Continuing my bikexploration of France’s wine and brandy regions, I set my sights on Armagnac — a spirit whose story begins centuries before cognac, with records of its use going as far back as 1310. The region lies just 250 km southwest from our home, close enough for a week-long adventure sprinkled with some Armagnac.
After a few delays, Julie finally received the Swytch electric kit for her Brompton, Crush, so we’re hitting the road together! Apart from a day trip in the Dordogne a few years ago, we’ve never embarked on a proper cycling trip as a duo. Hurrah!
Day 1-3 — Road to Armagnac
We set off on Saturday, timing our departure day so we’d reach the region when all the distilleries would be open.
The first three days were devoted entirely to cycling, bringing us steadily closer to the main attraction.
On the first day — no, not the biblical one — the ride was a bit rough for me: countless climbs combined with nearly 40°C heat. Julie, however, powered up the hills with ease, patiently waiting for me at the top. After 83 km we stopped in Frayssinet-le-Gélat, where our Airbnb proved to be a blessing: not only did the room have air conditioning, but there was also a pool to cool off after the ride.
Day two was far easier, the route almost completely flat. This time Julie had the tougher job, pushing her capped at 25 km/h motor to keep pace. She managed brilliantly, especially considering it was her first long-distance trip. Along the way we paused in Fumel, Lustrac, and Villeneuve-sur-Lot before reaching Aiguillon, at the confluence of the Lot and Garonne rivers. Arriving on a Sunday afternoon isn’t ideal—most of France shuts down—but thanks to the town’s sizable immigrant community, a handful of kebab shops and a small grocery were open. We managed both lunch and dinner without trouble.
By early afternoon on day three we rolled into Roquefort (not the cheesy one), home of Armagnac Darroze. (I’m skipping the ride itself—boring scenery, no charming villages, nothing much to note.) At Darroze we wasted no time, sampling half a dozen Armagnacs across vintages and grape varieties. The highlight was a 1962 vintage: rich, complex, unforgettable… and €500 a bottle. Tempting, but not an impulse buy. Thankfully, their online shop keeps the option open.
Three days in, we’d finally reached Bas-Armagnac country, birthplace of many of the region’s finest spirits. Tomorrow, the real fun begins—several distilleries await.
These days in numbers:
264 km – distance cycled (83, 93 and 87 kilometers)
3 — areas make up the Armagnac region (Bas Armagnac, Haut Armagnac and Ténarèze)
Day 4 — Pouydesseaux to Eauze
After a hearty breakfast, we set out for our first distillery of the day — Château de Lacquy. We arrived right on the 9 o’clock chime, determined to stick to our ambitious schedule. This estate has been distilling Armagnac since 1711 and is now run by the eleventh generation of the family. We sampled a wide range of their Armagnacs, and I was especially taken with the 2010 vintage.
From there, we cycled to the charming village of Labastide-Armagnac. Our plan was to visit Château Garreau, but we had lingered longer than expected at Lacquy — the Armagnacs just kept coming — so we had to make a choice between Garreau and Domaine d’Espérance. A quick coin toss sent us to the latter.
On the way, we stopped at Notre-Dame des Cyclistes, the national sanctuary for cyclists. The Tour de France has passed this little chapel six times, making it something of a pilgrimage site for riders.
At Domaine d’Espérance, we tasted both Armagnac and Floc de Gascogne. The owner surprised me by speaking in remarkably good Russian — she had gone to school in Moscow as the daughter of a diplomat.
A couple of hours later, we reached Domaine de Lagajan, just outside Eauze, the capital of Armagnac. There, too, we enjoyed a mix of Armagnac and Floc. The owner walked us through the workings of their alambic, explaining that processing the entire harvest requires about two weeks of continuous distillation.
Our final stop was Château de Millet, where in addition to Armagnac and Floc we tried La Blanche d’Armagnac — the clear, unaged version that never touches oak. This one received a Gold Medal at the 2025 General Agricultural Contest of Paris.
After that, we called it a day and headed to our rather luxurious apartment for a well-earned rest.
Today in numbers:
65 km — distance cycled
4 — distilleries visited
16 — Armagnacs tasted
6 — Flocs de Gascogne sampled
1 — Blanche d’Armagnac discovered
Day 5 — Eauze to Condom
Our plan today was probably overly ambitious: four distilleries, a few pretty villages, and some time in Condom—all before dinner.
We began at Armagnac Duffau. Since we’d already learned how Armagnac is distilled, we were aiming for tasting only, but the co-owner had other plans. Her presentation was entertaining, but halfway through we realized one of the other distillery visits would have to be sacrificed—and that was before the tasting even began. A few tastings later, we knew we wouldn’t make it to yet another distillery. Nonetheless, we enjoyed their Armagnacs, and my bag grew heavier as a result. By the time we left, it was clear we’d have to push hard to make it to the last stop on our list.
Forty-five minutes of intense pedaling brought us to Domaine de Pellehaut, where we got straight down to business. After four, five, maybe six rounds of tasting, we called it quits and headed to Montréal, Gers. Nice enough, but in the end we preferred the one in Quebec. From there, our route led us to Fourcés, one of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France.” This circular bastide dates back to the 13th century—proof that medieval town planners could think outside the box. While wandering, I spotted another distillery on the map—Domaine de Magnaut—so we decided to make up for the ones we had skipped. When we arrived, the owner was preparing for an early harvest brought on by recent heatwaves. We told him we were already mildly educated about Armagnac so he needn’t waste either his time or ours, and he poured us a fine selection of his Armagnacs and Flocs. Once again, we left with a heavier bag.
Next came Larressingle, a fortified village that was too packed with shops and tourists for such a tiny place, so we didn’t linger. On the way to Condom, our overnight stop, we dropped by Château de Cassaigne. Neither their Armagnac nor their hospitality impressed us.
The day’s cycling carried us through rolling hills, lined with vineyards and a mix of sun and clouds overhead. Thanks to our frequent stops, we weren’t particularly tired, and the ride was pleasant despite its length. Julie is beginning to understand the appeal of bicycle touring.
In Condom, near the cathedral, stands a sculpture of Dumas’s musketeers. Passing by, I felt the faces looked oddly familiar. On closer inspection, I realized they were those of the actors from an old Soviet film. The sculptor’s name confirmed I wasn’t imagining things: Zurab Tsereteli, the Soviet-Russian artist of Georgian descent. The question remains: what twist of fate (or French town council) brought this monument here?
Today in numbers:
69 km – distance cycled
117 000 000 — cases of HIV infections were prevented since 1990 by using a condom
Day 6 — Condom to Auch
We set off early under gray skies and a light drizzle, which let up as soon as Condom disappeared in the rearview mirror. Today was a mellow stage: only 50 km to cover, a couple of sights along the way, and two distilleries to visit. At least that was the case for Julie—less cycling, less alcohol to process. The same should have applied to me, but since we’d entered Haut-Armagnac—higher elevation, as the name suggests—there wasn’t a flat stretch in sight. I was either pedaling uphill or flying downhill, and as usual, the climbs took far longer than the descents.
Our first stop was Flaran Abbey, still closed when we arrived. We rolled on through Castéra-Verduzan, a spa town with thermal baths and a casino, before reaching Domaine d’Entras for our first tasting. We kept it light: just three Armagnacs and two Flocs. The estate is relatively young, now run by the third generation, and farmed biodynamically. We left with a bottle of white Floc de Gascogne (⅓ Armagnac, ⅔ grape juice), perfect for a refreshing cocktail while summer still lingers.
On the way to the next distillery, the ride was a treat: rolling hills, endless sunflower fields, and pretty villages. A couple of wrong turns only gave us more time to enjoy the scenery.
Haut-Armagnac is the largest subregion by area but the smallest in production—barely 1% of the total—making Armagnac distilled here something of a rarity. The Domaine de Grand Comte lays about 10 km north of Auch, the final stop of this trip. Instead of a formal presentation, Wthe owner led the tasting with a lively conversation about Madagascar, a country he knew well and I’d like to visit. In the end, another bottle joined our expanding collection.
In the afternoon we explored Auch: climbing its imposing Monumental Stairs to the basilica where we met D’Artagnan (sculpture), enjoying ice cream and a drink on a terrace, and stumbling upon a joint exhibition seemingly made for us—old photographs from Peru for Julie, vintage bicycles for me. A pleasant city, and a fine way to close this little adventure. We capped it all off with dinner overlooking the basilica.
Today in numbers:
55 km — distance cycled
374 — steps on the Monumental Stairs of Auch Cathedral
1673 — year D’Artagnan was fatally wounded at the siege of Maastricht
Swytch to Armagnac
The fifth trip of the year is behind. It may have been the shortest, but it was probably the most enjoyable—because I had Julie by my side. As much as I love cycling alone and following wherever my legs take me, I always enjoy traveling with her even more. I’m especially glad I convinced her to join me on a bike tour.
That was only possible thanks to the Swytch electric kit. It took a while to get, and then some extra time to replace it with the right one, but in the end everything worked out just fine. Julie was quite happy with how it performed. It was especially helpful on the climbs, though on the flats—when I was riding faster than 20 km/h—the motor barely engaged, and Julie had to work harder to keep up. Which, in turn, gave me the perfect excuse to slow down and soak in the scenery more than I would have if I were cycling alone.
I was genuinely impressed by how close she managed to stay most of the time, sometimes without even switching the motor on. There’s a quiet competitiveness in her that often made her push herself rather than ask me to ease the pace. But in the end it all worked out beautifully: Julie enjoyed the landscapes, I cherished her company, and together we savored the Armagnac. What more could one ask for? Cheers!
The Armagnac Story in numbers:
454 km — distance cycled
11 — Armagnac distilleries visited
1310 — the first record of Armagnac distillation
40 — virtues of Armagnac listed in manuscript “Liber de Herbis” by Maître Vital du Four, such as preserved youth
672 — active and registered producers who make their own Armagnac
3 —million bottles of Armagnac is produced annually, less than 2% of Cognac’s volume
10 — grapes varieties allowed in Armagnac
