www.bulldogbaconandbangers.fr
For those who are Veggie or prefer to buy organic, healthy food products, check out a local company who specialise in organic fruit & veg boxes, delicious olives, nuts & dried fruits etc – www.reponsesbio.shop
and here’s a link to our youtube channel and our drone video