Aigues-Mortes in the Camargue: Medieval Walled Town
Lovers of history and castles should put a pin in the map at Aigues-Mortes, a town whose medieval centre is enclosed within rectangular ramparts, complete with circular towers and gateways and walls that you...
History of the Canal du Midi
The making of a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Canal du Midi was the result of the vision of one man, Pierre-Paul Riquet, who in 1662 wrote to Combert, minister of Louis XIV: "I am...
Argentat town guide
A river and people
In recent years due to an increase in the number of tourists visiting Argentat, the town has made enormous efforts to achieve a ‘tourist friendly’ environment and has had to invest...
Etang de Thau and Sète
Exploring the fishing communities around the Thau lagoon
For lovers of seafood and all things nautical, here is a guide to the region surrounding the Bassin de Thau, an inland salt lagoon linking the Canal...
A walk through the “High Town” of Limoges
The city of Limoges over the centuries developed far more around the Chateau than the actual city centre. A walk through the “Ville haute, the high town” of the region's capital or as it's...
Secret Valley of the Hérault
La Vall
If you prefer to wander from the beaten path where pilgrim tourists throng in their hundreds, and discover untouched paradises, then look no further. It is possible to lose the crowds, to escape...
Bullfighting and Equine Tradition in France: Languedoc Tradition
Bull fighting – how to make sense of the posters!
If you live in the Languedoc or are visiting the area, you might be puzzled by the amount of terminology that is involved in local...
Brittany Cities of Art
Little is known of the urban tradition in this maritime and agricultural land. Yet it dates from the XIth century, and for some cities, from the Middle Ages. There are four generations of towns:
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Villages with a History
The Vidourle Valley and its Villages
Looking through tourist brochures can sometimes be tempting, because they list umpteen castles and attractions. But look a little closer and you will begin to see the footprints left...
Roman History in Nimes – La Maison Carrée
It all started with one man – Caesar Augustus, who visited Narbonne in 27 BC. From this point the new Roman province was called Narbonensis, and is the oldest Roman city founded in Gaul.
Later,...