Grand discovery stay in Midi-Toulouse Region

A guided tour of the magnificent medieval city of Carcassonne — 52 towers, two concentric walls, the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire, the Lices and the great gateways. One of the most complete and impressive medieval fortifications in Europe. Free time to explore.

After lunch, the beautiful medieval bastide of Mirepoix with its 15th-century covered arcades, extraordinary half-timbered houses with wooden galleries, the carved Maison des Consuls and the former cathedral of Saint-Maurice. On the return, Camon — the village of 400 rose bushes, listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of France.

In Soreze, at the foot of the Montagne Noire, a visit to the prestigious abbey-school founded in the 8th century — originally a Benedictine abbey, transformed into an internationally renowned boarding school: former classrooms, dormitories and state rooms survive in extraordinary condition.

After lunch, a walk to the Seuil de Naurouze — the watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and the highest point of the Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The history of Pierre-Paul Riquet's great engineering achievement unfolds at this pivotal spot. Optional: a barge trip on the canal (supplement). Then Castelnaudary.