Between wide open spaces, villages with character, cities with preserved architecture, rivers and vineyards, Midi-Pyrénées invites you to make happy discoveries. Renowned for the harmony of its landscapes and for its conviviality, the region also has a gastronomic tradition that is hard to resist.
With more than 30,000 kilometers of marked trails, the Midi-Pyrénées is a real paradise for hikers. You can follow the legendary itineraries to Santiago de Compostela, but also the "chemin des bonhommes" on the tracks of the Cathars, the GR10 which follows the Pyrenees or the tour of Larzac which leads you from one Templar and hospitable city to another. But the region invites you to practice many other outdoor sports: swimming, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, water skiing on its beautiful lakes and rivers, cycling, mountain biking, horseback riding, golf... In winter, the 26 regional resorts also promise you long hours of skiing.
Then set off to meet unforgettable cities. Fall under the spell of Toulouse by walking through its pedestrian streets and discovering the prestigious Place du Capitole, the beautiful Saint-Sernin basilica, the Jacobins cloister, the Augustins museum, the Abattoirs museum, dedicated to modern art and the Cité de l'Espace. Then discover Albi, the beautiful Tuscan city which will seduce you with its narrow streets lined with half-timbered houses, its superb Sainte-Cécile cathedral and its Toulouse-Lautrec museum. But also take the time to visit Rodez which seems to be built around its monumental Notre-Dame cathedral, Cahors for its superb Valentré bridge and its Saint-Etienne cathedral, Auch, in the heart of Gascony, for its Tour d'Armagnac and its Sainte-Marie cathedral, listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.
If the region impresses by the brightness of its big cities, it also shelters its fabulous heritage in the heart of smaller cities. To convince you, go to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Conques, La Couvertoirade, Rocamadour, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Moissac... Don't miss other must-see sites such as the cathedral of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, the spa town of Luchon, the old count's castle of Foix, the Gavarnie cirque, the Pic du Midi, the Marian city of Lourdes, the Canal du Midi, the impressive Millau Viaduct... And, to convince you completely, think also of the long gastronomic tradition of Midi-Pyrénées where you will be able to taste foie gras, black truffle, cassoulet, garbure, aligot, roquefort, cake with the spit, pastis gascon...
