South west

A style of living where the latest technologies live in harmony with tradition, a wealth of patrimony and gastronomy. Here, the history is written in the stone : the pink brick of Toulouse and the country homes of the Lauragais, the gascony dovecotes of the Gers, the ochre coloured stone walls and natural slate roofs of its chateaux and the charming villages of the Dordogne, the majesty of the cathare castles In the Aude, make these regions privileged tourist destinations.

Departements : Ariège, Aude, Aveyron, Dordogne, Gers, Haute-Garonne, Hautes Pyrénées, Hérault, Lot, Lot et Garonne, Tarn, Tarn et Garonne, Pyrénées Orientales.

Main towns : Toulouse, Périgueux, Carcassonne, Auch, Cahors, Albi

Airports : Toulouse, Carcassonne

Toulouse major town of South West France, 2nd university town in france, aeronautical capital, and dynamic metropole. All made of brick, roman terracotta tiles bathed in light, the pink town, dedicated to art and culture, of science and research. The sport is equally honoured, especially the rugby with the European champions Stade Toulousain.

GERS

The Gers : home of d’Artagnan and the musketeers, this department offers luminous rolling landscapes, its characteristic flavours and tones. The charm of its local festivities with the bull fighting of Vic-Fezensac, and of the regional produce with the Armagnac, the floc de Gascogne and the foie gras ...

The Aude : a mix of the sea and mountains, spectacular natural scenery with the castles of the Cathare Country, the Historic Medieval Fortified City of Carcassonne (listed as World Heritage Sites), its abbeys, roman cloiters, vineyards ans the shady banks of the Canal du Midi.

DORDOGNE

The Dordogne and the Perigord its multiple facets : the small valleys, streams and rivers of the Perigord Vert, its chalky plateau, and the wide meadows of the Perigord Blanc, the preserved villages, the fortified châteaux, prehistoric sites (Lascaux and Les Eyzies) of the Perigord Noir, and the famous Vineyards of the Perigord Pourpre (purple) in the Bergerac region.

BORDEAUX

Bordeaux : situated on the Garonne, prefecture of the Gironde and capital of the Aquitaine region, was listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, for an exceptional urban centre. The old town, situated in the south, is characterized by its narrow winding streets, and its 15th century ancient residences. It is home to a number of churches including the Cathedral St Andre consecrated in 1600.

Bordeaux is in the centre of the largest vineyard of fine wines in the world : more than 120 000 hectares (300 000 acres) of an exceptional value, 57 government certification guaranteeing the quality of a french wine, undulating over the gentle valleys of the Medoc, Libournais, and Entre-deux-Mers. These wines are amongst the most prestigious in the world : Petrus, Yquem, Mouton Rothschild, Cheval Blanc, Haut Brion...

ARCACHON

The Arcachon Basin : a lagoon of 155 km² open to the ocean with The Dune du Pyla which varies in hight from around 104m and 2700m long. This real natural phenomenon is in constant evolution, offering an exceptional panorama on Cap Ferret and the Arcachon basin : in total contrast to the immense pine forests also so characteristic of the Aquitaine.

LANDES

Les Landes, with the largest expanse of forest in Europe and the proximity of the ocean known also for its generous gastronomy, and its countryside where one can drift from one village to another to discover the good life landais.

BIARRITZ

The town of surfing and of elegance in the Basque Country, Biarritz is one of the most well known towns in the Atlantic Pyrenees. In former times renowned for the boldness of its fishermen, the town of Biarritz is known today rather for its tourism, leisure

activities, since being a privileged travel destination and resort with its beautifull beach.