Samatan, Medieval village in Gers, France
Samatan is a village in the Gers department of southwest France, sitting between Toulouse and Auch in a hilly landscape crossed by small rivers. The village center has a covered market hall, local shops, and basic services grouped around a compact main area.
Samatan developed in the medieval period as a market town serving the farming communities of the surrounding Gers countryside, and received the right to hold regular markets in the 13th century. That trading role has continued without interruption and still shapes how the village looks and functions today.
The Monday market in Samatan is one of the most visited foie gras markets in France, where producers sell directly to buyers inside a covered hall. From October to March, the tables fill with duck and goose livers, drawing people from across the region.
Samatan sits on a main road linking Toulouse and Auch, making it easy to reach by car from either city. The Monday market is the main reason most visitors come, but the village center has open shops and services on other days of the week as well.
Samatan's Monday market is considered one of the main foie gras trading hubs in France, and during the season it attracts wholesale buyers and restaurant chefs from well beyond the local area. The livers are weighed and inspected on the spot before changing hands, giving the market the feel of a specialist exchange.
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