From the peaks of the Pyrénées and the
Cévennes to the wide open spaces of the Camargue of the
wild horses, from the Mediterranean coastline of the
Golfe-du-Lion, where Phoenician fleets and Roman galleys once
made landfall, to the high plateau of the Causses, every square
meter of ground bears the imprints of the many civilisations
that have come and gone in the long history of this hallowed
region.
Today, however, the ancient and the modern co-exist side by
side. Fortunately, the modern seldom impinges upon the
architectural history of the millennia. Memorable places like
the Gorges du Tarn, Gorges de l'Aude, Gorges de l'Herault,
Gorges de la Cèze and the creeks and caves of the
Côte Vermeille preserve their ancient villages intact.
You will lose yourself in the ambiance of the Middle Ages when
visiting the beautiful Romanesque abbeys of
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Fontfroide, Saint-Hilaire,
Saint-Martin-du-Canigou and Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, or when you
stand at the gates of the walled cities of the Cathars or
Aigues-Mortes and Carcassonne. You will be similarly transported
to the 18 th century when you walk around the shady mansions of
Montpellier, Uzès, Pézenas and Beaucaire, or when
cruising along the canal du Midi.
Accommodation is plentiful and varied to suit the dimensions of
every purse, from hotels to accommodation centers and camping
sites. There are a thousand things to do, from sightseeing to
sporting activities, aquatic and otherwise. From village to
village, from town to town, pageants, carnivals and religious
festivals abound with the traditional battles of the
"boules" being fought out on every town and village
square.
Since prehistoric times, "Homo Sapiens" has left the
imprint of his evolution all over this magical land. So much so
that the oldest known European human skull in existence was
discovered in this region.