Occitanie might be going considered one of many areas of Southern France. Nestled between the Pyrénées and the Mediterranean Sea, Occitanie is frequently a go to as soon as extra to the mandatory: the land, the ocean, and the sky.
An area the place sunny days abound, Occitanie is believed for its unbelievable number of landscapes, a haven for good exterior experiences. The world furthermore has vibrant cities and among the many many cutest small cities in France.
Occitanie is a land with an thrilling historic earlier, with Roman internet sites equivalent to the Enviornment of Nîmes or Pont du Gard. There are furthermore attention-grabbing medieval internet sites like Carcassonne – the gate to the fascinating Cathar Nation.
The Occitanie house is one totally different south, far from the French Riviera‘s buzz. It’s a land of traditions, the place its inhabitants select to take their time and revenue from the small pleasures of this life.
Occitanie France is a comparatively new house (2016), and it incorporates the sooner areas of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées. The principle metropolis in Occitanie is Toulouse.
Occitanie is reduce up into 13 departments: Ariège, Aude, Aveyron, Gard, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Hérault, Lot, Lozère, Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénnées-Orientales, Tarn, and Tarn-et-Garonne.
Occitanie is sort of a couple of, and that’s good! Go on discovering out for the file of the fitting factors to do in Occitanie, France, and the very best locations to go to in Occitanie to get a glimpse of its historic earlier, customized, and pure wonders.
Occitanie Journey
BY AIR: the airport Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS) might be going considered one of many necessary worldwide airports in France, with many worldwide connections to Europe and the Maghreb. Utterly totally different smaller airports have many connections to the UK, notably Montpellier-Méditerranée (MPL), Carcassonne-Salvaza (CCF), and Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées (LDE).
E e-book your flight tickets to Toulouse
BY TRAIN: Put collectively journey in France is straightforward. Three high-speed put collectively strains (LGV) cross the world, serving cities like Toulouse, Montpellier, Nîmes, and Perpignan. The remainder of the world is claimed to those cities by regional trains (TER).
For prolonged journeys contained in the house of Occitanie, most likely the best strategies to get spherical is by automobile. This house is a superb place for memorable French avenue journeys. With a automobile, some good tunes, and the fitting company, you is more likely to be set for top-of-the-line adventures in your life. Driving in France is also fairly easy, and with the auto, you most likely can go off the crushed path to go to the fitting of Normandy.
Really useful avenue journeys in Occitanie:
In case you don’t have a automobile, we suggest reserving prematurely by platforms like Uncover Vehicles. This web site on-line takes the entire major rental corporations, resembling Hertz, Avis, and so forth., and compares costs for you. Try our greatest choices for renting a automobile in France.
Browse Automotive Rental Corporations Accessible in Occitanie
Greatest Locations to Go to in Occitanie France
Let’s try the fitting locations to go to in Occitanie, France. The file of factors to do in Occitanie and Occitanie vacationer sights consists of vibrant cities, sea cities, pure wonders, and historic monuments.
1. Toulouse, the Pink Metropolis
Positioned on the banks of the Garonne River, Toulouse is the capital of the Occitanie house. Toulouse is a nice metropolis the place life is good. Furthermore, it’s Europe’s aeronautical capital, with essential house heart in Europe.
Contained in the metropolis, heart distances are by no means far, and it’s attainable to go in every single place on foot. Guests exploring Toulouse will uncover admirable church buildings, charming slim streets, luxurious buildings, distinctive building, and a wealthy cultural heritage.
Feeling blue? Head to Toulouse! The Pink Metropolis owes its nickname to its brick building, with all shades of pink – relying on the time and the place – ocher and purple that give the cityscape a glance that it’s inconceivable to check with every totally different metropolis.
Begin your wanderings at Place du Capitole; town appears to gravitate frequently throughout the route of this place. Then uncover Earlier Toulouse with its little squares and personal mansions, riveting museums exploring the cosmos, prehistory, historic work, and the pure world. Lastly, take the next than deserved break in one among many metropolis’s fairly parks – Click on on on correct proper right here to e e e-book your maintain in Toulouse
2. Pont du Gard
The Pont du Gard aqueduct is a Roman establishing constructed by way of the first century AD to channel water from the Eure River’s present in Uzés all the best way during which throughout which to Nîmes. Alongside the best way during which throughout which, the Gardon River was a tough impediment, and it was overcome by the occasion of the Pont du Gard.
Pont du Gard was used as an aqueduct till the sixth century. Then it grew to vary right into a tollgate contained in the Coronary heart Ages and later a avenue bridge from the 18th to the twentieth centuries.
A UNESCO World Heritage web site on-line, Pont du Gard is an precise technical feat. It measures 48 meters excessive, and it has three vertical rows of arches: 6 on the underside stage, 11 on the second stage, and 35 on the third and prime stage. Don’t miss the Museum of the Pont du Gard, which retraces the historic earlier of the aqueduct’s establishing.
The Pont du Gard makes an excellent day journey from Nîmes, Uzés, or Avignon. You probably can too attain the foot of Pont du Gard by kayak, crusing the Gardon River. Loads of the excursions proposed might be found all 12 months.
3. Carcassonne & The Cathar Nation
The Cathar Nation (Pays Cathare in French) might be going most likely essentially the most fascinating areas to go to in Southern France, with an unbelievable heritage and a turbulent historic earlier of heresy and crusades. The Cathar Nation is an ensemble of medieval castles, villages, and Romanesque abbeys associated to the Cathars and Catharism – a Christian dualist motion that thrived in southern Europe –, notably contained in the Languedoc Area between the twelfth and the 14th centuries. These internet sites had been witnesses of the battle between the Catholic Church and the Cathars 800 years beforehand.
The Cité de Carcassonne might be going most likely essentially the most crucial internet sites contained in the Cathar Nation and one among many prime Occitanie locations. Metropolis grew to vary right into a land of heresy in Pope Harmless III’s eyes, and it was one among many necessary targets by way of the first Cathar Advertising and marketing marketing campaign in 1209, led by Simon de Montfort.
TIP: this Carcassonne 2-hour Strolling Tour will get frequently great critiques
The Cathar Nation is greatest explored by automobile as most of those internet sites are poorly served (or not served in the least) by public transportation. Correct proper right here’s our steered itinerary for a avenue journey contained in the Cathar Nation, combining historic earlier, customized, and beautiful surroundings.
4. The Villages of Aveyron
Positioned contained in the coronary coronary coronary heart of the Occitanie house, the Aveyron is stuffed with historic earlier and distinctive internet sites. With an altitude starting from 144 to 1,463 meters, the Aveyron goes from the desert plateau of Larzac to inexperienced valleys crisscrossed by rivers.
The Aveyron is a land of character – strong and candy on the identical time – the place life tends to decelerate, very similar to contained in the outdated occasions. The Aveyron generally is a paradise for meals and nature lovers.
Higher than one factor, the Aveyron is a spot of picturesque medieval villages, with additional official Most Attractive Villages in France than in every totally different house.
The place to start out? There are Conques, positioned alongside the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route, and utterly totally different beautiful villages like Belcastel, Najac, or Peyre.
5. Sant Martí del Canigó & Sant Miquel de Cuixà Abbeys
The Canigó (Canigou in French) is a mountain contained in the Pyrénées that has symbolic significance for the Catalan folks. For the Catalans, the Canigó is a sacred place of legends and mysteries, nevertheless furthermore a nationwide image that impressed poets like Jacint Verdaguer, creator of the poem Canigó. The English journalist and creator Rudyard Kipling visited Vernet-les-Bains many occasions between 1910 and 1926, and declared himself ‘among the many many many loyal issues of the Canigou.’
Sadly, this space of the Pyrénées handed into French arms after the Treaty of the Pyrénées in 1659, when King Philip IV of Castille and Aragon ceded the lands of Northern Catalonia, with its capital in Perpignan, to the French King Louis XIV. This was a setback for Catalonia, on account of it misplaced 1/5 of its territory. Most significantly, the second metropolis contained in the nation (Perpignan) was left in worldwide arms.
On the mountains of Massif del Canigó, we uncover Sant Martí del Canigó (in the interim Saint-Martin du Canigou) and Sant Miquel de Cuixà (Saint-Michel de Cuxa), two fairly Benedictine abbeys primarily based contained in the tenth century by the Rely Guifré II of Cerdanya. Each sanctuaries are jewels of Catalan Romanesque building contained in the Pyrenées and listed historic monuments.
Sant Martí del Canigó has a spectacular setting, perched contained in the mountains. Not far, Sant Miquel de Cuixà is well-known for its fairly Romanesque cloister, with spectacular capitals adorned with monsters and utterly totally different unknown creatures. It’s attainable to go to the 2 abbeys on a day journey from Perpignan or Barcelona. We suggest!
6. Parc Nationwide des Cévennes
Created in 1970, the Cévennes Nationwide Park might be going considered one of many ten nationwide parks in France and one among many two parks to be inhabited, furthermore in its core zone. The UNESCO has distinguished this huge territory as a Biosphere Reserve for the exact stability between man and nature.
The richness of the park will depend on the number of pure environments and landscapes: from the granitic highlands of Mont Lozère to the majestic forests of Aigoual, or the large limestone plateaus of the Causse Méjean carved out from the spectacular Gorges du Tarn and de la Jonte, Cévennes is that this and comparatively further.
There are a selection of methods to search out the magnificent landscapes of Cévennes Nationwide Park: on foot (5,000 kilometers of signposted trails and paths), on horseback, by mountain bike, or by teaching sports activities actions actions like canoeing kayaking, climbing, by way of Ferrata, and additional.
7. Albi, la Rouge
Positioned contained in the Tarn division, town of Albi is nicknamed ‘La Rouge’ (the purple) on account of its building product of purple brick. This bastion of Catholic vitality was the underside for the bloody Thirteenth-century Albigensian Advertising and marketing marketing campaign in opposition to the Cathars, and it nonetheless appears select it’s prepared for wrestle.
Albi wouldn’t make a part of the Cathar Route, nonetheless in case you are all in favour of Catharism, it is sensible to increase your explorations to Albi. The Cathars had been generally known as Albigensians on account of their affiliation with town of Albi and since the 1176 Church Council, which declared the Cathar doctrine heretical, was held close to Albi.
Albi is one amongst our favourite locations to go to in Occitanie. Correct proper right here, you’ll be able to’t miss the Cité Episcopale, listed as UNESCO World Heritage since 2010. The Cité Episcopale is a well-preserved and distinctive illustration of metropolis enchancment of this sort in Europe. Developed all through the cathedral and the palace-fortress, the Cité Episcopale dates as soon as extra to the Thirteenth century! It covers 20 hectares and regroups 4 medieval neighborhoods, historic monuments, major internet sites, and the Tarn river banks.
Albi is an environment friendly journey spot for a cultural weekend and a very good base for exploring utterly totally different fairly corners of the Tarn division – Click on on on correct proper right here to e e e-book your maintain in Albi
8. The Arènes of Nimes
Nimes was primarily based inside the first century with the decide of Nemausus by the veterans of the Gallic Legion. Commonly known as the French Rome, Nimes boasts a ravishing heritage from Roman occasions, with monuments equivalent to the Tour Magne, the Maison Carrée, and the Arènes de Nimes.
Les Arènes de Nîmes is a Roman amphitheater constructed spherical 70 CE contained in the metropolis. It’s not most likely most likely essentially the most in depth Roman amphitheater on the earth, nonetheless it’s the greatest preserved. Constructed to host totally various kinds of reveals to entertain the locals, it measures 133 meters extended and 101 meters large, and it has two flooring and an attic separated by a cornice.
Les Arènes de Nîmes might be going considered one of many prime vacationer sights in Occitanie. It organizes reveals for vacationers and locals, and it’s also attainable to go to day-after-day furthermore when there’s a present.
9. Béziers
The medieval metropolis of Béziers was an crucial stronghold of Catharism. By the Cathar Advertising and marketing marketing campaign, Béziers was the primary place to be attacked.
The Catholics of Béziers purchased an ultimatum helpful over the heretics or depart ahead of the Crusaders besieged town. Lastly, they determined to refuse, they usually resisted with the Cathars.
With the phrases ‘Kill all of them, God will acknowledge his personal’ by a legate of the Pope of Rome, the Crusaders gave free rein to the ‘grande boucherie’ (massive butchery) in Béziers: town burnt and all its inhabitants, Cathars and Catholics, died.
Correct this second folks come to Béziers to go to its spectacular Saint-Nazaire Cathedral, constructed contained in the Thirteenth century atop a steep rock. Metropolis’s Romanesque bridge over the Orb River (twelfth century) generally is a marvel. This bridge was the one river crossing stage from Provence to Toulouse for plenty of centuries. Béziers generally is a very good place to search out Canal du Midi by boat or bike.
10. Gorges du Tarn
Gorges du Tarn might be going considered one of many greatest Occitanie locations for nature lovers. It consists on an infinite canyon sculpted contained in the limestone plateau by the Tarn River, between the Causse Méjean and the Causse de Sauveterre. Gorges du Tarn is residence to picturesque villages, medieval church buildings, and outdated châteaux and fortresses.
Correct this second, this space is well-known for its various exterior actions like rafting, mountaineering, or kayaking. Furthermore it is a ravishing space to search out on a avenue journey, with good internet sites and unbelievable views.
11. The Camargue
The Camargue might be going most likely essentially the most unusual locations to go to in Occitanie and all of France. This pure space between the areas of Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d´Azur, with an extension of upper than 100,000 hectares, is world-known for its magnificent open areas and distinctive fauna: flamingos, breeding bulls, horses.
Whether or not or not or not you go to the Camargue on a weekend getaway or an extended journey, make sure to e e e-book your maintain correctly prematurely. The right locations to set your base camp to go to the Camargue are Arles, Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Aigues-Mortes, and Saint-Gilles. For a novel maintain, nevertheless, e e e-book at Resort La Tramontane, positioned in a ravishing setting close to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, and with a ravishing infinity pool and good on-site restaurant – Click on on on correct proper right here to e e e-book your maintain contained in the Camargue
12. Canal du Midi
Stretching from Toulouse to Sète, the Canal du Midi might be going considered one of many hottest Occitanie vacationer sights for bike lovers, nonetheless not solely.
The Canal du Midi is a feat of architectural genius that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. This Seventeenth-century establishing designed by Pierre-Paul Riquet required 12,000 males over fifteen years, from 1666 to 1681.
Correct proper right here, firm can rent boats, hotel-barges, or lease bikes and make their technique alongside the canal at their very private tempo. Some hikers use the path alongside the canal to make their technique within the course of the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
13. Mediterranean Cities
Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, the Occitanie house has no scarcity of fairly coastal cities great for some days of bathing, leisure, and water sports activities actions actions.
Correct proper right here, you may uncover among the many many most nice seashores in France, vibrant fishing villages, and thriving market cities.
Amongst the coastal cities that populate the coast in Occitanie outstands Collioure – the middle of the Fauvism motion; Gruissan – characterised by its typical seaside properties constructed on stilts; or Sète – raised from nothing to attach the Canal du Midi to the Mediterranean Sea.
Occitanie Meals & Wine
Occitanie affords great regional specialties, fairly totally utterly totally different relying on the place you is more likely to be.
Inside the previous house of Languedoc-Roussillon, firm will uncover good seafood platters of clams, oysters, and mussels, the well-known cassoulet (bean stew casserole with pork or duck) from Castelnaudary, the excellent rice from the Camargue, and loads of sorts of biscuits and pastries.
The Languedoc–Roussillon wine house is one amongst France’s largest wine-producing areas by winery floor space, even when it isn’t as well-known as utterly totally different wine areas in France.
Languedoc wines are great and pretty priced and embrace Merlot, Cabernet, and Syrah. Furthermore, there are many high quality whites, resembling Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Grenache, and Muscat Blanc.
The file of typical dishes of the Pyrénées consists of Tarbes beans, lamb, aligot (a creamed potato dish with cheese), and garbure (a mountain soup with cabbage and chunks of ham). The Pyrénées are furthermore well-known for his or her cheeses, each cow’s milk and sheep’s cheeses, paired with wines from native domains resembling Jurançon, Gaillac, Cahors, Madiran, and Armagnac.
We hope that you just simply merely preferred this file of the fitting factors to do in Occitanie, France. For many who wish to uncover out about utterly totally different areas in France, head to this article on the French Areas, the place now we have now now summarized every house’s highlights.
Click on on on correct proper right here to Uncover France by Area