The Gers Department located in the South West is one of the least spoilt regions of rural France and is considered to be the heart of Gascony. It is a department of rich lands and sweet rivers, a country of geese and foie gras and vineyards destined to fine armagnac. The Gers is the homeland of D’Artagnan and the Musketeers and its landmarks have changed little since the Middle ages: rugged castles, abbeys and bastides, as well as the Renaissance art of Auch’s Great cathedral. There is no heavy industry or autoroutes and it has some of the cleanest air in all Europe. It is therefore no surprise that Gascons live longer than any other people in France.