Take a guided tour of Occitanie to discover a magnificent landscape with a compelling history and a rich cultural heritage, stretching from the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean.
The region’s history includes significant Gallo-Roman cities and influences, followed by the distinctive Occitan culture that began to emerge during the medieval period. The Cathars of the 12th and 13th centuries also left an indelible mark, and beneath the incredibly rich umbrella of Occitan culture lies a wonderfully diverse region.
Here you’ll find everything from the traditions of Armagnac production, night markets and musketeers to the horsemen of the Camargue, fortified medieval towns, Roman viaducts and, of course, world-class food. This is a region that embraces its sense of self and its own cultural identity. You’ll still find small village fêtes and markets, wine harvests and food fes vals, alongside heritage crafts such as pottery and knife making, textile producti on and, of course, local cheese making.
Food sits at the very heart of life here. There are the earthy flavours of duck, goose and foie gras; cassoulet and the wonderfully indulgent Aligot; and world-famous Roquefort. Then as you head south, the flavors change, with olives and olive oil, garlic, fish and fantastic seafood. Not to mention truffles, walnuts, saffron, melons and cherries.
The food of the region is as sensory and compelling as the wine produced across Occitanie. Those wines include famous names such as Corbières, Minervois, Pic Saint-Loup and Picpoul de Pinet, to name but a few.
It is all these things brought together (the history, the stunning landscapes and architecture, and the extraordinary food culture) in one intensely evocati ve and sensory region that make a tour of Occitanie with French Country Adventures so unique.
When you do less, you experience more
There is an art to travelling slowly. It is about resisting the temptation to race from one “must-see” landmark to the next and allowing yourself instead the me to properly experience a place: its people and traditions, to understand the things that shaped it and the small details that are easily missed when you are simply passing through. The philosophy behind French Country Adventures is a simple one: “When you do less, you experience more.”
Tours are deliberately inmate and unhurried with no more than six people per tour, creating opportunities to explore the art, music, history and food of a region, to linger over meals, meet local people and discover something of the culture that exists beyond the obvious sights. It is travel not simply as a way of seeing somewhere new, but as a way of connecting with it.
An authentic guided tour of Occitanie
The 12-day, 11-night Tarn-et-Garonne & Camargue Tour follows a winding route through some of the most beautiful landscapes of southern France. There are, of course, some showstoppers along the way, but the itinerary is designed to slowly peel back the layers of the landscape, exploring the history, food, art, architecture and traditions that have shaped it.
It begins in Albi, La Ville Rouge, a UNESCO World Heritage city where the distinctive red brick glows pink beneath the southern French sun. Dominating the city is the extraordinary for fied form of Sainte-Cécile Cathedral, the largest brick cathedral in the world. Its austere exterior gives little indica on of the breathtaking interior, awash with colour, sculptures, frescoes and trompe-l’œil. Nearby, the former bishops’ palace, the Palais de la Berbie, houses the world’s largest public collection of works by Albi-born Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, while its gardens offer wonderful views across the Tarn.
From here, the journey winds through a landscape of for fied hilltop villages. There is the almost fairytale-like Cordes-sur-Ciel, founded in 1222 and seemingly suspended above the clouds; tiny Puycelsi, tucked against the forest behind its medieval ramparts; and, depending on the itinerary, Najac, where a formidable royal fortress towers above the Aveyron Gorge, and beautiful Belcastel, its ancient château seemingly growing from the rock above the village.
At Lautrec, there is a chance to discover the area’s famous pink garlic and learn about the dyes traditionally produced in the region. At Gaillac, wine opens a window onto a story stretching back to Roman Gaul, when wine was transported along the Tarn and Garonne towards the Atlantic. Local lunches and tastings become part of understanding where you are and what gives this region such a vibrant pulse.
By day seven, the landscape and atmosphere change again as the tour reaches Aigues Mortes, the extraordinary walled medieval town built by Louis IX as a Mediterranean port and departure point for the Crusades. This becomes a base for exploring the salt marshes beyond the walls and discovering the production of fleur de sel, literally the “flower of salt”, as well as visiting elegant Uzès, with its maze of old streets, shady squares and celebrated market.
And finally, there is the Camargue itself: a landscape of wetlands, salt flats, lagoons and beaches, populated by flamingos and white horses and still home to the traditions of the Gardians, the horsemen of the Camargue.
A Unique French Country Adventure
Your host and guide, Sue Aran, is the founder of French Country Adventures. American by birth, but resident in south-west France for 20 years, she is an experienced local guide, writer and photographer, with a deep knowledge of the history, culture and traditions of France. Every restaurant, artisan, hotel and experience has been tried and tested by Sue and her tours have been carefully curated to ensure your journey through this unique region of France connects you to it, rather than just guiding you through it.
To find out more or to book, visit: frenchcountryadventures.com/tarn-gardcamargue-tour-france
