Midi Pyrenees region
The Midi-Pyranees is a huge region with a wide variety of landscapes and architecture. In the south of the region it seems that most views have the impressive snow-capped mountains of the Pyranees as a backdrop. The climate is one of long hot summers and, away from the high mountains, mainly mild winters. It is a region where outdoor enthusiasts will be in paradise, with hiking, cycling, ski-ing, horse riding, swimming, sailing and windsurfing all on offer plus many other sports. There is a wide variety of flora and fauna to be enjoyed. The region has a long history with the wall paintings in the caves of Niaux thought to date from 11,500 BC. The region is famous for its cuisine, particularly duck and goose based products and there are many restaurants where you can sample these to your heart's content! Toulouse, the capital of the region, is a buzzing city with an international atmosphere. Here you will find an airport with several flights a day to the UK, TGV station, hotels, excellent shopping, bars, restaurants and cafes.
Holiday and long term rental property is in plentiful supply in the region. The bigger towns and cities all boast top class hotels, and there are plenty of smaller establishments, both hotel and bed and breakfast available. Gites and apartments can be rented throughout the region at prices to suit everyone's pocket.
The Departments
TheAriege to the south east of the region is one of France's best kept secrets. It is a green and rugged area with stunnery scenery and much wildlife. Near Axe les Thermes you can see wolves living wild in the heart of the forest. The caves of Niaux are here also. The town of Mirepoix is very attractive and the gothic cathedral is worth a visit. Near here is the Lac de Montbel with its watersports, or you can canoe on the River Hers. There are many markets in this department offering the opportunity to buy local produce such as saucisse seche, jambon du pays and, of course, confit de canard.
The department of Aveyron is at the south west point of the Massif Central and is home to some stunning scenery of deep gorges and plateaux carpeted with wild flowers in the summer. The famous Roquefort cheese, made from ewes milk, is made here and exported all around the world. Rodez is the capital of the department and has many shops, bars and restaurants as well as an airport with flights to the UK. There are many churches, castles and abbeys to visit and nine of the "plus beaux villages de France", more than any other department.
Capital of the Haute-Garonne, and the fourth largest city in France, is Toulouse, built of the distinctive "pink" brick, and set on the banks of the Canal du Midi. It is a cosmopolitan place with every facility available. The Wednesday market should be visited and a stop at one of the lively cafes around the market square made. Between Toulouse and the Pyranees is a huge stretch of beautiful unspoilt countryside. The Fronton area has excellent, but relatively unknown, wines to be sampled.
The Gers is a land of wide rolling valleys and honey coloured houses. It is a very agricultural area with fields of sunflowers and maize with a backdrop of the Pyranees. There is fishing, boating and water ski-ing on the many lakes and rivers and it not too far to drive to the sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast. Auch, the capital, is known for its local cuisine and its fine gothic cathedral. The famous Armagnac brandy is produced here, along with many superb wines. Markets are very important in the area and all feature goose and duck produce and the many fruits and vegetables for which the department is well known.
Around the city of Cahors, in the department of Lot, are extensive vineyards, all offering guided tours and tastings. The city itself dates in parts from the 14th century and is a facinating place to visit. There are many Roman churches and several architectural gems to visit in the department. For outdoor enthusiasts there is plenty to do, with miles of walking trails, cycling routes and water sports on offer. The second most visited site in France is in the Lot. This is Rocamadour, a shrine on the pilgrim route, still visited by the faithful today.
The Hautes-Pyranees has the highest parts of this impressive chain of mountains. The national park here extends to 45,000 hectares and is perfect for observing flora and fauna, including bears, and every sort of outdoor pursuit. The scenery is stunning in every direction. The most visited place in the department is Lourdes, where many people come hoping for a cure to whatever ails them. There is a medieval fortress at Mauvezin which dates back to the 11th century and, at Nay, there is a museum dedicated to the beret.
The cathedral city of Albi is the capital of the Tarn department. There are hotels, restaurants, bars and excellent shopping here as well as an impressive fortress built in the Middle Ages which houses the Toulouse Lautrec museum. The town of Castres is on the route to Santiago de Compostela and is a centre for textiles. Sidobre is the site of the Regional Park with a vast forest and the department is a mecca for hikers and ramblers. The market town of Gaillac is surrounded by rolling vineyards that have produced wine for over 1000 years.
The Tarn-et-Garonne department is famous for its wonderful fruit and vegetables. Most towns have a market where you can sample this superb produce and soak up the atmosphere. Beaumont de Lomagne has a garlic market and a large lake with lots of water sports. The town of Auvillar has the St. Pierre Abbey, dating from Roman times, and a lovely covered market. The landscape varies from steep, dramatic gorges and plateaux to rolling cultivated fields. This is a beautiful sunny department where life continues at the same pace it has always done.
The Midi-Pyranees is a huge region with a wide variety of landscapes and architecture. In the south of the region it seems that most views have the impressive snow-capped mountains of the Pyranees as a backdrop. The climate is one of long hot summers and, away from the high mountains, mainly mild winters. It is a region where outdoor enthusiasts will be in paradise, with hiking, cycling, ski-ing, horse riding, swimming, sailing and windsurfing all on offer plus many other sports. There is a wide variety of flora and fauna to be enjoyed. The region has a long history with the wall paintings in the caves of Niaux thought to date from 11,500 BC. The region is famous for its cuisine, particularly duck and goose based products and there are many restaurants where you can sample these to your heart's content! Toulouse, the capital of the region, is a buzzing city with an international atmosphere. Here you will find an airport with several flights a day to the UK, TGV station, hotels, excellent shopping, bars, restaurants and cafes.
Holiday and long term rental property is in plentiful supply in the region. The bigger towns and cities all boast top class hotels, and there are plenty of smaller establishments, both hotel and bed and breakfast available. Gites and apartments can be rented throughout the region at prices to suit everyone's pocket.The Departments
TheAriege to the south east of the region is one of France's best kept secrets. It is a green and rugged area with stunnery scenery and much wildlife. Near Axe les Thermes you can see wolves living wild in the heart of the forest. The caves of Niaux are here also. The town of Mirepoix is very attractive and the gothic cathedral is worth a visit. Near here is the Lac de Montbel with its watersports, or you can canoe on the River Hers. There are many markets in this department offering the opportunity to buy local produce such as saucisse seche, jambon du pays and, of course, confit de canard.
The department of Aveyron is at the south west point of the Massif Central and is home to some stunning scenery of deep gorges and plateaux carpeted with wild flowers in the summer. The famous Roquefort cheese, made from ewes milk, is made here and exported all around the world. Rodez is the capital of the department and has many shops, bars and restaurants as well as an airport with flights to the UK. There are many churches, castles and abbeys to visit and nine of the "plus beaux villages de France", more than any other department.
Capital of the Haute-Garonne, and the fourth largest city in France, is Toulouse, built of the distinctive "pink" brick, and set on the banks of the Canal du Midi. It is a cosmopolitan place with every facility available. The Wednesday market should be visited and a stop at one of the lively cafes around the market square made. Between Toulouse and the Pyranees is a huge stretch of beautiful unspoilt countryside. The Fronton area has excellent, but relatively unknown, wines to be sampled.
The Gers is a land of wide rolling valleys and honey coloured houses. It is a very agricultural area with fields of sunflowers and maize with a backdrop of the Pyranees. There is fishing, boating and water ski-ing on the many lakes and rivers and it not too far to drive to the sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast. Auch, the capital, is known for its local cuisine and its fine gothic cathedral. The famous Armagnac brandy is produced here, along with many superb wines. Markets are very important in the area and all feature goose and duck produce and the many fruits and vegetables for which the department is well known.Around the city of Cahors, in the department of Lot, are extensive vineyards, all offering guided tours and tastings. The city itself dates in parts from the 14th century and is a facinating place to visit. There are many Roman churches and several architectural gems to visit in the department. For outdoor enthusiasts there is plenty to do, with miles of walking trails, cycling routes and water sports on offer. The second most visited site in France is in the Lot. This is Rocamadour, a shrine on the pilgrim route, still visited by the faithful today.
The Hautes-Pyranees has the highest parts of this impressive chain of mountains. The national park here extends to 45,000 hectares and is perfect for observing flora and fauna, including bears, and every sort of outdoor pursuit. The scenery is stunning in every direction. The most visited place in the department is Lourdes, where many people come hoping for a cure to whatever ails them. There is a medieval fortress at Mauvezin which dates back to the 11th century and, at Nay, there is a museum dedicated to the beret.
The cathedral city of Albi is the capital of the Tarn department. There are hotels, restaurants, bars and excellent shopping here as well as an impressive fortress built in the Middle Ages which houses the Toulouse Lautrec museum. The town of Castres is on the route to Santiago de Compostela and is a centre for textiles. Sidobre is the site of the Regional Park with a vast forest and the department is a mecca for hikers and ramblers. The market town of Gaillac is surrounded by rolling vineyards that have produced wine for over 1000 years.
The Tarn-et-Garonne department is famous for its wonderful fruit and vegetables. Most towns have a market where you can sample this superb produce and soak up the atmosphere. Beaumont de Lomagne has a garlic market and a large lake with lots of water sports. The town of Auvillar has the St. Pierre Abbey, dating from Roman times, and a lovely covered market. The landscape varies from steep, dramatic gorges and plateaux to rolling cultivated fields. This is a beautiful sunny department where life continues at the same pace it has always done.