Le Houga: Holiday Apartments and Houses

Le Houga is associated with the medieval settlement form known as the Castelnau, a concentration of residential settlements that developed between the 11th and 13th centuries. The Rue du Prince Noir also refers to this past: it partly follows the route of the former walkway around the once-enclosed settlement of Le Houga.

For planning your own trip, you may wish to rent a holiday apartment in Le Houga.

Culture

The Church of Saint-Pierre has remarkable stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes, created by highly regarded master glassmakers in the late 19th century. It also contains a Romantic organ built by Magen Jules in 1879, restored in 1988 and listed in the register of historic monuments. Saint-Pierre was consecrated on 19 October 1880 and is one of three religious buildings in Le Houga used as concert venues every year.

In the hamlet of Saint-Aubin stands the Church of Saint-Paulin, with Gothic main masonry dating from the 15th century. It also has a polychrome and gilded wooden altarpiece featuring Christ, the Virgin Mary and Saint Paulinus.

The Church of Saint-Laurent de Toujun is Romanesque in character and has five Romanesque-style windows. Its altar, the painting of the Virgin and Child, and the decoration of the door to the side chapel date from the late 17th century.

Nature and Activities

The Lake of Le Houga is a 28-hectare body of water. Its natural character makes it a seasonal refuge for waterfowl and other animals.

Visitors can walk, run or cycle around the lake. There is also a boules court and a fitness trail.

Children’s play equipment is available by the lake.

The Arènes de course landaise are situated in a natural amphitheatre. They have a rectangular arena with bevelled corners, designed for the game and the performances of the écarteurs and coursières. The practice of Course landaise has been documented in Le Houga since the second half of the 18th century.

History and Places of Interest

The Fountain of Le Houga was built in the second half of the 19th century. It is located about 100 metres behind the Saint-Pierre cemetery; below it is the washhouse basin.

The memorial trail in Le Houga follows in four stages in the footsteps of civilians and resistance fighters. Each stage is marked by an information panel.

The flower garden at Ferme Lagrange is considered a special destination for hikers in Le Houga. Ferme aux Cerfs & Sangliers has breeding enclosures for deer, wild boar, fallow deer and Gascon cattle.

Market and Local Character

The Sunday market in Le Houga offers fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, olives, cheese, grilled dishes, honey, wine, local products, oysters, decorative tapestries and cosmetics.

Other places in the same selection: Seysses-Savès, Monfort, Couloumé-Mondebat, Réjaumont, Gaujan, Castillon-Massas, Réans and Saint-Élix-Theux.

To the main travel overview: Gers.