The use of solid earth as a building material makes the Cistercian grange La Grange in Juilles remarkable. The village church also combines distinctive architectural features with older works of art. The area also offers a variety of landscapes and routes: from the long-distance trail north of the village to the 42.8-kilometre cycling route. When planning your visit, it is helpful to consider the cultural sites and the different route options as separate highlights.

Cistercian Grange La Grange

The main construction phase of the Cistercian grange La Grange took place in the 15th and 16th centuries. The grange may have been dependent on the abbeys of Gimont or Planselve, but its precise affiliation remains uncertain. Its exceptional use of solid earth as a building material is remarkable. A decree dated 26 February 2015 protects the entire grange as a Monument historique, including the land within cadastral parcel AE 52. The construction date and protected status answer different questions: the date indicates the main construction phase, while the decree defines the extent of the protected area.

Village Churches and Works of Art

The village church of Juilles has a bell gable and dates from 1781. At the entrance is a holy-water stoup made from an old Gallo-Roman capital in Saint-Béat marble. The capital is dated to the 4th or 5th century AD. The church also houses a sculptural group of the Virgin and Child: carved from limewood in the second half of the 13th century, it is listed as a historic monument. The same church thus brings together a reused ancient architectural element and a medieval sculpture with 18th-century building history. The church of Marrox also has a bell gable, dated to 1784; it originally stood on the nearby hill.

Wet Meadows and Dry Slopes

Juilles encompasses markedly different types of natural environments. The ZNIEFF Les prairies humides d’Aurimont et Montiron includes very old natural and semi-natural flood meadows along the Gimone, which support notable biodiversity. A different landscape characterizes the ZNIEFF La terrasse et bois de Juilles: it consists of dry, cultivated slopes dotted with patches of woodland and trees, and includes orchids typical of the region. The contrast between the wet meadows along the river and the dry slopes helps illustrate the area’s varied landscape features.

Distinguishing the Long-Distance Trail from the Cycling Route

The GR®653 passes north of Juilles. It is the southern route to Santiago de Compostela and runs, among other places, through the Gers département. The La Gimone et ses Villages cultural and natural heritage route has a different connection to the village: it passes through Juilles and by the village church. As a cycling route, La Gimone et ses Villages is 42.8 kilometres long, rated difficult and suitable for electric bikes. The key details therefore differ when planning: for the GR®653, the relevant point is its passage north of Juilles; for the cycling route, the listed details are its length, difficulty rating and suitability for e-bikes.

Plan Your Visit

Individual, self-guided visits to the village of Juilles are possible from 1 January to 31 December 2026, and are free of charge. Free parking is available when visiting Juilles. Check the visitor and parking information again before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Couloumé-Mondebat, Seissan, Gaujac, Monclar-Sur-Losse, Troncens, Castelnau-D'arbieu, Tudelle, Armous-Et-Cau.

For the regional travel overview: Gers.