Le
Lauragais
"COUNTRY OF FEAST" in the east of the department,
Lauragais, swept by the breath of the two famous winds,
the Southerly wind and Cers, proudly unrolls its extents
of wheat, gilded corn and blazing sunflower. It is there
that the tender Pastel or "grass of Lauragais was cultivated",which
is a noble tinctorial plant that is largely used in the
XVth century before the indigo ,coming from the Indies,
supplant the famous " Isatis tinctoria".
Traverse Lauragais and be charmed by its sumptuousFortified
towns, true florets of a formidable movement of urban creation
of XIIIth and XIVth centuries, its bell-towers walls, its
castles, its pigeon and its windmills, immutable witnesses
of its last past. Ground of passage by excellence, Lauragais
saw the Romans tracing a way there towards Aquitaine; Pierre
Paul Riquet dig his Channel of the South there (22e French
site, classified world inheritance of humanity by UNESCO).
Between these two times and during centuries, surged, between
its green hills, the Visigoths, the Francs, the Arabs and
the English of the black Prince. In this country of countryside
and typical villages, visit Saint-Félix-Lauragais,
Avignonet-Lauragais, Villefranche-de Lauragais and the impossible
to circumvent Revel with its Saint-Ferréol Lake,
its famous market classified among the 100 most beautiful
markets of France and its artists of marquetry.
The
TOULOUSE COUNTRY
"ON the WAYS OF the ROSE BRICK"
In the north of the department, traverse this Toulouse Country
where alternate along the Garonne, splendid castles (Launac,
Merville, Laréole...) and indolent boroughs like
Aussonne or Pibrac. Penetrate in the thick forest of Boutonne,
where you will follow an ecological path of 2,2 km, that
is ideal to spend one day in open air. Stroll then on the
banks of the multiple undulating rivers. Follow to finish
the small roads strewn with farms of bricks and pink tiles
heralding the proximity of Toulouse.
Toulouse
Here is Toulouse, heiress of a rich inheritance. Enter the
basilica of Saint-Semin, the
largest Roman church of the world, visit the Saint-Etienne
cathedral, the church and delirium of the Dominican friars
to the daring vaults,that are the highest of the Middle
Ages. Take the clothes of the rich merchants of pastel of
the Renaissance who have as names Assézat, Barberon
Maussac, Bernuy, Brucelles, Pins and others and see the
marvellous private mansions which they built at the time.
Take time to discover the collections of Toulouse museums
like Augustins (equipped with a rich single background in
the world of Roman sculptures), Paul Dupuy (museum of the
Graphic arts and decorative Arts), George Labit (museum
of Asian and Eastern Art), Saint-Raymond (museum of the
Antiques of Toulouse), the Slaughter-houses (Space of modern
and contemporary art), the Bemberg foundation (permanent
presentation of pictures, bronzes and objects of art). Then
the evening come in the city of Bel Canto; be involved in
the rhythm of the city with the theatre, the theatre workshops,
the opera, the classic, the jazz, the tango (in homage to
Carlos Gardel). It is in this fertile crucible that bloom
numerous Toulouse artists such as Michel Plasson, Claude
Nougaro, Mader who make radiate Toulouse beyond its walls
well.
frontonnais
"the GARDENS OF BACCHUS" along the centuries,
firmly anchored in a succession of stony terraces and benefitting
from its microclimate,
Frontonnais forged a wine and fruit-bearing reputation ever
contradicted. A very original type of vine allowed the production
since 1975 of a wine of AOC, extremely appreciated by the
gourmets of all the area and beyond. Country of the quality
of life and good food, you will appreciate Frontonnais where
coast eachother in perfect harmony the shaded hills, the
forests (Buzet, majestic centenary forest of 450 ha, with
course of health) and the welcoming edges of rivers. Here,
you will understand why the word "festival" takes
all its meaning while attending the numerous traditional
events which proceed throughout the year.
Comminges
"ON the WAYS OF SAINT JACQUES DE COMPOSTELLE"
In the heart of the Pyrenean chain, this
Gascon ground proposes with ardour its rich past and its
landscapes with a rare beauty. From Saint-Gaudens, a historical
capital, to Saint- Bertrand-de Comminges, genuine spiritual
and cultural headlight classified within the most beautiful
villages of France, Comminges is a country of castles, abbeys
and cathedrals, like as many symbols on the ways of St Jacques
de Compostelle. Return to Aurignac where were discovered
the traces of human life dating of more than 30000 years
(aurignacian time). From there, go to Montmaurin, where
you will be able to admire the vastest known Gallo-Roman
villa in France up today. Fatherland of hydrotherapy, it
is in these regions that since centuries men come refresh
and benefit from the benefits of nature. Barbazan, Salies-du-Salat
where you will taste the most mineral-bearing water of Europe,
are as many prestigious halts whose virtues of their miraculous
water are considered to cure of all the evils.
THE
CENTRAL PYRENEES
"SNOWS OF THE SOUTH" At the borders of the department
and a few hundred yards away from Spain, here is the country
of the Pyrenees. In Saint-Béat, city of the marble,
the Garonne makes its entry in France, bordered of large
wild forests where the bear has found its natural habitat
for a few years. You will traverse a genuine ground promised
for majestic mountains holiday, impetuous torrents, high
valleys, lakes of altitude and summits upto 3000 meters.
The summer is ideal to practise (climbing, canyoning, speleology
(with the biggest French underground network in Henne-Morte,
in the valley of Arbas), the paragliding, the VTT and, of
course, all kinds of excursions.
Volvestre
"the COUNTRY Of WATER" Country of plain by excellence,
Volvestre pushes imagination, as for better underlining
its originality, to decline itself on both sides of the
Garonne out of cliffs on the right bank and broad terraces
on the left bank. Water ground, generous and fertile, this
country is dependent since the night of times on the river
and still grows richer thanks to Ariège, in Volp,to
Arize and Lèze. Volvestre whose alive traditions
go up with the knighthood of the middle ages, takes care
jealously ,in the shade of a majestic nature ,of an inheritance
that is several times thousand-year-old. From Rieux-Volvestre
to Carbonne, and from Montesquieu-Volvestre to Martres-Tolosane
(the famous city of the ware artists), this country is strewn
with churches that are the guardians of the paleochristian
vestiges and the oldFortified towns with arcades, markets
and half-timbered houses.
Recherche
the
largest Roman church of the world, visit the Saint-Etienne
cathedral, the church and delirium of the Dominican friars
to the daring vaults,that are the highest of the Middle
Ages. Take the clothes of the rich merchants of pastel of
the Renaissance who have as names Assézat, Barberon
Maussac, Bernuy, Brucelles, Pins and others and see the
marvellous private mansions which they built at the time.
Take time to discover the collections of Toulouse museums
like Augustins (equipped with a rich single background in
the world of Roman sculptures), Paul Dupuy (museum of the
Graphic arts and decorative Arts), George Labit (museum
of Asian and Eastern Art), Saint-Raymond (museum of the
Antiques of Toulouse), the Slaughter-houses (Space of modern
and contemporary art), the Bemberg foundation (permanent
presentation of pictures, bronzes and objects of art). Then
the evening come in the city of Bel Canto; be involved in
the rhythm of the city with the theatre, the theatre workshops,
the opera, the classic, the jazz, the tango (in homage to
Carlos Gardel). It is in this fertile crucible that bloom
numerous Toulouse artists such as Michel Plasson, Claude
Nougaro, Mader who make radiate Toulouse beyond its walls
well. 
Frontonnais forged a wine and fruit-bearing reputation ever
contradicted. A very original type of vine allowed the production
since 1975 of a wine of AOC, extremely appreciated by the
gourmets of all the area and beyond. Country of the quality
of life and good food, you will appreciate Frontonnais where
coast eachother in perfect harmony the shaded hills, the
forests (Buzet, majestic centenary forest of 450 ha, with
course of health) and the welcoming edges of rivers. Here,
you will understand why the word "festival" takes
all its meaning while attending the numerous traditional
events which proceed throughout the year. 
this
Gascon ground proposes with ardour its rich past and its
landscapes with a rare beauty. From Saint-Gaudens, a historical
capital, to Saint- Bertrand-de Comminges, genuine spiritual
and cultural headlight classified within the most beautiful
villages of France, Comminges is a country of castles, abbeys
and cathedrals, like as many symbols on the ways of St Jacques
de Compostelle. Return to Aurignac where were discovered
the traces of human life dating of more than 30000 years
(aurignacian time). From there, go to Montmaurin, where
you will be able to admire the vastest known Gallo-Roman
villa in France up today. Fatherland of hydrotherapy, it
is in these regions that since centuries men come refresh
and benefit from the benefits of nature. Barbazan, Salies-du-Salat
where you will taste the most mineral-bearing water of Europe,
are as many prestigious halts whose virtues of their miraculous
water are considered to cure of all the evils. 
"SNOWS OF THE SOUTH" At the borders of the department
and a few hundred yards away from Spain, here is the country
of the Pyrenees. In Saint-Béat, city of the marble,
the Garonne makes its entry in France, bordered of large
wild forests where the bear has found its natural habitat
for a few years. You will traverse a genuine ground promised
for majestic mountains holiday, impetuous torrents, high
valleys, lakes of altitude and summits upto 3000 meters.
The summer is ideal to practise (climbing, canyoning, speleology
(with the biggest French underground network in Henne-Morte,
in the valley of Arbas), the paragliding, the VTT and, of
course, all kinds of excursions. 
"the COUNTRY Of WATER" Country of plain by excellence,
Volvestre pushes imagination, as for better underlining
its originality, to decline itself on both sides of the
Garonne out of cliffs on the right bank and broad terraces
on the left bank. Water ground, generous and fertile, this
country is dependent since the night of times on the river
and still grows richer thanks to Ariège, in Volp,to
Arize and Lèze. Volvestre whose alive traditions
go up with the knighthood of the middle ages, takes care
jealously ,in the shade of a majestic nature ,of an inheritance
that is several times thousand-year-old. From Rieux-Volvestre
to Carbonne, and from Montesquieu-Volvestre to Martres-Tolosane
(the famous city of the ware artists), this country is strewn
with churches that are the guardians of the paleochristian
vestiges and the oldFortified towns with arcades, markets
and half-timbered houses.