Occitanie, shaped of the 2 former administrative areas of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées, is a area of breathtaking landscapes, distinctive heritage, gastronomy and wine. It truly is the guts of southern France says Shannan Carter who runs Better of France Travels excursions.
Uncover the highlights of Occitanie
Occitanie is ideal for wine and food-loving guests, for individuals who love tradition and historical past, and for individuals who get pleasure from spectacular surroundings, historic cities and picture-postcard-pretty villages, to not point out castles, genuine road markets and Roman stays. On this area you can find all the pieces from golden seashores to hovering mountain ranges in addition to limitless rolling vineyards – that is the biggest wine area on the planet. New wines, natural wines, grape varieties that had been practically misplaced, the well-known glowing wines, the tiny producers in addition to the fabulous wine estates all contribute to creating Occitanie the “New Wine Capital” of France! Plus great gastronomy! There’s simply a lot to see and do, a lot to fall in love with right here, and after a few years of operating excursions within the space – I can inform you, there are just a few key locations that have to be in your bucket checklist if you come to Occitanie.
Carcassonne
For a mix of medieval splendour and fairy story vibes – the UNESCO World Heritage Website of ‘la cité médiévale” in Carcassonne is tough to beat. Ramparts that look out over vineyards and so far as the Pyrenees mountains, 52 towers, a labyrinth of cobbled streets and historic buildings together with a twelfth century church, topped by a fort. It’s thoughts boggling that such an unbelievable citadel remains to be a residing factor. I stay in Carcassonne, and I see the medieval partitions and the fort turrets after I stroll out pf my entrance door, I’ve explored the Medieval metropolis a lot and at so many various occasions of the day, and it’s thrilling every time. My favorite time is within the early morning after I go for a stroll simply earlier than dawn. There’s barely a soul round and I get chills simply eager about the historical past right here every time I’m going up there. Dawn can also be a good time to go to because the solar casts its glow over the vineyards round. And late-afternoon when the golden hour hits, the colors and views throughout to the Pyrenees are breathtaking. Truly, any time is a superb time to see this majestic medieval gem.
Under the Citadel, town of Carcassonne, referred to as Bastide St Louis, is usually missed by guests however the 13th century “new metropolis” is fabulous. A warren of slim streets lined with grand buildings, colored facades and that previous southern France attraction, plus pink marble paving laid to honour the go to of King Louis XIV, the solar King.
Sète
Go on market day (Wednesday) to essentially expertise this pretty fishing port metropolis at its finest. The intensive meals market weaves its approach across the city centre and the sight of stalls piled with all the pieces from olives, cheeses, fruit and veg, bread to meals stalls serving Paella, port stew, sweets, and extra is an entire feast for the senses! It’s a terrific place to buy a picnic, loved with a bottle of native wine.
Marseillan
In one of many oldest fishing villages in France, you’ll uncover the place Noilly Prat, the well-known straw-coloured French vermouth – is made. A tasting is a should after which a go to the tiny multi-hued port and benefit from the scrumptious contemporary oysters. Marseillan is a fascinating postcard-perfect port city.
Pont du Gard
The three-level, 50-metre-high roman aqueduct was constructed greater than 2,000 years in the past and stands 50 meters excessive over the river Gardon. No picture does this monumental Roman bridge justice. The views from the highest span throughout the countryside and some of the superb methods to essentially dive into the historical past of this place is with a non-public guided tour on the highest degree. Step although a tiny door and proper contained in the channel that used to hold water to Nimes, 50km away. It’s simply extraordinary to be someplace so historic – you possibly can really feel the historical past throughout you.
Uzès
Not removed from the Pont du Gard, Uzès is likely one of the most dazzling cities within the south of France. Pale limestone homes gently glow beneath an azure blue sky, and historical past and historic structure stroll hand in hand beneath the watchful eye of three feudal towers and the ancestral residence and chateau of the city’s Duke, who lives in Le Duché, an enclosed fort. You possibly can’t assist however fall beneath the spell of its slim, medieval streets, airplane bushes shading you as you sit within the central sq. Place aux Herbes lined with medieval arcades, and historic that mulberry bushes are a reminder of the city’s wealthy textile previous.
Toulouse
The “pink metropolis” named for the pink brick buildings that dominate its historic streets has world-class museums together with a novel area museum, beautiful structure, implausible eating places, and some of the stunning squares in France – La Capitole, the right place to take a seat and folks watch from one of many tremendous cafés or bars that line the sq.. Or pop to Bar No. 5 a couple of minutes’ stroll away – thrice voted finest bar on the planet!
Toulouse made its first fortunes from pastel, nicknamed the blue gold of Toulouse and you may take a pastel workshop within the metropolis – a very nice expertise.
When you’re there, don’t overlook to strive cassoulet – a cult dish in France! It options duck, pork stomach town’s well-known native pork sausages, and white haricot beans, flavoured with wine, garlic and herbs.
Albi
The sight of Albi’s monumental hilltop cathedral, the biggest brick cathedral on the planet – is a showstopper. From the skin, Sainte-Cecile resembles a towering fortress, constructed within the early 13th century as a blatant present of Roman Catholic supremacy following a Papal campaign to supress the Cathar motion. Ensure you go away time to go to the great Toulouse-Lautrec Museum which holds the world’s largest assortment of the artist’s work within the former Palais de la Berbie which has stunning gardens and knockout views overlooking the Tarn River. Wander the previous city with its village ambiance and half-timbered homes, and perhaps a brief cruise on the Garonne River and a part of the Canal du Midi by gabarre – a conventional flat-bottomed boat.
And I haven’t even talked about the olive producers, the great wine domains the place you possibly can get pleasure from tastings, the vineyards which are excellent for picnics, the picturesque villages, historic abbeys, and majestic Cathar castles that you simply’ll see as you journey round on this great a part of France!
Occitanie is genuine, scrumptious, cultural, historic, shocking and totally great.
Discover out extra about Better of France Travels tour of Occitanie which takes in all these fabulous websites.
