pPRINCIPALES CURIOSITES EN LANGUEDOC ROUSSILON

pPRINCIPALES CURIOSITES EN LANGUEDOC ROUSSILON
From the Camargue to the Eastern point of the Pyrenees …
... from the wild areas of the high plateaux to the Mediterranean coast, Languedoc-Roussillon is a region with a
thousand facets, and as many different ways to enjoy yourself.
under the sun for more than 300 days of sunshine a year : bask on more than 120 miles of coastline and spaces
unspoiled, go hiking, take in the breathtaking landscapes of the countryside, commune with nature or indulge in outdoor sports,
get to know the locals and discover the art of living…
Discover cities full of art, culture and history, whose inheritance stretches back several centuries, follow in the
footsteps of famous historical characters...
4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Le Pont du Gard, in the Gard area at 40 km North Est from Nîmes.
The bridge is the most famous part of the prestigious aqueduc built by romans. It
step over the Gardon river and impress with its 275 mètres long and its 48 mètres
hight. The built canal allowed water to flow along more than 50 km to bring water
to the city of Nîmes from the source Eure situated near Uzès.
La Cité médiévale de Carcassonne, in the Aude area
The medieval Citadel of Carcassonne is the largest restored fortified town in
Europe. It has two huge walled town with 26 towers each and are over 3 km
long. From the lower town to the high town, the visitor can walk or take a
carriage to admire the vestiges of 2 over centuries of history left successively
by Romans, Visigoth, Saracen, Cathares and Crusaders.
plus grande ville fortifiée d'Europe encore en état.
Le Canal du Midi, crossing the Aude area (Carcassonne - Narbonne) to finish in Hérault area (Béziers – Sète).
The Canal du Midi (built in XVIIème century) stretch over its 240 km of waterways
through the plain of Languedoc. Over 350 constructions (locks, bridges,
aqueducs…), which are now 300 years old for the oldest. It is nice to visit a habour,
an old lock gate and a stone bridge. The environment is very pleasant and give you
the opportunity of hiking and biking.
Le Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle
Over more than 1 000 years, many Christians have being going to Compostelle
to venerate Saint Jacques’ relics. Languedoc Roussillon is crossed by 2 of the 4
ways leading to this place of pilgrimage. Churches and Priories which mark off
the Path will satisfy the hikers even the most curious. One of the nicest village of
France : Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is on the Path.
Le littoral méditerranéen
In Languedoc Roussillon, we have more than 300 days of sunshine a year and
at least 200 kms of fine sandy beaches. The coast goes from Camargue down to
the spanish border. Swimming is nice from april to november.
Seaside resorts are still lively a large part of the year and
able to satisfy even the most motivated holiday makers.
Families will prefer the large white sandy beaches with a
lot of activities like Le Grau du Roi, La Grande Motte, Le
Cap d’Agde, Port Barcarès, Canet en Roussillon or Saint
Cyprien. They organize at summer time, many sports and
activities to satisfy kids and adults.
People who like big thrills will may be prefer Gruissan et
Leucate which are the place for windsurfers and
kitesurfers.
Naturists will head to Port La Nouvelle or La Franqui.
The ones who look for quietness, will go to creeks of the côte Vermeille in Pyrénées Orientales. There Harbours have kept
authenticity. Collioure, Banyuls, Port-Vendres or Cerbère have stimulated, with there colours,lights and beauties, the
famous and wellkown painters like Matisse ou Picasso.
Wines and gastronomy
The vineyards of Languedoc-Roussillon are some of the oldest and
largest in the world, and produce some of the most renowned
French wines. It is the second AOC largest producing area in
France (10 AOC, 4 Muscats and many rosés). The wine making
districts extend from the right bank of the Rhône as far as the foothills
of the Pyrenees, stretching out over the plains, or sloping up to the
scrubland and the hills. You can taste wines on private domaines or
wine cellars. The wines of Languedoc-Roussillon have a very rich
aftertaste. They complement the local food perfectly, renowned for the
diversity of its agricultural produce, boasts a delicious and authentic
cuisine. Based on olive oil, garlic and basil, this cuisine is typically
flavoured with herbs of the Provencal garrigue (scrubland) such as
thyme, rosemary, bay, savory. On the coast, seafood is a local
speciality in some resorts : oysters from Bouzigues, Mèze or Gruissan.
Fish is often grilled. People on the countryside are very keen on
traditonnal gastronomies as well, but with more substantial dishers, like
the famous cassoulet, delicatessen, brandade (cod and olive oil) and
recipies with mushrooms or cheese.
Languedoc Tapenade :
For 6 people:
- 100 / 150g of salted
anchovies
- 200 / 250g of pitted black
olives
- 50g of capers in vinegar
- half a clove of garlic
- 1 squeeze of lemon juice
- 2 to 3 teaspoons of olive oil
Wash the anchovies
thoroughly under the tap,
keeping only the fillets.
Leave these to dry on
kitchen paper, then place in
a mortar with the black
olives, capers, garlic and
lemon juice (optional).
Pound the mixture in the
mortar and add 2 or 3
spoonfuls of olive oil to give
the desired consistency.
Favourite sports and leisure
WATER SPORTS :
300 days of sunshine a year, 200 km of white sandy beaches, every traditonnal water
sports is possible. possible. Torrents and rivers give you the opportunity of practicing mountain watersports.
Kitesurfing : Best area in France, club in Aude and Pyrénées Orientales
Windsurfing : Many spots in Languedoc Roussillon. You can either pratice windsurfing on lakes or seashore.
Canoeing – Canyoning – Kayaking - Rafting : The turbulent waters of the Dourbie, the Orb, the Hérault, the Tech,
the Têt, and the Aude offer perfect conditions for practising all whitewater sports.
Thermalisme et Thalassothérapie : The Pyrenees offer hydrotherapy treatments, health breaks and thermal spas.
The dry and sunny Mediterranean climate makes an ideal location for climatotherapy. Thalassothérapy in la Grande Motte and in
Cap d’Agde.
LES SPORTS DE PLEIN AIR
Randonnées et VTT : The varied landscapes of Languedoc-Roussillon make it one of Europe’s favourite locations
for hiking, mountain biking, pony trekking and horse trail riding. The region has over 4,400 miles of footpaths,
bridleways and waymarked trails, through scrubland and woodland, across plateaux and plains, through gorges
and mountains. There are also themed routes and historic trails to follow that take in famous landmarks of
France, such as the castle-strewn trail of the Cathars, and the Via Domitia, one of the most ancient Roman roads.
Speleology – Climbing – Paragliding – Han-gliding : The rugged cliffs and sheer slopes of the Cévennes and
Pyrenees mountains will delight thriller-seekers.
Kite : Few clubs on beaches of seaside.
Skiing and Snow : 400 slopes of downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoe and snow-bike, ski-paragliding… That is Pyrénées.
Golf : 18 holes course in Carcassonne, Montpellier, Béziers, Cap d’Agde, Grande Motte, St Cyprien and St Laurent de Cerdans.
Les strong points of every area
Le Gard
NIMES
Throughout Provence and Languedoc, Nîmes is famous for its antique heritage and also for
its colourful annual festivals, celebrating Easter and the grape harvest.. Evidence of the
Roman occupation is everywhere in the famous Nîmes architecture: the 1st and 2nd century
amphitheatre, which once held 24,000 spectators, the Gallo-Roman temple, the Augustus
Gate - where the Roman road, the ‘Via Domitia', once entered the town - the graceful 1st
century Maison Carré, the Temple of Diana, and the Magne Tower - the highest tower of the
walled town during the Roman era.
LA PETITE CAMARGUE, Between the Petit
Rhône and Grau-du-Roi, the region known as the
Petite Camargue has been shaped by the river
delta. This is a land of sand dunes and freshwater
lagoons, roamed by wild horses and dotted with
bird sanctuaries. The area is also
known for its vineyards and old
traditions. Camargue-style bullfights
are organised quiet often at summer
time.
DE NOMBREUX VILLAGES PITTORESQUES ET SITES NATURELS A TRAVERS TOUS LE DEPARTEMENT
AIGUES MORTES, The fortified
town walls founded by St Louis in
the 13th century
THE GARDON AND
CEZE VALLEYS for
freshwater sports
UZES centers of the Arts, fairs
and markets, this historic town
is France’s first Duchy
GOUDARGUES Known as the Little
Venice of the Gard, this ‘village in
bloom’ is criss-crossed by canals.
church and 11th century abbey.
L’HERAULT
MONTPELLIER The capital of Languedoc-Roussillon is a typical Mediterranean town, where the pace of
life is unhurried and the quality of life is superb. The old and the new mix happily here
LE BASSIN DE THAU Twelve miles long and 3 miles wide, this inland sea at the foot of Mont Saint Clair is bordered by
pretty fishing villages which depend for their livelihood on the oyster and shellfish industries.
Sète Between the Mediterranean Sea and the Etang de Thau, separated from Cap d'Agde by twelve kilometres of
sandy beaches, Sète offers an authentic fishing port in the centre of town, the spectacle of its
typical neighbourhoods with their coloured façades, crossed by canals, and the daily return of the
fishing boats escorted by seagulls
Mèze Oldest City of bassin de Thau, fishermans village, shellfish farming, sailing school.
Bouzigues
Village famous for its oeysters and mussels, « site remarquable du Goût Français ».
LE PAYS BITERROIS Between le Haut Languedoc and beaches, Béziers, historic town rises in
terraces from the banks of the river Orb and Canal du Midi, wine-growing capitale from Languedoc,
wellknown for its feria in aout, is nearby large and famous seaside resorts and white sandy mediterranen
beaches.
Pézenas, Center of Arts in the hart of Coteaux of Languedoc vinyards.
LE HAUT LANGUEDOC
is a country of wild natural beauty.
Roquebrun
known as ‘little Nice’, and has a
Mediterranean garden planted
with 400 species.
Le Lac du Salagou
Very nice artificial lake famous
for its clay soil and leisure site
and tourist attractions
Le Languedoc Souterrain
Languedoc-Roussillon is
honeycombed with caves and
caverns, forming one of the richest
areas of subterranean landscape in
France. About 15 of them are open
to the public..
L’AUDE
NARBONNE The historic town of Narbonne was a provincial capital in Roman times, bisected by the Canal de
la Robine, Narbonne offre une douceur de vivre typique des villes méditerranéennes.
Things to see : the Archbishops Palace and the basilica of Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur, built in the flamboyant
Gothic style. Nearby, don’t miss : The Fontfroide Cistercian abbaye of Bizanet
LE PAYS CATHARES ET LES CORBIERES
Between rocks and garrigues, Corbières region has two great
treasures: its rich Cathar history and its world-class wines.
The summits of Corbières were once covered with
impenetrable fortresses, now emotive and impressive sights
on their rocky ledges. Aguilar, Termes, Quéribus, Puilaurens
and Peyrepertuse castles, ancient strongholds of
Carcassonne, now line the hikers’ route through this land.
The walkers defy vertigo, climbing dizzily up steep tracks
towards the castles' rocky eyries, in the footsteps of the
knights who once found refuge there.
Or take the wine road to meet the producers and sample the
wines, while discovering the local heritage and landscape.
LES PYRENNEES ORIENTALES
PERPIGNAN Between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, this ancient city was once coveted by Spain,
but today is the capital of Roussillon and French Catalonia. It’s a lovely city to explore on foot, strolling in the
shade of palm and plane trees beside the cooling waters of fountains. Salvador Dali called the town
‘the Centre of the World’. Things to see: the Palace of the Kings of Majorca, built in the 13th century and
once the court of the kings of Aragon.
Les Pyrénées, Grand Peaks...
The Catalan Pyrenees rise majestically to the peaks :
le Canigou (2 785 mètres)
et le Carlit (2 921 mètres).
This wild region is a haven for bears, wolves, long horned
sheep, izards and ibex, which can roam here in peace.
For excitement, the fast-flowing mountain waters are great
for kayaking and white water rafting, and for relaxation
there’s nothing to beat the natural hot springs, where you
can soak your cares away in outdoor thermal baths at
temperatures near 35 degrees Centigrade.
This landscape is dotted with picture-postcard villages.
They cling to the sides of gorges beside cascading streams,
their houses clustered around Romanesque churches, and
provide the perfect holiday base in any season.
ET AUTANT DE POINT D’INTERET PARSEMES A TRAVERS LE DEPARTEMENT :
LA BAIE DE COLLIOURE, nice
typical southern french port,
centre of Fauvism
SALSES FORT a masterpiece of
15th century military architecture,
unique in France, which once
marked the border with Spain.
THE ORGUES ILLE SUR TET
geological site is series of
amazing natural chimneys formed
over a period of 5 million years
ELNE Fortified
Romanesque
cathedral, with very
beautiful cloister in
marble from XIIth
century