Midi-Pyrenees

French Property Shop - Property in Midi-Pyrenees

Home Buyers Guide to Property for Sale in Midi-Pyrenees

Access to Mini Pyrenees

TOULOUSE              

EASY JET from Gatwick and Bristol

FLYBE from Birmingham

BRITISH AIRWAYS from London

RODEZ

RYANAIR from London Stansted and Dublin

TGV  Paris-Toulouse: 5hrs (5 trains daily)

960 kms (9 hours) from Calais to Toulouse.

The Midi-Pyrenees is set on the highest part of the Pyrenean chain where peaks reaching 9,850 feet and more abound: Vignemale (10,800 ft), Pic du Midi (9,400 ft), Pic du Balaïtous (10,300ft), etc. Much loved by medium and high altitude enthusiasts, the Midi-Pyrenees counts three resolutely mountainous departments: the Haute-Garonne (in the south), the Ariège and the Hautes-Pyréneés, to which the plateaus of Aubrac in Aveyron must be added. All of these offer many sources of pleasure, encounters  and varied activities the year round.

The Midi-Pyrenees boasts a great number of valleys, which are appreciated for their natural resources and cultural diversity. Among the largest and best known, five valleys stand out among the rest: those of the Dordogne, the Aveyron, the Tarn, the Lot, and the Garonne. These are the settings of ancient adventures as witnessed by the towns, fortified towns and châteaux nestling within their hospitable hollows and offer activities such as walking, hikeing and white-water sports. The valleys are key-points in the area for those who wish to discover its secrets.

The Midi-Pyrenees boasts one National nature park and three Regional nature parks: rural territories with a remarkable but fragile natural, cultural and human heritage. To preserve the riches of its fauna and the diversity of its flora, many local participants with a common objective have united their efforts to aim for a harmonious and sustainable tourism development.

Although the Midi-Pyrenees does not boast a coastline, it is a water region with 80 stretches of water and the 1,550 miles of rivers and torrents that feed them. The region truly is a land of enclosed seas which means that many water sports are available on specially equipped stretches of water: swimming, windsurfing, rowing, water skiing and dinghy sailing, etc. The ideal solution for those of you who want to avoid overcrowded beaches!

By boat, you will see the Midi-Pyrenees in a completely different way. With the canals of southern France, the Baïse and the Lot, the region promises an unusual view of the country. Forget your car: there are houseboats, trip boats and other hotel boats ready to take over and take you wherever your fancies may lead you to discover the beauty of the countryside and the warmth of the inhabitants of southwestern France.

The Midi-Pyrenees boasts 3,000 identified caves. Whether cathedrals made of stone and limestone concretions or the moving witnesses of Palaeolithic art, approximately twenty caves have been equipped and are now open to the general public. The cave of Niaux in Ariege, the largest painted cave, along with the caves of Lascaux and Altamira, to name but a few, feature among the most famous. The caves of Padirac in the Lot are said to be the work of the devil himself and the caves of Rocamadour, which deserve the name "grotte des Merveilles" (Cave of Wonders) have cave paintings that are 20,000 years old. There are many other wonderful sites to satisfy your curiosity, such as the caves of Mas d'Azil, Bédeilhac, La Vache, Pech Merle and Gargas.

Bastides began to appear in southwestern France between the 13th and 14th century. The characteristic features of the grid pattern layout of their streets crossing at right angles and their centrally situated markets are typical of what are often referred to as 'new Medieval towns", and representative of the Midi-Pyrenees which counts several hundred of them. Some have thrived to become towns such as Montauban, Villefranche de Rouergue, Montréjeau, Revel and Grenade whereas others have remained delightful small villages with a Medieval appearance like Cordes sur Ciel and Fourcès.

The bastides of the Rouergue area form a region of Art and History in the Aveyron, which includes four sites (Najac, Sauveterre, Villeneuve and Villefranche); its original aspect lies in the complementary nature of all four fortified towns.

Najac stands just a few miles from Villefranche-de-Rouergue in the gorge of the Aveyron. Initially a simple square tower during the 12th century, Najac castle became a fortress during the 13th century following a ruling by King Saint Louis. Najac's strategic position enabling it to close off the valley is the reason for its rather chaotic history.

The Midi-Pyrenees boasts a very wide range of vineyards in which some of the best red and white wines of southwestern France are produced. From the banks of the Dordogne to the Lot valley and from the region of Gascony to the hillsides of the Tarn, some fifteen AOC (guarantee of origin) wines as well as local wines are available to cheer your meals.

Whether you choose to eat at a table d'hôtes, or sitting outside a small restaurant, or even in a restaurant that has stars in the Michelin guide or simply within the country atmosphere of a farmhouse inn, you'll enjoy deliciously local culinary specialities in which the local produce and the natural warmth of the Midi-Pyrenees find their expression.

The French property shop lists thousands of properties for sale around France with many in the Midi-Pyrenees region.

Another Article brought to you by FPS about your French Property Sale and Purchase in Midi Pyrenees.

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