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Local Tourism Notes

Information and links to local tourism and vacation websites and tourist organisations to help you plan your holiday in south west France and Quercy.

The staff at most tourist offices speak competent English. They are generally helpful with all tourism questions as well as questions on public transport and more.

Tourist Offices are also able to provide general information on their area, much of it as appropriate to the resident as to the visitor. For information about fairs, markets, concerts and other events in the area, the Tourist Office is likely to have information, brochures and flyers.

To find listings of all local tourist offices in Midi-Pyrénées North see The AngloFILE: Midi-Pyrénées North Tourist Offices
See the website of the French Government Tourism (in English).
Regional tourism authorities have comprehensive websites in English: Click here

Airports Serving the Midi-Pyrénées North

To find out about the airports serving south western France and the Gascony region, flight information, airport location or who to contact about lost luggage, see the AngloINFO INFOrmation Page: Midi-Pyrénées Airport Contacts
To find out about airlines flying to the Midi-Pyrénées, see The AngloFILE: Airlines, Scheduled Flights & Charter

Where To Stay

The region offers a wide variety of accommodation, with options ranging from camping to Bed & Breakfast accommodation, hotels and stays in private gîtes.

See the INFOrmation Page on Holiday Accommodation Options to find out more about the type of accommodation available in France
See The AngloFILE for Hotels & Holiday Accommodation in Midi-Pyrénées North

Ski Resorts

The Pyrenees mountain range runs along the border between France and Spain, with the small country of Andorra nestling in the middle. The mountain range is 400km long and 70km wide stretching from the Atlantic in the west to the Mediterranean in the East. There are lots of ski resorts on both sides of the border and the Midi-Pyrénées has 38 ski stations offering over 1,000km of pisted skiing!

See the AngloINFO INFOrmation Page, Skiing in the French Pyrenees

Viaduc de Millau

The Viaduc de Millau is the world's tallest vehicular bridge spanning the Tarn river valley in the Aveyron (12). The bridge is a part of the A75 motorway linking Paris to Clemont-Ferrand and Béziers. The French engineer Michel Virlogeux designed the bridge in collaboration with British architect Norman Foster. The viaduct was opened in December 2004. At its tallest point, 341m, it is taller than the Eiffel Tower and just 40m shorter than the Empire State Building.

For further information, see the AngloINFO INFOrmation Page on the Millau Viaduct

Food and Drink

South-western France is famous for its diverse cuisine. The Basque country produces a local chilli called Piment d'Espelette (Ezpeletako Biperra) which is used to spice up local dishes that have a distinctly Spanish influence.

Toulouse is famous for its thick pork sausages, which are a key ingredient for a cassoulet stew of white beans, sausages, and goose or duck fat and local meat. Goats cheese is another product of the region as well as the blue Roquefort cheese. Truffles and various wild mushrooms grow in the wild in the forests of the Midi-Pyrénées. Above all, the area is famous for foie gras, a pâté made from enlarged goose or duck liver. The area is also famous for fine wines and cognac.

Regional Tourist Offices

Regional tourism authorities have comprehensive websites in English providing much useful information.

The main tourist offices are:

Comité Départemental du Tourisme de l'Aveyron
At: 17 rue Aristide Briand, 12008 Rodez
Tel: 05 65 75 40 12
Website
Lot Tourism
At: 107 quai Cavaignac, 46001 Cahors
Tel: 05 65 35 07 09
Fax: 05 65 23 92 76
e-mail
Website
Agence de Développement Touristique de Tarn et Garonne
At: 15 allée de l'Empereur, 82005 Montauban
Tel: 05 63 21 79 65
Fax: 05 63 66 80 36
e-mail
Website
Comité Régional du Tourism Midi-Pyrénées
At: 54 boulevard de l'Embouchure, 31022 Toulouse
Tel: 05 61 13 55 48
Fax: 05 61 47 17 16
e-mail
Website