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Cathédrale
Eglise Monument |
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| Photo
by Daniel Thierry |
| Click
on the image for larger version |
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 The
Midi-Pyrénées is made up of eight departments set
in the heart of southwestern France and is the largest region in
the country. It has an incredibly wide range of natural sites: from
the Pyrenees to the valley of the Dordogne and from Gascony to the
Gorges du Tarn; the diversity of its landscapes is equalled only
by the wealth of its heritage.
The Midi-Pyrénées is renowned for
its innate sense of celebration and visitors are often surprised
by its friendly spontaneity. It is also a region that is crammed
full of ideas for your vacations: you can choose between a weekend
in its capital: Toulouse (also called "The Pink Town");
another in Albi to discover the artist Toulouse-Lautrec and a gourmet
outing in the Gers: the homeland of d'Artagnan, one of Alexandre
Dumas' three musketeers as well as the festival Jazz in Marciac.
Or you may prefer to go hiking in Ariège to become acquainted
with the history of the Cathars, or to go on a pilgrimage to Lourdes
in the Hautes-Pyrénées. Yet again a cruise on the
'canal du Midi', the Lot or the Baïse or Spring on the road
to Santiago de Compostela may be more to your liking. Whatever your
choice, you're sure to discover delightful villages you'll long
to live in.
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Photo
by Daniel Thierry |
| Click
on the image for larger version |
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As for those among you who want to take your time,
you can embark on a journey to visit such great sites as Rocamadour,
Conques, Cordes sur Ciel, Figeac and St Bertrand de Comminges, among
others or to taste the local gourmet produce such as foie gras,
cassoulet (meat and bean stew), Roquefort cheese and the wines of
Cahors or Gaillac and Armagnac. You could also take to the road
to discover the fortified Medieval towns, enjoying the stories of
historical events and typical village markets on the way.
No tour of the region would be complete without
a wide choice of spas for the health and fitness enthusiast. Neither
will the athlete be outdone in the Midi-Pyrénées as
it offers a wide range of sports such as rafting, canoeing and skiing,
as well as adventure sports: canyoning and free riding for instance,
not forgetting discovery sports with hiking, horse riding and bicycle
riding among others. A whole new world to discover… |
