FLARAN ABBEY

Founded in 1151 in the Baïse valley (by monks from Escaladieu, on land granted by the Condom benediction), Flaran Abbey is one of the best-preserved abbeys in south-western France. Marked by the vicissitudes of history, sold during the Revolution and practically dismantled at the beginning of the ^20th century, the site was bought by the Gers department in 1970, which undertook an intensive restoration campaign. Designated a "Grand Site Armagnac, Abbaye et cités" by the Occitanie region, the abbey is a cultural and heritage landmark. It is home to the Departmental Conservation of Heritage and Museums, which develops numerous cultural activities throughout the year, through a rich program and thematic exhibitions, where all art forms are represented, notably auteur photography.

The monastic buildings and gardens, set in the heart of a park - in an unspoilt natural environment on the banks of the Baïse river - are a perfect illustration of a Cistercian complex dating from the ^12th and 14th centuries, and redesigned up to the ^18th century. With its bare, white stones, water leaves and vegetation, the cloister was barely saved from ending up in New York's famous The Cloisters museum.

On display on a semi-permanent basis (depending on programming), the exceptional Simonow collection features original works by renowned artists, representative of European art from the ^16th to the ^21st century. It is a major contributor to the abbey's reputation.