Occitanie

Created in 2016 from the old regions of Midi-Pyrénées and Languedoc-Roussillon, Occitanie meets Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the east and stretches right down to cover the Pyrénées-Orientales and a large part of the mediterranean coast.

It offers a diverse and exciting range of landscapes from the long valleys of the Tarn-et-Garonne through the rugged cliffs and gorges of the Tarn and Lot to the open spaces and gentle rolling hills of the Gers. Home to a high density of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’.

With three times the area of vineyards as Bordeaux, the southerly part is a major wine-producing area. It’s also a major centre for rugby league with successful teams in Narbonne and Beziers. Most of this area has extremely easy access to the Mediterranean and many towns are liberally sprinkled with beautifully preserved Roman architecture, such as the arenas at Nimes and Arles.

Getting there and getting away

Airports: Avignon, Bergerac, Beziers, Carcassonne, Montpellier, Nimes, Perpignan, Rodez, Toulouse

TGV stations: Agen, Arles, Beziers, Montauban, Montpellier, Narbonne, Nimes, Perpignan, Toulouse

This region is one of the newest and only created in the late 20th century.