Midi-Pyrénées

The region is made up of eight departments set in the heart of southwestern France and is the largest region in the country.  It has an incredibly wide range of natural sites: from the Pyrenees to the valley of the Dordogne and from Gascony to the Gorges du Tarn; the diversity of its landscapes is equalled only by the wealth of its heritage.  

The Midi-Pyrénées is renowned for its innate sense of celebration and visitors are often surprised by its friendly spontaneity.  It is also a region that is crammed full of ideas for your vacations: you can choose between a weekend in its capital: Toulouse (also called "The Pink Town"); another in Albi to discover the artist Toulouse-Lautrec and a gourmet outing in the Gers: the homeland of d'Artagnan, one of Alexandre Dumas' three musketeers as well as the festival Jazz in Marciac.  Or you may prefer to go hiking in Ariège to become acquainted with the history of the Cathars, or to go on a pilgrimage to Lourdes in the Hautes-Pyrénées.  Yet again a cruise on the 'canal du Midi', the Lot or the Baïse or Spring on the road to Santiago de Compostela may be more to your liking. 

Whatever your choice, you're sure to discover delightful villages you'll long to live in. As for those among you who want to take your time, you can embark on a journey to visit such great sites as Rocamadour, Conques, Cordes sur Ciel, Figeac and St Bertrand de Comminges, among others or to taste the local gourmet produce such as foie gras, cassoulet (meat and bean stew), Roquefort cheese and the wines of Cahors or Gaillac and Armagnac.  You could also take to the road to discover the fortified Medieval towns, enjoying the stories of historical events and typical village markets on the way. 

No tour of the region would be complete without a wide choice of spas for the health and fitness enthusiast.  Neither will the athlete be outdone in the Midi-Pyrénées as it offers a wide range of sports such as rafting, canoeing and skiing, as well as adventure sports: canyoning and free riding for instance, not forgetting discovery sports with hiking, horse riding and bicycle riding among others.  A whole new world to discover…