Guide of Occitanie 2024 - Tourism, Holidays & Weekends

Boasting a wide variety of landscapes and remarkable architectural heritage, the Occitanie region is filled with countless natural, architectural, traditional and gastronomic wonders. As well as enjoying plenty of sunshine and an ideal location in south-western France, Occitanie offers visitors an infinite variety of sights to see. The famous Pyrenean mountain range with its impressive peaks, the surprising blockfield of Montpellier-le-Vieux, the immense cirques of Gavarnie and Troumouse, the peaceful Aubrac Plateau, the romantic Canal du Midi, the impressive Navacelles cirque, the authentic Cévennes massif, and the long, sandy beaches of the Mediterranean, so beloved by sunbathers, really offer a great deal to lovers of nature and outdoor activities!

As well as all these natural treasures that make the area ideal for sports like hiking, skiing, kitesurfing and windsurfing, to name but a few, this magnificent region is also full of impressive architectural and cultural heritage. Examples include the attractive towns of Albi and its Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, Auch and its picturesque streets, Cahors and its Valentré Bridge, Carcassonne and its imposing fortifications, Cordes-sur-Ciel and its Gothic houses, Foix and its medieval castle, Lourdes and its sanctuaries, Millau and its famous viaduct, Montauban and its Place Nationale, Narbonne and its Archbishops' Palace, Nîmes and its Roman ruins, Perpignan and its palace of the Kings of Majorca, Rodez and its Gothic cathedral, and Toulouse and its Renaissance mansions.

As they explore the region, lovers of old buildings can also appreciate some beautiful villages like Belcastel, Bruniquel, Castelnou, Eus, La Couvertoirade, La Garde-Guérin, Lagrasse, Larressingle, Najac, Penne and Sainte-Enimie, charming medieval fortified towns like Beaumont-de-Lomagne, Castelnau-de-Montmiral, Lauzerte and Saint-Clar, majestic Cathar castles like those of Lastours, Peyrepertuse, Puilaurens and Quéribus, as well as major cave art sites like the caves of Niaux and Le Pech-Merle.

Traditional festivals, markets full of colours and flavours, and famous gastronomic specialities like aligot, Roquefort, cassoulet, poultry from Gers, garbure, cod brandade, Corbières wine, Blanquette de Limoux, Pélardon and Cévennes honey, make Occitanie a wonderful place to enjoy good food and drink in a friendly atmosphere.

Tourism

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Gastronomy

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Photos

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Cities & towns

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Outings

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Leisure activities

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Restaurants

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Hotels

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Campsites

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Languedoc-Roussillon

At Languedoc-Roussillon's enchanting sites, the lush countryside alternates with old buildings in listed villages and great local restaurants, offering you an unforgettable stay. The Cirque of Navacelles, the Pont du Gard bridge, and the Cities of Art and History such as Nîmes or Carcassonne are unmissable places. Yet there are many more gems to discover in its natural and cultural heritage.

A vast mountainous territory located at the very heart of France, the Massif Central is a favourite destination for lovers of nature and hiking. The Auvergne Volcanoes Park, Cévennes Park and Livradois-Forez Park truly have something to enchant everyone, with their outstanding natural areas strewn with countless paths!

The natural treasures vie with the charming listed villages to make the Midi-Pyrénées region a much-loved tourist destination. From the Cirque of Gavarnie to the Montpellier-le-Vieux blockfield, from Cahors to Cordes-sur-Ciel, from Albi to Rocamadour, the beauty of its natural environment and old buildings is equalled only by the appeal of its gastronomy and the nobility of its architecture. Hikers and sports enthusiasts will find plenty to enjoy there, as will fans of culture, history and nature.

A haven for hikers and other nature-lovers, the Pyrenees mountain range is home to exceptional flora and fauna, and will enchant you with its wild, unspoilt landscapes, peaks offering incredible views, high-altitude lakes, legendary mountain passes, green valleys and welcoming winter sports resorts so loved by skiers.

Deep in the South-West, discover Quercy and its countless attractions: the sacred town of Rocamadour, the hillside village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Cahors old town, Moissac Abbey, the decorated cave of Pech-Merle, the fortified town of Lauzerte, and the Lot and Dordogne Valleys are among the remarkable places to discover.

The unspoiled natural environment perfect for sports activities, such as fishing and hiking, the spas, the Prehistory Park dedicated to cave art and prehistoric caves, among which the famous Niaux cave, well known for the quality of its drawings, all contribute to the reputation of the Ariège.

Boasting a rich heritage, the Aude offers visitors to meet its Romanesque abbeys, its Canal du Midi, its Cathar castles, and the medieval town of Carcassonne.

Land of traditions, the Aveyron offers everything to satisfy nature and authenticity lovers, with the limestone plateau of Larzac, the Tarn river gorges, the Aubrac volcanic plateau and its herds of cows, the beautiful picturesque villages, and the famous specialities.

In the département of the Gard, the Cevennes massif crossed by hiking trails, the impressive Navacelles rock formations, the little Camargue, the famous Gard bridge, and the Roman city of Nimes are some of the sites to be enjoyed by visitors.

In the heart of Gascony, the Gers is rich in fortified towns and villages and castles, and invites those who like local products to discover its renowned culinary specialities, its duck and goose markets and fairs, its traditional festivals and its Armagnac vineyards.

Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges and its cathedral, the Canal du Midi great to wander around along, but also the of Toulouse, combining architectural heritage and modernism, with among others the Saint-Sernin Romanesque basilica, the Jacobins church, mansions, aeronautics and the Cité de l'Espace space museum, are just some of the reasons why the Haute-Garonne is such a popular destination.

The magnificent peaks of the Pyrenees, the magnificent mountain lakes, the exceptional natural sites, such as the Gavarnie cirque and the famous religious city of Lourdes, the important pilgrimage site, are some of the features of the Hautes-Pyrénées.

Renowned for its long sandy beaches and its seaside resorts, the Hérault also offers visitors its back-country with hilly and mountainous landscapes, and its main city, Montpellier, the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon.

The famous village of Rocamadour, with its sanctuary and its Cave of Marvels (Grotte des Merveilles) with paintings, the magnificent cliffside village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, the old town of Figeac and its Écritures square, the prehistoric cave of Pech-Merle and the medieval town of Cahors are among the unmissable sites of the Lot.

The Cevennes massif and the mount Lozère , the vast Aubrac plateau, the Margeride forests and the magnificent Tarn gorges are among the beautiful natural sites of Lozère.

The département of Pyrénées-Orientales offers a pleasant cocktail of discoveries, with its Pyrenees mountains, its forests, its high plateaux, its beaches of fine sand, its typical villages and its exceptional number of sunshine hours.

Variety of landscapes and fantastic architecture characterise the Tarn, as illustrated by the Sidobre massif, the Black Mountain (Montagne Noire), the Gaillac vineyards, the red city of Albi and its fortified cathedral, the fortified towns and villages, and the upper town of Cordes-sur-Ciel with its exceptional Gothic heritage.

The Tarn-et-Garonne offers to visitors the possibility to discover the Aveyron gorges, the charming village of Bruniquel, but also the Moissac abbey, whose tympanum and cloister are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.