Looking for an original holiday in Occitanie ? As I'm from Toulouse, I'm going to share with you a road trip around my beautiful Occitanie region, complete with a Google map! And, for added originality and fun, at each stage of my itinerary, I've selected unusual accommodations ideally located for visiting Occitanie's tourist attractions.
So, by following my road trip in Occitanie , you can discover new tourist sites every day, totally different landscapes, enjoy seaside pleasures but also visit some of the most beautiful villages in France.
Original holidays - What to see in Occitania?
From the Tarn to the Aveyron, from the Hérault to the Aude and from Carcassonne to the Ariège, the tourist circuit that I propose here is a truly exotic, cultural and gastronomic journey in the heart of the Occitanie region!
It will allow you to spend an original holiday discovering a region of the South of France rich in heritage, natural sites and which has some of the most beautiful landscapes in France.
Along my road trip I was able to rediscover all the beauty of my Occitanie region (and yes, as I told you, I am from Toulouse and proud to be so even with my sing-song accent!!!).
However, as it was impossible, given the extent of my region, to program all the tourist sites in Occitania on my itinerary, I selected stages combining cultural visits, natural sites, small typical villages while keeping the holiday spirit (unusual accommodation, swimming pools, beaches and swimming).
Original holidays - Duration of the circuit
My road trip itinerary is designed to be completed in one week . However, it can easily be customized by removing the first or last stops. This way, you can adapt it for a 4 or 5-day road trip in Occitanie . In that case, a visit to Albi fits perfectly into my itinerary!
Conversely, if you are lucky enough to be able to leave for longer, you can use this route and enjoy the stages with more time.
Original holidays - My stages in Occitanie
For an original holiday, different from the classic tourist circuits, here are the main stages of my itinerary in Occitanie :
- Toulouse
- Saint Antonin Noble Val (most beautiful village in France)
- Najac (most beautiful village in France)
- Cordes sur Ciel (most beautiful village in France)
- Angles (Haut Languedoc Natural Park)
- Saint Guilhem le Désert (most beautiful village in France)
- Gruissan Beach
- Carcassonne (Large site of Occitanie)
- Canal du Midi
- Back to Toulouse
Original holidays - Itinerary map
Click on "More options" in the map to view it or put it in GPS mode.
Oh Toulouse!
My tour starts from my hometown. Be sure to set aside a day to visit the Pink City and spend an evening in the best wine bar in the world, right in the heart of Toulouse's old town!
Unusual accommodation in Toulouse
For accommodation in the centre of Toulouse (10 km from the city centre and 13 km from the airport), I recommend L'Insolite Spa Privatif (Apartment with Jacuzzi).
Circuit in unusual accommodation - Day 2
The program for this 2nd day includes stops in Tarn et Garonne and Aveyron with visits to 3 of the most beautiful villages in France.
Saint Antonin Noble Val
From Toulouse, you can reach Saint Antonin Noble Val in 1 hour; it's one of the fortified towns ( bastides) of Occitanie, located around the Tarn River . Take a look at the video from the Tourist Office:
Road trip in Occitanie - Najac
Then my route continues through the Aveyron gorges , arriving in 30 minutes by car at Najac , which has been classified as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France . It offers a splendid panorama with its high-perched royal fortress and its old stone village.
Road trip in Occitanie - Cordes
We leave Aveyron and arrive in Cordes-sur-Ciel in the Tarn region in 30 minutes. To appreciate this fortified town, you have to climb and wander through its steep alleyways to soak up its medieval atmosphere and admire its beautiful Gothic facades.
Perched on the rocky ridge of Puech de Mordagne, Cordes sur Ciel offers from the top of its ramparts a breathtaking view of the Cérou valley.
Accommodation in Cordes
Here is an unusual accommodation perfect for my tourist circuit as it is in the heart of the village of Cordes sur Ciel.
This is a magical place that transports you back to the Middle Ages! Housed in a 13th-century building, Maison Bakéa has preserved its medieval architecture.
Circuit in unusual accommodation - Day 3
This morning, you'll have a two-hour drive. You'll leave Cordes-sur-Ciel to spend the day in nature between the Montagne Noire and the Cévennes mountains in La Salvetat-sur-Agout . This village attracts nature lovers and is also renowned for its natural sparkling water springs.
Haut-Languedoc regional natural park
Located in the heart of the Haut-Languedoc Regional Natural Park, La Salvetat-sur-Agoût is an ideal village for exploring the plateau of lakes and the Caroux-Espinouse massif.
I advise you to spend the day there to discover and simply appreciate nature and landscapes.
If you enjoy hiking, here are some suggested routes: https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-la-salvetat-sur-agout.html
Unusual accommodation in Prémian
Have you never slept in a farmhouse within the walls of an old mill? So, this is where you will have to do this experience!
In the middle of nowhere, lost in wild nature in the heart of the Haut-Languedoc Regional Natural Park, this Bed & Breakfast awaits you in Prémian (little extra: on-site restaurant and free Wi-Fi).
Circuit in unusual accommodation - Day 4
The program for the 4th day of my tour in Occitanie takes us 2 hours by road to Saint Guilhem le Désert , one of the most beautiful villages in France (and my favorite!!!).
Saint Guilhem the Desert
I advise you to visit not only the magnificent village but also all the natural sites around, including the Gorges de l'Hérault.
For that, I made a small itinerary which allows to discover in 2 or 3 days this magnificent region:
Unusual accommodation in Saint Guilhem le Désert
Ideally located between Saint Guilhem le Désert and the superb Salagou lake , the Château de Jonquières is an ideal site for visiting the surrounding area but above all for enjoying an original holiday!
What could be more original and more fun than staying in a wine estate, participating in wine tasting sessions, lounging in the park's swimming pool and spending the night in its majestic castle?
Original holidays in Occitania - Day 5
For this day, you will be able to decide which site(s) around Saint Guilhem le Désert you wish to visit, according to your tastes and desires.
The Gorges of the Hérault
For more information and to plan your day, here is my article: Saint Guilhem le Désert and the Gorges de l'Hérault.
Original holidays in Occitania - Day 6
For this 6th day of my road trip in Occitanie , we're heading to the Mediterranean! In just 1 hour's drive from the Château de Jonquières, you'll reach the legendary seaside resort of Gruissan.
Gruissan
Gruissan, which the film 37 ° 2 le matin by Jean-Jacques Beinex made known to the general public, is a pretty seaside resort where it is good to spend a few lazy days.
The beach of the chalets, which served as the backdrop for the film, stretches over 2 kilometers of fine sand bordered by beautifully colored wooden chalets on stilts.
But, Gruissan is also an old village which, with its Barbarossa tower which sits in the middle of the ponds, is worth a visit!
Unusual accommodation in Gruissan
Here is an unusual accommodation very well located on a private pontoon in the centre of the Gruissan resort while being away from the traffic and noise: On a boat moored at the quay.
This accommodation is perfect for relaxation, the exotic side, for comfort but also for the practical side especially since there is a very close and free parking nearby.
Original holidays in Occitania - Day 7
My tourist circuit takes us this morning to visit a grandiose and unmissable site in Occitania: the medieval city of Carcassonne! In an hour's drive you will find yourself in the middle of the Middle Ages ...
Cité de Carcassonne
To visit the largest fortress in Europe (Comtal Castle, Saint-Louis bastide, Saint-Nazaire basilica, Théâtre de la Cité, ramparts and Porte Narbonnaise), I advise you to go there early in the morning because you will have fewer tourists that in the middle of the afternoon.
Then you can continue your day by visiting another site around Carcassonne or simply relaxing on a barge on the famous Canal du Midi (see accommodation offered below).
Unusual accommodation in Carcassonne
For this evening, I recommend the Péniche d'hôtes "Mirage" which is located on the Canal du Midi, right next to the city of Carcassonne. It offers a terrace on the bridge, air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms and a nice view of the banks of the canal.
Back to Toulouse
It takes 1h20 to return from Carcassonne to Toulouse. Then direction the Airport or the Matabiau station depending on where you come from.
Fancy other cool routes in the South of France?
3 days on the most beautiful beaches in France
3 days to discover the great sites in the Pyrenees
a short weekend in Montpellier
a road trip in the Tarn Gorges
a short tourist circuit in Ardèche
a road trip from Montpellier to Perpignan
Or, you could head towards the ocean side with a tourist circuit in the Landes region.