Biran Roman Tower
Roman - Tower, Tower
Scattered about the countryside in the Gers Department, in a seemingly random manner and remote locations, are a number of Roman towers. This particular example, over 11 metres high, is one of the best preserved in the area. The lack of associated archaeological finds at these towers means that we do not really known what they were built for, and less why they were placed were they are.
- Site Information
- Photos
- Nearby Sites
- Comments (1)
Practical Information
Click map for large view
Location: France - Midi-Pyrénées - Gers - Biran
Literally, in the middle of a field! From the N124 between Auch and Vic Fezensac take the D939 south in direction Mirande. Take the second left lane to Biran, cross the river and you will see it in a field on your left.
Onsite Facilities: free entry, open year round, photography permitted, self guiding allowed
Photos
Click thumbnail to see large version of photo.
Nearby Sites
Sites up to 50 km away as the crow flies. Click to see Nearby Sites on a Google Map.
- Eauze Archaeological Museum 31 km / 19 miles
- Eugène-Camoreyt Museum 33 km / 20 miles
- Séviac Museum 33 km / 21 miles
- Séviac Roman Villa 34 km / 21 miles
Site owner or manager? Proprietaires ou gestionnaires des sites?
Services
- Au Chicot Gite/vacation rental nr Condom, Gers: super 4 bedroom farmhouse for 8. Heated pool, stunning unspoilt 270° views. Seviac Roman Villa 20 mins.
- Vacation Rentals in France
Resources
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Roman Provence
A History and Guide by Edwin Mullins, 2011 (Amazon.com)
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Roman Provence
A History and Guide by Edwin Mullins, 2011 (Amazon.co.uk)
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Rough Guide to the Pyrenees
(Amazon.com)
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Rough Guide to the Pyrenees
(Amazon.co.uk)
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Southern France
An Oxford Archaeological Guide (Amazon.co.uk)
Pauline (14 comments)
October 8, 2011
We stayed near Condom for a week in September 2011 and sought out three of these Roman towers near Biran, in the River Baise valley. The Michelin map for the Midi-Pyrenees #525 has these three towers marked.
One tower is on a small road that goes from the N124 west of Auch north to St Lary on the D930. This road is signed for the town of Larroque with a sign for the Roman tower ("Pile gallo-romaine"). This tower is in a field at the top of the hill. Turn right on the first lane you come to and you will see the tower. You can walk right up to it. Well worth seeking it out.
We also found the Biran Roman Tower. It is off the D939 just south of Biran (if coming from the north, don't take the first road to Biran, but take the next left, go over the river and you will see the tower in the middle of a field.
The third tower is hard to find and you cannot get close to it. It is on a hillside in the woods near St Lary (on the D930, south of Valence sur Baise). I would skip this one. (If you want to see it, take the lane west from the D930 in St Lary, go over the river, turn right on a lane along the river. When you come to a few modern cottages on the left, look up past the cottages, past farm fields, to the woods and you will see it peaking out of the trees.)
On the day we were finding these towers we had a lovely lunch at Le Pas Pareil on the main street in Vic Fezensac.