An Undiscovered Region in Southwest France
Travel with us to explore the tiny villages and the contrasting landscape of plains and mountain ranges. Here between the Pyrenees Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, you can feel the spirit and romance of the troubadours, minstrels and poets who entertained the courts. Visit the castles and fortress ruins of nobles and chivalrous knights who fought to defend their people and their lands from invading armies of crusaders. Spend an entire day in Carcassonne, the most expansive and the best-preserved walled city in Europe. This fairy tale Medieval city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of top two most visited sites in all of France.
Enjoy An Incredible France Wine Tour in the Largest Wine Region in the World
Enjoy the amazing wines of Occitanie! This is the largest wine region in the world. New wines, organic wines, grape varieties that were nearly lost, the famous sparkling wines, the tiny producers as well as the fabulous wine estates all contribute to making Occitanie the “New Wine Capital” of France! Gastronomy! Occitanie puts the emphasis on “local” and “organic”. We work with restaurants, wine makers and merchants who use local products of the region. They call it “Terroir” here. It’s the way the sun, the wind, the soil, and all of the elements contribute to the freshness and high quality of the products used in their regional cuisine. You will have the chance to meet some of these very special people who literally work the soil with their own hands throughout this incredible France wine tour. You will get to taste these delights at “farm to table” restaurants and on the domain of an award winning winemaker.
Day 1. We will meet in the lobby at the Grand Hotel de l’Opéra at 9h30 and depart by luxury coach for the coast! We begin our Occitanie discovery today in a tiny local village for an event called “A Taste of the South”. Enjoy the stunning scenery as we drive past the hillside villages and vineyards to our private event. Keep an eye out for Cathar towers, and you may have a glimpse of the Pyrenees also! “A Taste of the South” is a very fun private wine and food tasting event where you will learn about the wines and foods of the Occitanie region. We will try eight different wines and each will be paired with a dish reflecting the gastronomy of the region. After our wonderful afternoon experience, we will drive to Sète on the Mediterranean, our base for 4 days to explore this captivating region.
Day 2. This morning we will begin with a visit to the winemaker of La Seigneurie de Peyrat for a wine tasting and “Pique-nique chic” of local fresh cheeses, meats, and tapas. Afterwards we will drive to medieval Pézenas. Pézenas is one of the most lively and beautiful towns in the South of France. You will notice that many of the buildings have gorgeous carved stone fronts and intricate ironwork – a reminder that Pézenas was once the playground of kings, princes and some of Europe’s most famous artists.
Day 3. Market day in Sète! Sleep in or get up early and hit the market which opens at 8 AM. This is a large market that fills the square and meanders along several streets. You can find everything from clothing, shoes, sunglasses, baskets, jewelry, art, books, music, and of course, lots of food. There are museums to visit, boutiques, or just enjoy walking through the narrow streets and along the canals. In the afternoon you might like to visit the Musée des Beaux Arts in Sète and rejoin the group afterwards where we will drive to the top of Mont St. Clair for the beautiful views of the Mediterranean. 
Day 4. Today we will drive to Mèze. In the morning there is a colorful market. You will be delighted by this charming little port town, one of the oldest in all of France. In the afternoon we will have a private two-hour excursion on a boat with our own captain. We will meet an ostreiculteur, the “oyster farmer” who will meet us to tell us about the ways they raise oysters, clams and mussels. We will have an onboard tasting of these delights, fresh from the Bassin de Thau, accompanied by a regional white wine. After lunch at one of the cafes on the port we will go to Marseillan for our private tour of Noilly Prat. Here we will enjoy a tasting of the different three different vermouths, vermouth cocktails. Take advantage of their beautiful shop to purchase some delightful chocolate treats made with Noilly Prat vermouth. Return to Sète late afternoon.
Day 5. Today we will depart from Sète to drive to the historic village of Minerve. On our way we will visit an olive cooperative, L’Oulibo. Established in 1942 they are the most important olive producer in the region, known for their table olives for munching as well as their fine olive oils. We will have a guided tour and a tasting of their different olive products afterwards. Time to shop in their boutique and purchase some olives to take away if you like. On our arrival in the village of Minerve we will first have lunch, then time to explore this site of a Cathar hold out against the crusaders. Minerve has been designated as one of “Les Plus Beaux Villages en France” (one of the most beautiful villages in France).We will travel on to Carcassonne and check into our hotel with views of the Medieval city (La Cité Médiévale).
Day 6. Enjoy a full day exploring the charming town of Carcassonne. It is market day today and the town will be a hive of activity. Why not explore the market and enjoy some time exploring the city center with its many varied boutiques, or spend time in Place Carnot at a local cafe and watch the world go by!
This morning we will drive into the heart of the “Montagne Noire”, the Black Mountain, to visit Saissac, the least known, yet the oldest and largest of the “Cathar fortresses”. We will be accompanied by a guide who will explain the myth buster about Cathar fortresses. We will return to Carcassonne where you will have time for lunch and to continue discovering the city at your own pace. Prior to our evening meal, we will meet our medieval knight for a fun session about medieval life. We will enjoy a special meal of regional specialties prepared just for our group.
Day 9. We will bid farewell to Carcassonne this morning and travel north to the city of Albi, home of the amazing 13 th century Cathedral Sainte Cécile, the world’s largest brick cathedral. Albi is full of unique shops, cobblestone streets, medieval architecture, churches, cafes and restaurants. It is a lively, cosmopolitan city located on the banks of the River Tarn. We will visit the Toulouse Lautrec Museum where you can see more than 1000 works created by Lautrec. This is the largest collection of the artist’s work in the world. The museum is housed in the former residence of the archbishops, Le Palais Berbie. Don’t miss the beautiful formal gardens beside the palace with a spectacular view of the Tarn River. We will continue onto to the 13th century Chateau de Mauriac, built by the Knights Templar. In more modern times, the once medieval military fortress has been meticulously restored by a local artist to showcase its great history as well as becoming a stunning events venue. We will enjoy a guided tour followed by a private wine tasting for our group. We will travel to Toulouse and check into our beautifully appointed 4-star airport hotel late-afternoon.You will have time before dinner to relax and finish packing up for departure. We will share a wonderful Farewell group dinner this evening to celebrate our Languedoc-Occitanie discovery.
Day 10. Departure Day. We will provide your transport to Toulouse train station, or Toulouse center if you are staying longer in France. If you are departing by air, it is a short walk into the airport terminal from the hotel through the connecting, internal walkway 
