Visit Occitanie

Once the capital of the Pays d'Oc and the prosperous Pays de Cocagne, the Ville Rose is now a metropolis on the move. You'll find a timeless charm in its streets and squares. Its churches are particularly refined, starting with the Jacobins church, a true masterpiece of Gothic art. The brick-and-stone Basilica Saint-Sernin is also a must-see, and not just for pilgrims from all over the world. Then take a detour to the magnificent Renaissance Hôtel d'Assézat, home to the art collection of the Fondation Bemberg. Finally, as the sun sets, stroll along the banks of the Garonne, admiring the bell towers and neoclassical facades of the Quais Rosir, not far from the Port Viguerie.

Miraculous rock, collection of stories, beliefs and legends, place of pilgrimage and sanctuary of the Black Madonna: Rocamadour is all these things... Built on the edge of a 150-metre-high cliff, this breathtakingly beautiful village offers a 360-degree panorama of the Alzou canyon. At the top of the grand staircase, its magnificent UNESCO-listed religious town is dominated by the castle keep and its seven sanctuaries, teeming with anecdotes and hidden treasures. Once you've completed your visit, head for the ramparts, where you can admire the Forest of Monkeys and the Rocher des aigles, a breeding ground for birds of prey.

Unofficial capital of the Languedoc region, Montpellier is a dynamic, vibrant metropolis, blending old and contemporary districts. Between Place de la Comédie and the Arc de Triomphe du Peyrou lie the city's old quarters, a labyrinth of narrow, winding streets in the Ecusson, typical of medieval cities. Then head for the Musée Fabre, one of Europe's most important art museums, whose exceptional collections include some 30 works by Pierre Soulages, the master of "outrenoir".

Sète is a port town that owes its reputation not only to the canals that run through it, but also to the many poets and artists it has nurtured, from writer Paul Valéry to singer-songwriter Georges Brassens, who is buried here, and filmmaker Agnès Varda.

The Vieux Port, the city's beating heart, features canals lined with colorful facades, bridges, pleasure boats and old riggings. Restaurants and terraces line the Canal de la Marine as you head towards the Sud, protected by the Môle Saint-Louis, a remarkable structure built in 1666. Unless you prefer the Lazaret and Villeroy beaches, where it's great to take a dip in summer. The Quartier Haut, home to fishermen and artists, is more peaceful, but no less picturesque.

Follow in the footsteps of the Counts of Roussillon, Catalan lords and Aragonese conquerors who fought bitterly for the city of Perpignan over the centuries. Proud and sunny, Perpignan's tumultuous past has left many astonishing traces. Discover the sumptuous Castillet and its medieval streets paved with pink marble, with their distinctly Catalan influences, before making a detour to the pretty Venus on Place de la Loge. To the north, the cathedral of Saint-Jean-Baptiste is recognizable by its cayrou walls, not far from the imposing palace of the kings of Majorca, with its Romanesque and Gothic architecture, which occupies the entire hill of Puig Del Rei and offers a breathtaking view of the coast.

As for Perpignan station, likened to the "center of the world" by Salvador Dali in 1965, it's the ideal place to catch a TER to Bourg-Madame, the last French village before the Spanish border. Once there, you can take the famous Train jaune to Villefranche-de-Conflent.