PARALLÈLES ENTRE ARRATS ET GIMONE

From Sarrant, after a tour of the medieval village (fresco of the Superbrut-e Collective, Maison de l'Illustration, Micro-Folie Digital Museum...), you will take the D205 towards Mauvezin take the D205 towards Mauvezin. After about 4km, turn right to go to Bouvées. At the entrance of Bouvées, turn left towards Mauvezin. On your right you will see the castle of Bouvées. When you arrive in Mauvezin, take the chemin Gaston, then the chemin de Saint-Ceré and the rue de Saint-Ceré, which will lead you to the fresco "Signes" by the artist Loraine Motti and the Urban Art Agency Motti and the Urban Art Agency, located behind the Foyer Rural. Then, you will go up the Promenade du Plan and when you arrive on the Place du Foirail, you will go up the rue du Foirail to arrive at the corner of the magnificent Halle de Mauvezin. You will then go down on the right, passing by the church by the Rue Saint-Georges. When you arrive in the lower town, you will cross the Arrats river, go along the lake and cross carefully in the direction of Nougaroulet. You will then take the first left to go along the Arrats for several kilometres before arriving in the village of Saint-Sauvy. After having crossed the village in the direction of the descent, you will turn right in the direction of Ansan. At the end of the Armagnac forest, you will enjoy a beautiful view of the Pyrenees and the Lomagne hillsides. In Ansan, turn left towards Aubiet. At the bottom of the descent (3km), turn left to take the along the Arrats river. You will pass under the expressway before arriving in Aubiet, on your left. Go up the main street to find the find the Art et Environnement work "La Nourrice", the forest garden of the artist Oliver Nattes. You will leave the Nourrice by the Grande Rue, on the left and then the first on the right (Avenue du Groupe Scolaire). After having passed the school, turn right at the stop sign. On this exit of the village, you will take the second on the left (mark: panel Foie Gras). You will then pass under the railway then over the expressway. After the bridge, take the first right. You will overhang the expressway and will enjoy once again 360° landscapes on the Gers countryside, with the Pyrenees range in the background. At 700m, you will arrive at a fork with a house on the left and a bush cut in the middle, turn left. Then go straight on. After 1,5 km, you will arrive at a crossroads where you have to turn right (marker: sign "attention bétail"). You will continue on the crest, to then go down towards Gimont, visible on the right. Before reaching the bottom of the descent, you will take a path on the left, just after the sign "En Sarrade". Then you take the first right to get to the RD12. You will cross it carefully to go to the left, then 15m to the right, you will take the direction of the Chemin de l'Eglise de Saint-Jean. You will cross the Gimone at the level of the Chapel Saint-Jean and will arrive at a crossroads at the foot of the railroad. Turn right under the bridge to arrive in Gimont. At the entrance of Gimont, take the 2nd left (chemin d'Embardan). You arrive in front of the Halle au Gras. Drive around it to discover the work "Duck Face", signed by Veks Van Hillik. In front of the Halle, you will cross the Boulevard du Nord, to take the rue Saint-Justin, then the rue des Ecoles on the right. You can go up the rue de l'Arceau to stop and admire the medieval market hall of Gimont. You will come back down on the other side of the market hall, by the left and the rue de l'Evesquerie, which will bring you back to the rue des Ecoles, which you will take on the left left. At the rue Hippolyte Campistron, turn right to reach the edge of the Boulevard du Nord. You cross it carefully to take, opposite, the rue d'Embardan. Then, turn left into Ninous Street. At the bottom of this street, turn right and you will be back on the Chemin de Saint-Jean. You will leave Gimont by this same road, but this time, when you pass under the small bridge of the railway, you will continue straight ahead, and this during more than 4 km, where you will skirt the Gimone in bottom of valley. At the end of this road, you leave the main road which goes up to the right and continue (always straight ahead) by a small path which passes in the middle of agricultural buildings. After these buildings, this path becomes after these buildings, this path becomes grassy and goes along fields while going up. This is the "all-terrain" part of this route (about 1km). The electric assistance will help you to pass without forcing you, but you can of course also get off the bike. At the end of this path, you go straight ahead to take a small road that will lead you to the village of Touget that you can see in front of you. In Touget, you can also take a tour by entering this pretty medieval bastide on the right and have a break (or a little refreshment) under its market hall. You will leave Touget by the left after the market hall (rue Maubec, then rue d'Embellecourt). Once you have passed the town gate, take the road to the wash house (2nd on the left, at the stone cross), which takes you back to the D161, passing at the foot of the village. Once on the RD, turn right, pass the exit sign and take the first right, the D207, direction Saint-Orens. Stay on this road for about 5km, until you reach the crossroads with the D654. At the crossroads, take the D205, direction Sarrant. Go straight on for about 5 km, and you are back in Sarrant.