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Canal du MidiBest Attractions in the Languedoc  Although the Languedoc Roussillon region is best known for its splendid Mediterranean coastline, travel a little inland and you will find a totally different character with plenty to add a bit of variety to the ubiquitous bucket and spade holiday.  Not only will you find beautiful scenery such as the rolling Corbières hills, the Parc National de Haut Languedoc, or the Pyrénéean mountains, but there is also incredible history to be found with the medieval fortress town of Carcassonne and the dramatically situated Cathar castles.

Lac du Merle, courtsey of the Parc de Haut Languedoc tourist officeParc Regional de Haut Languedoc

Location: 50km north east of Carcassonne on the other side of the Black Mountain.
General Info: Website.
Description: A mountainous region mainly known for it’s three man made lakes which have been developed for tourism.  It’s an attractive holiday destination which is not over-developed, with the added benefit of the Mediterranean beaches within easy reach.
Our recommendations:  The Lac de la Raviège provides a wide variety of watersports entertainment, including canoeing and sailing, as well as several man-made beaches.
For the children:  The Gijou valley railway path is situated on a dis-used narrow-gauge railway route to the north of the Parc.  Best followed to the west from Lacaune, it provides for a lovely cycle route.

This website has some excellent information on the Parc, furthermore it has information on all 42 French regional parks.  If you love the outdoors this is an invaluable guide.

Our favourite attractions in the Languedoc:

        - Aqualand
        - Argeles Aventure
        - Canal du Midi
        - Cirque de Mourèze
        - Fort de Salses
        - Jardin d’Ariane Maze
        - Lac de St-Ferréol
        - Les Orgues d'Ille
        - Le Petit Train Jaune
        - Monto Z’Arbres Activity Park
        - Parc de Haut Languedoc
        - Sigean Nature Reserve

External websites offering information on the Languedoc:

-
Languedoc - this is an absolutely brilliant website offering loads of information on this region of France.
- Corbieres Country - useful tourist information on the region in the extreme south east of France.
- Cathar Country - website on the Pays Cathar.
Chosen by our children:

     - Top Ten Holiday destinations in France