Visiting Toulouse is also an opportunity to wander the paths of the region to discover departments rich in historical and even prehistoric vestiges, charming villages and gastronomic tables.

The Ariège, 14,000 years of history

Fourteen thousand years of history, with a capital "H", grouped together in a single department. The combination of these great sites will allow you to travel back in time.

The castle of Foix is the only one from the feudal period that Richelieu spared. It was probably built a little before the year 1000 by the county family of Carcassonne. The rock on which it stands seems almost unreal, it seems more clinging to the clouds than resting on dry land, at the confluence of the Arget and Ariège rivers

Another unmissable site in Ariège is the Niaux cave. Because, by the size of its rooms and the variety of its decorations, it counts (with Altamira and Lascaux) among the most beautiful in the world. It is a masterpiece of cave art and one of the few decorated caves still open to the public

To continue your discovery of Prehistory, head for the Mas-d'Azil and its cave. It has taken advantage of new developments that exalt its majesty thanks to a magnificent lighting. A must-see!

Then, it is inconceivable not to stop at the Parc de la Préhistoire located in one of the most beautiful sites of the Ariège, in Tarascon-sur-Ariège. You can even compare mammoth tusks to woolly rhino horn, arm-wrestle with the bison or measure yourself against the speed of a cave lion. This is not an amusement park but an interactive museum where culture and nature meet discovery and mystery of origins.

Finally, direction Saint-Lizier and the Bishops' Palace. On this unique site, where from the terraces you will have an exceptional view of the Pyrenees, the bishops have built a sumptuous palace and a rich cathedral. The visit also includes the cathedral Notre-Dame de la Sède and is a must for a discovery of the Ariège.

The Haute-Garonne, from Antiquity to AOCs

Only 50 kilometres from Toulouse, Revel has the particular attractions of a charming preserved bastide. Founded in 1342, this medieval town has kept its original character. All the streets intersect at right angles to end up in the centre of the town with an extraordinary 14th century covered market (the largest in France). The market held there on Saturday mornings is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the country.

Then on to the Château de Merville, well known in the vicinity of Toulouse. If one can visit the interior of the 18th century house built by the architect Maduron, one usually comes first to admire the thirty-hectare park that extends the castle

The castle of Laréole is one of the jewels of Renaissance architecture in Haute-Garonne, built entirely of stone and brick in a beautiful alternating "striped". It was built in 1579 and was listed as a Historic Monument in 1927. Its 24-hectare park, laid out according to the principles of the French garden, has large avenues adorned with lime trees and opens onto woods on the hillside

To go back to Antiquity, head towards Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges and its ancient site. The foundation of the Roman town dates back to the 1st century BC and it is possible to observe the forum temple, the baths, the macellum, etc

You should also go and have a look at the charming villages of Cazères, Palaminy or Martres-Tolosane. Sitting on the left bank of the Garonne, at the foot of the Pyrenees, Martres-Tolosane has an international reputation for its earthenware art

Finally, you'll have to go to Fronton toast, straddling the Haute-Garonne and Tarn-et-Garonne. Taking advantage of a succession of stony terraces and a microclimate, the Frontonnais is famous for its wine and fruit growing tradition. In 1975, this grape variety became an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) much appreciated by gourmets throughout the region and far beyond. And to make matters worse, the stronghold of the Côtes-du-frontonnais appellation also turns out to be a charming village, characterised by its quality of life and love of good food

Tarn-et-Garonne, from Montauban to Moissac

Moissac is a must-see in the region, as the town has many distinctions: classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Grand Site Midi-Pyrénées, Remarkable Site of Taste, and a major stopover on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Fruit production, including the famous golden chasselas (the only AOC table grape in France with the Muscat du Ventoux), is also unmissable. But the wonder of the city remains its cloister, often presented as the most beautiful in the world. Indeed, the abbey-church of Saint-Pierre, its cloister and the very famous portal of its church are recognized as being among the wonders of Romanesque art. But Moissac is also (above all?) good living. You can enjoy strolling along the old streets, on the banks of the Tarn or along the Canal des Deux-Mers which runs through the town. We love its colourful bi-weekly market and we savour the cuisine of the small restaurants in the Saint-Pierre square..

You can also go for a tour of the colourful Montauban, which could have, without blushing, competed with the Toulouse metropolis for the title of Pink City. Founded on the banks of the Tarn by the Count of Toulouse in 1144, based on a checkerboard plan, the city prefigured the first bastides. The Old Bridge over the Tarn is one of the symbols of the city. The former market square in the heart of the medieval bastide, the famous Place Nationale was magnificently rebuilt in the 17th century, hence its name of Place Royale at that time. The superb episcopal palace, built on the banks of the Tarn from 1664, now houses the Ingres museum. Also worth seeing are the Jesuit college, the Carmelite cloister, the rich mansions, the Notre-Dame cathedral or the Saint-Jacques church

Tarn, from the episcopal city of Albi to charming villages

How not to start with Albi and its episcopal city, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site? The city conceals a thousand treasures that it would be unthinkable not to discover. The Cathedral of Saint Cecilia, the largest brick cathedral in the world, was built between 1282 and 1480 to signify the return of papal power to Cathar land. Its overwhelming silhouette of pink bricks and its immense 78-metre high bell tower earned it the title of a masterpiece of Southern Gothic. Further down, the Palais de la Berbie, an imposing 13th century fortress, dominates the Tarn. It is within the walls of this prestigious building, formerly the Bishops' Palace, that the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum was set up in 1922, bringing together the world's most important collection of this Albigensian painter

We should also celebrate Gaillac, one of the most beautiful towns in the Tarn, with its unspoilt architectural heritage and its international reputation for wine. The town symbolizes the quality of life and culture that can be found in the South of France, with its human size, its medieval alleyways and Grand Siècle, its small French-style gardens. Let yourself be seduced by this land of character!

Finally, you will also have to go through Lisle-sur-le-Tarn for its 13th century bastide and through Sorèze. Set in the greenery of the Black Mountain, Sorèze is a small jewel, located on the edge of the Lauragais plain. The village, which was the seat of the Royal School (under Louis XVI), has the inimitable charm of the half-timbered and corbelled houses of the 16th and 17th centuries. The Saint-Martin bell tower (15th century) gives rhythm to time, tamed by the old stones. On this route to Santiago de Compostela, sheltered from the coolness of the remains of the medieval ramparts, you will find picturesque streets, half-timbered houses, galleries of paintings and local craftsmen, discreet bookshops, the Glass Museum... The character of this dynamic village is also marked by the craftsmen and wood industries: the Saint-Ferréol dam, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, created by Riquet to supply the Canal du Midi, the oppidum of Berniquant, the Calel cave and the Malamort-Durfort waterfalls.

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When? All year round, although spring and late summer are the most pleasant periods.

Get there. By car, train or plane, everything is possible to get to the Pink City. Before going to survey the region..

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