Discovering Occitanie

Today we are kicking off a rather fun series of articles, and here it is, drum roll please: a region-by-region road trip around France!

For our first stop, we are unpacking our bags in Occitanie!

Best known for its food, Occitanie is also home to a huge variety of landscapes, remarkable places, thrilling activities and centuries of history. Let's set off together and discover everything this region has to offer.Fortified towns and villages

You cannot talk about Occitanie without mentioning its many towns and villages that have remained fortified just as they were in the Middle Ages.

We are thinking in particular of Rocamadour in the Lot, Collioure in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Cordes sur Ciel in the Tarn and Ste Eulalie d'Olt in the Aveyron.

If you would rather explore bigger cities, there is Toulouse in the Haute-Garonne and Albi in the Tarn to the west, and closer to the sea Aigues-Mortes with its salt pans in the Gard, plus Nîmes and Arles with their perfectly preserved amphitheatres in the Gard and the Bouches du Rhône. Do not miss Montpellier either, with its handsome Arc de Triomphe and Saint-Pierre cathedral. All the more reason to go: you will be standing in the birthplace of StyQR.A wealth of history

Occitanie is one of the regions that best represents and preserves our past. It is no surprise, then, to find yourself face to face with the Cathar castles, or to visit the walled city of Carcassonne and its fortified ramparts. As remarkable traces of human engineering with water, the Pont du Gard and the Millau Viaduct can also be seen in Occitanie.Outdoor activities

For nature lovers, Occitanie is nothing short of paradise. The region holds just about every landscape you could imagine: mountains with the Pyrenees, the sea along the Mediterranean coast and, beyond that, a very real sense of countryside too.

Plenty of hiking and mountain biking trails are open to all and lead to outstanding viewpoints such as the Pic du Midi, Mont Canigou and the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees. In the same spirit, you can go canoeing and kayaking through the Tarn or Aveyron gorges. For the more curious, you can uncover the region's underground secrets by exploring the Gouffre de Padirac in the Lot. With all that in mind, we simply have to recommend Cirkwi, the perfect guide for all your outings.Family activities

For all its historic, heritage-minded character, the region also offers every kind of family activity to bring young and old together. There are numerous zoos and wildlife parks across the region, as well as activity centres and water parks, often set around natural lakes. Perfect for the weather, which always plays along in summer. For space and astronomy fans, the Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse will more than live up to your expectations. And while you are in the Pink City, you may as well spend a few hours strolling along the Canal du Midi. Finally, the Jazz in Marciac festival is the ideal way to enjoy a beautiful summer evening.Food and drink

What would this article be without a word about the food? This is a region whose reputation rests on its cuisine, and even more on its variety. First of all, markets are a fundamental part of weekly life here. Every town has its own day, but every town has one. Among the finest in Occitanie are the market in Cahors, the one in Revel and the covered market in Sète. Then there is nothing better than eating in a restaurant supplied by local producers. Traditional duck dishes such as duck breast or foie gras are the thing in the western half of the region, while in the east you are more likely to enjoy seafood such as brasucade of mussels, and of course the famous fougasse aux fritons!Our tour of Occitanie ends here. I hope you have learned more about this beautiful region and everything it has to offer, and that it has made you want to go and discover it for yourself!

And of course, do not forget to list all the activities you are missing in your welcome book so that your guests do not miss out on a wonderful experience.