Midi-Pyrénées

With the mountains of the Massif Central at its head and the Pyrénées at its feet, the regions of Roussillon to the east and Aquitaine to the west, Midi-Pyrénées sprawls over 17,500 square miles of southern France and is the largest of its 22 regions. Roughly two-thirds the size of Vermont, this region offers a mix of 10,000-foot mountains, peaceful countryside and hospitable cities right on the doorstep of Spain.

The people of Midi-Pyrénées are especially devoted to cassoulet, a rich concoction of goose or duck, mutton, pork sausage and white beans which is the subject of endless arguments about whether Toulouse or Castelnaudary makes it “correctly”. (We think that they both make it very well!).

While the Bronze and Iron Ages witnessed the penetration of external influences into Midi-Pyrénées, it is the Roman conquest in 200 BC that was decisive, initiating a long period of prosperity. Between the 3rd and the 5th century, successive invasions of the Alemanni, the Vandals and the Visigoths swept the region and Toulouse became capital of the Visigoth Kingdom. In 801, Charlemagne marched into Spain and absorbed Catalonia into his Empire, although he allowed it a degree of autonomy. After his death, the Counts of Toulouse took control of seven cities and of the Rouergue district, asserting their power by launching great construction programs.

Home to 2.5 million people, Midi-Pyrénées presents two very distinct faces. One is the agricultural countryside with magnificent landscapes, picturesque towns and some the most beautiful villages in France. The other is the densely developed area around Toulouse, which has become a magnet for the high-tech businesses that supply the French aerospace industry. This concentration began in 1919 with the start of the first scheduled air service between Toulouse and Morocco.