MIDI-PYRENEES TOURIST INFORMATION
Tourist information about the individual Midi-Pyrenees departments Aveyron, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Lot, Gers, Haute Garonne, Hautes Pyrenees and Ariege can be found through every property details page along with tourist information about the local towns, tourist attractions and information about events happening in Midi-Pyrenees.
MIDI-PYRENEES TOURISM
Situated in the heart of south-west France, the Midi-Pyrénées stretches from the wooded hills of the Dordogne to the river valleys of the Pyrénées. It is one of the largest regions in France, with ancient towns, villages, castles, Romanesque churches and a very deep history. If you’re in search of small medieval villages, rolling hills and wonderful landscapes in the mountains, this is the perfect place for you! Lovers of nature will be impressed by the region’s unique valleys, incredible forests and lakes.
Toulouse is France's fourth largest town and the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées, or "pink city" as it is also called and boasts an incredible architectural wealth which bears witness to its long history. During the Renaissance period, Toulouse made its fortune thanks to the woad trade in particular. Colossal fortunes were made at the time, as illustrated by the sumptuous town houses that still stand today (don't miss the "maison d'Assézat", which houses the Bemberg foundation and its collection of paintings).
Albi is famous as the home of the diminutive artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, whose paintings and sketches of Paris's colourful nightlife took the Impressionist art world by storm in the late 1800s. It is also home to the largest brick building in the world, the Cathédrale Saint-Cécile, built in the 12th century. Apart from being big, it is one of the most striking examples of Gothic architecture in France.
Riding a slow barge along the Canal du Midi, a 200km waterway linking the Mediterannean with Toulouse, is one of the highlights of any visit to the Midi-Pyrénées. It can also be travelled by foot or bike and is one of the best ways to savour the area's lush green countryside.
Located in the northeast of the Gers, Lectoure is one of the oldest towns in the department and renowned for its man-made heritage such as its St-Gervais cathedral, its famous woad and more recently the spas that use its 30,000-year old natural source.
If you prefer to travel by boat rather than barge, the Lot river is one of the prettiest in France. Winding through the old province of Gascony (dubbed French Tuscany), its glassy waters carve a path through limestone cliffs, dotted with the occasional château or village nestling precariously on an overhanging crag. The dramatic beauty of the Pyrénées peaks are home to around 35 ski resorts.
Several thousand feet below, the rolling foothills are noted for their numerous spa towns. The thermal springs of Bagnères-de-Luchon can allegedly cure a multitude of ailments including sterility in women!
More than that, Midi Pyrenees is a very rich area, culturally and historically: typical 19th century castles and museums, as well as enchanting palaces and amazing cathedrals, so many special places you're sure to remember.
Figeac in the Lot, a wealthy trading town during the Middle Ages, is now renown for its exceptional heritage boasting both country and town palaces and pursuing a policy of renovation on its superb sandstone façades and sumptuous houses and their decorative sculptures.
It is a very rural region, producing a large range of crops, maize, tobacco, soya, sunflowers, tobacco, wheat, tomatoes, beans, kiwis, melons, strawberries, apples, pears, plums and peaches. Midi-Pyrénées is very famous for its gastronomy, whether in a Château or in a local restaurant, you will taste excellent foie gras, cassoulet, Roquefort and drink excellent local wines.
The Midi Pyrenees Region has an unquestionable landscape diversity, a very good asset for tourism, especially in areas where the natural beauty of the relief and the unique historical heritage become rivals.
Located in the heart of the Lot valley, Cahors was once a thriving trading and university centre during the Middle Ages. It was to undergo a period of exceptional expansion during the 13th century thanks to the arrival of Lombard bankers: an event that affected the town for good. The affluence of these merchants is still visible in the façades of houses in the «rue droite» (straight street) which includes the "rue Nationale", the "rue du Château du Roi" and the "rue des Soubirous".
The region has often been associated to a very traditional agriculture that had stayed on the sidelines from the industrial revolution, which is why this region has kept a strong agricultural identity.
The largest town in the Tarn-et-Garonne, Montauban has inherited a remarkable architectural heritage from its rich and tumultuous past. The omnipresent bricks have given rise to the title "pinkest of pink cities". The grid-pattern layout of its streets, characteristic of all fortified towns, dates back to the original town founded in 1144 and remains the historical centre's urban framework to this very day.
An ideal place to visit that can offer something for everybody throughout the year - skiing in the winter months to warm climates in the summer months.
