Gascony, << GAS kuh nee, >> an old French province, lies between the Pyrenees Mountains and the Garonne River in southwest France. It took its name from the Vascons, or Basques, who came from Spain in the 500’s. The people grow corn, wheat, and fruits, and raise geese and turkeys. Cities include Auch, Biarritz, and the pilgrimage city of Lourdes.
The Franks conquered Gascony and organized it as a duchy under the late Carolingians. In the 1000’s, Gascony became part of the Duchy of Aquitaine, which Henry II of England acquired in the 1100’s. Gascony was the scene of constant fighting between French and English forces until the end of the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453). The French finally won the region then. According to tradition, the Gascons are brave and gallant, but somewhat given to boasting. The English word gasconade means bragging or blustering talk.
