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MIDI PYRENEES REGIONAL GUIDE

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Midi Pyrenees is France’s largest region and is one of sharp contrasts, extending from the northern hills of the Dordogne to the great river valleys at its centre and the majestic Pyrenees in the south.

Explore a landscape of Bastide towns, Romanesque churches and historic castles.

Head to Toulouse for a cosmopolitan ambience or be inspired by the works of Toulouse-Lautrec in historic Albi.

For a slower pace of life, discover the timeless unspoilt countryside of Gascony or visit Lourdes, renowned for its reputedly healing waters.

MIDI PYRENEES PLACES OF INTEREST

Toulouse

Known as ‘La Ville Rose’ due to the rosy hue of many buildings built with the local red bricks, Toulouse is a treasure house of architectural splendours such as the fortified churches of Les Jacobins and St-Sernin. Once famous for its troubadour culture, Toulouse remains a vibrant city with a Mediterranean atmosphere. It has a lively café culture, food, clothes and flea markets, museums and golf at Seilh and Teoula. An aviation centre from the beginning - Concorde was developed here - the outskirts of Toulouse now house a high-tech amusement park devoted to space travel, ‘Cite de l’Espace’. Try ‘saucisse de Toulouse’ - a special Toulouse sausage.

Albi

Spanning the River Tarn, Albi is a town where art and heritage meet. Birthplace of the painter Henri Toulouse Lautrec.and a must for art lovers is a visit to the museum holding over 1,000 of the works of Albi’s most famous son. Amongst the many architectural splendours, the mighty Cathedral of St Celcilia is a masterpiece of southern Gothic art.

Musee de la Prehistoire, Grotte de Niaux and Pech-Merle

Some of the first evidence of human habitation was discovered in a cave near Le Mas-d’Azil, and the Musee de la Prehistoire holds exciting finds - engraved weapon and tools and beautiful carved antlers. History and art lovers must see the paintings of horses, ibex, stag and bison worked by our ancestors 13,000 years ago in one of the rare decorated caves still open to the public as part of a vast network at Grotte de Niaux. The viewing chamber is an 800m walk along a subterranean river bed. Tour reservations are essential - often several days ahead in high season. Discovered in 1922 by two 14 year old boys, Pech-Merle is one of the finest pre-historic sites in France. A larger complex than Dordogne’s famous caves of Lascaux, which can now only be viewed as exact copies, the original 20,000 year old wall paintings of animals and humans at Peche Merle are still accessible to visitors. See the rare drawing of a cave lion and beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Tours last about 45 minutes but numbers are limited so do pre-book.

Millau Viaduct

Once a Roman ford crossed the river Tarn here; now travellers marvel at the Millau Viaduct, an exceptional piece of civil engineering with masts reaching 340m - higher than the Eiffel Tower. It even has its own weather forecasting system. Designed by British architect Norman Foster to compliment the magnificent landscape, the viaduct can be viewed from the rest area upstream from the Millau tollhouse. Nearby, the picturesque old tanning town of Millau, previously a major glove producer, has shady squares, cafes and restaurants.

Auch

Enjoy museums, shops, art galleries and riverside market in this medieval city, high above the River Gers. Don’t miss the last great Gothic Cathedral of Sainte Marie with its exquisitely carved oak choirstalls, magnificent organ and red and gold stained glass windows which glow in the sunlight. Tour d’Armagnan, 40m high, was an ecclesiastical court and fourteenth century prison. A statue of Gascony’s most famous character, Alexandre Dumas’s mercenary musketeer, d’Artagnan, stands on a terrace above the river. The real life count lived at Chateau de Castlemore nearby and his heavily fictionalized memoirs were Dumas’s inspiration.

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie

Lovers of architecture should visit this gem of a perfectly preserved medieval village perched 100m on a cliff above the River Lot. Post-Impressionist and Surrealist artists came to live and work here along with poet Andre Breton. Discover half-timbered houses, a fortified church, castle ruins, gardens and art galleries. Designated one of the most beautiful villages in France, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is popular with tourists and you will have more of the cobbled streets to yourself by arriving early or late.

MIDI PYRENEES GEOGRAPHY AND NATURAL BEAUTY

Pyrenees National Park

The Spanish border forms part of the spectacular Pyrenees National Park which includes some of the range’s highest peaks, such as Midi d’Ossau (2,884m). The park covers 45,000 hectares of marvellous sights. Walk or ride by donkey to the breathtaking amphitheatre carved out of rock at Cirque de Gavarnie surrounded by 10,000 ft high cascading waterfalls including the highest in Europe - Grande Cascade de Gavarnie. Hunting is banned, making the park a sanctuary for vultures and golden eagles, chamois, marmots and endangered brown bears. Rich with flora, the park also has over 200 lakes, dozens of valleys and 400km of signposted walking trails. (Remember the climate in the Pyrenees can be unpredictable and serious hikers should be well prepared). Each valley has a National Parks Centre, school groups are welcome and wardens often organise activities and themed outings.

Massif Central

A region of mountains and plateau in south-central France formed by volcanic upheaval and separated from the Alps by the Rhone River, the Massif Central is at the very heart of France. Until recently it formed a barrier to north-south travel but the opening of the A75 motorway has made it more accessible. Covering parts of 5 regions, including the Midi Pyrenees, it offers rugged hills, breathtaking gorges and long meandering rivers such as the Lot and the Tarn. The rivers are great for watersports like canoeing, there are many walking trails and mountain biking is popular. Amongst the wealth of natural beauty are to be found delightful villages with Romanesque churches, chateaux and spa towns such as Aix-les-Thermes.

Rivers Lot and Tarn

At the south western point of the Massif Central the Rivers Lot and Tarn flow through breathtaking scenery and deep dramatic gorges. The magnificent Tarn gorges travel 48km and at one point the river is spanned by the Millau Viaduct with masts higher than the Eiffel Tower. The River Lot, hemmed in by steeply rising wooded hills carves its way through the rocky beauty of the Causses limestone plateau around the capital, Cahors.

MIDI PYRENEES CUISINE

Glass of Armagnac, Gers, Midi Pyrenees The rich cuisine of Midi Pyrenees is delicately flavoured with spices to remind you of the region’s closeness to Spain. Some of the finest foie gras is served here, along with pate, truffles and Toulouse cassoulet - a stew of goose or duck, pork and sausages and white beans with garlic and spices.

Roquefort-sur-Soulzon is the birthplace of world-famous Roquefort ewes milk cheese. Ripened on oak shelves in rock caves, the process hasn’t changed since the Middle Ages. (Tastings can be arranged in Roquefort village). Try Bleu de Causses, also matured underground and Rocamadour goats cheese. Markets sell wonderful tomatoes, melons, strawberries and peaches, vegetables and pink Lautrec garlic. Pave du Quercy is a traditional cake, decorated with nuts, raisins and crystallised cherries. Sample Fronton and Gailliac wines, dark red wine from Cahors and don’t forget to take a glass of good Armagnac with your coffee.

MIDI PYRENEES ACTIVITIES

Pilgrimage, Lourdes

World-famous pilgrimage centre with magnificent churches and abbeys. Visit the Sanctuaries and sample the water reputedly possessing miraculous healing properties. 2008 is the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Bernadette Soubirous’s claims to have seen the Virgin Mary after discovering the healing spring in a cave near the town. Lourdes will host anniversary celebrations. Visitors should be aware that with millions of visitors each year, Lourdes is the world’s most popular place of Christian pilgrimage and has necessarily become commercialised. To see another view, take the chair lift to the top of Pic du Jer for fabulous panoramic views over Lourdes, Tarbes, Pau and the mountains.

Skiing

There is plenty of opportunity for family skiing in the Midi Pyrenees where spectacular Gavarnie Gedre also offers cross-country skiing. Luchon Superbagneres is also a major spa whilst the spa resorts of Aix-les-Thermes has 70km of ski-runs nearby. All can offer relaxing baths at the end of the day. Piau Engaly is the highest ski resort in the Pyrenees with good snow cover and excellent facilities. Cauterets is a village resort with areas for snowboarding, beginners and children. The 100km of skiing at Bareges La Mongie would appeal to intermediaries as there is no nusery slope. Saint Lary has 15km of pistes and you can also ski at La Forge.

Cycling/walking, Santiago route

Thousands of pilgrims followed the sacred route to Santiago de Compostela in the Middle Ages. Over 80 miles of this route as well as 33 related historic monuments lie in the Midi-Pyrenees. The GR65 pilgrim trail passes through pretty Bastide villages. Visit Saint-Foy abbey church in the medieval hillside village of Conques which was once a key stopping place. The village is pedestrianised so walkers will have the advantage.

Outdoor pursuits, Hautes Pyrenees

The Hautes Pyrenees is a land of mountains, high pastures and winding roads, where old style upland agriculture is practised. Parts of the area are in the protected Pyrenees National Park - wonderful walking country with lakes and peaks and opportunities to see rare wild flowers, vultures, golden eagles and perhaps even endangered brown bears. Walk part of the GR10 cross-Pyrenees route or go to the Grande Cascades de Gavarnie - the highest waterfalls in Europe. Outside the park, there are opportunities for mountain biking, climbing, hang gliding, canoeing and horse riding with skiing in winter.

MIDI PYRENEES EVENTS

International Violet Meeting, Toulouse, Februrary 2008

More than 100 scientists, botanists, producers etc from France and specialists from Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Japan, China, Australia and USA gather to share their knowledge. Includes competition for rare variants of the plant, exhibitions, markets, food stalls and other floral attractions.