Tournecoupe – Village history in the Arrats Valley

Tournecoupe is a historic Castelnau, built in the second half of the 13th century on a promontory overlooking the Arrats Valley. The period in which it was built places the village within its medieval history; its position above the valley gives the historic village layout a tangible connection to the landscape. Tournecoupe has been a protected area since 1943. If you choose a destination based on its history, you will find here a connection between its origins, location and protected status.

Village layout and landscape

The market hall stands outside the fortification walls at the eastern end of the main street. Its position on the street and the line of the walls can therefore be viewed as two separate landmarks. The hall offers a distinct perspective on the spatial layout of the village.

A walk along the fortifications offers views of the surrounding landscape and leads to a rectangular washhouse on a rocky slope. Unlike the market hall, whose location connects it to the main street, this walk links views of the landscape with a specific destination along the way.

Two ways to explore Tournecoupe

Tournecoupe also has the typographic trail “Sens dessus dessous,” designed as a village-wide treasure hunt. The trail is offered by Thomas Deudé and Stéphane Castet. It provides a different focus from the walk along the fortifications: here, the aim is to search through the village, while the walk focuses on landscape views and the washhouse. When planning your trip, you can choose between these two experiences according to whether you would rather focus on the landscape or the treasure hunt.

Church: history, architecture and painting

The former castle chapel now serves as the parish church and is included in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments. Its former use as a chapel and its current use as a parish church describe different phases in the church’s history. Its bell tower has a square base and an unusual octagonal upper section. The change in shape provides a tangible point of interest for anyone interested in church architecture.

Inside, the church contains listed painted woodwork featuring symbolic motifs, monsters and foliage. The works are attributed to the Italian painter Ricci and date from 1838. Alongside the tower’s architecture, the paintings form a distinct point of interest. Their motifs, attribution and year of execution offer different ways to explore the church’s art history.

If you are looking for a hotel for your trip, you can choose Tournecoupe according to the focus of your stay: would you like to explore the village layout, plan a walk connected to the landscape, or discover the church, tower and paintings? These questions connect your choice of destination with specific features of the village.

Discover more destinations: Peyrusse-Vieille, Estampes, Bassoues, Couloumé-Mondebat, Mirepoix, Masseube, Auch, Monblanc

Back to the regional travel guide: Gers.