Things to do in South West France
Discover the rich culture Occitanie offers through French cultural tours and outings organised LIP. Visit Occitanie's famous vineyards, sites of nature, monuments and museums and enrich your knowledge not only of French language, but also of the rich, refined culture that Southern France offers.
French Gastronomy
The South West region of France is renowned across the globe for its fine gastronomy. We offer a cultural excursion programme for you to come and savour the rich food culture France is so famous for with our expert guides. The Tarn-et-Garonne area boasts a wide variety of grapes and miles upon miles of sun soaked vineyards yeilding some of France's finest wine making grapes. Some of these can be found in Montpezat-de-Quercy and Castelnau Montratier, which we can visit for wine tasting. Our region also boasts a variety of fresh, local produce, including an abundance of fruit and vegetables, fois gras, meats, cheeses and yoghurts which are available on a seasonal basis.
Sporting Activities
During the summer, we are able organise activities such as canoeing on the Aveyron river in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val. We can also plan horse riding activities in the countryside or a visit to one of the many paintball or treetop adventure parks in the area.
If you like something more tranquil, we can also take you on hikes or bike rides along the Canal du Midi. Follow in the footsteps of centuries of pilgrims along the Compostello trail which runs through our village on the way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Towns to Visit in South West France
Visit the culturally rich, historical towns across South West France in the company of one of our French speaking guides.
Visit Toulouse
The capital of the South West. Toulouse, ‘la ville rose’ (‘The pink City’), is a lively city with unique architecture, formed from pinkish, terra-cotta bricks. Toulouse boasts two UNESCO World Heritage Sites : the Canal du Midi and the Basilica of St. Sernin. The medieval city centre, and the city’s wealth of museums (including the Museum of Space and the Airbus Museum) mean that Toulouse is certainly worth a visit.
Montauban
Montauban is the biggest town in Tarn-et-Garonne and probably the richest in terms of culture. The "800 years of history" walk will help you discover the narrow streets and hidden passages of the old city and discover its many sights:
The "Art in southwest France" walk will reveal the city’s hidden art. This ‘treasure hunt’ will lead you to the Ingres Museum that hosts the sculptures of Antoine Bourdelle and the masterpieces of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres who were both born in the city.
Moissac
In Moissac, we will walk the ‘Camino de Santiago de Compostela’ (Compostello trail), exploring the Middle Age vestiges of the city and uncovering the secrets of the Roman Saint Pierre Abbey classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Our ‘Chasselas Grape walk’ tells you all about the uses of the Chasselas grape cultivated around the city. Did you know Moissac used to be famous for its grape cure station?
Medieval Villages in South West France
We can also visit Lauzerte, Auvillar, Bruniquel or Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the Tarn-et-Garonne region, all built during the medieval period and among the most beautiful villages of France.
Albi and Cahors
Outside our department we can also organise all-day trips to Albi, Cahors, Toulouse or other places of cultural interest.
Albi is a very nice town, situated an hour and a half away from Vazerac and made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. Along with Toulouse and Montauban, Albi is one of the main cities built in the Languedoc-style red brick. Albi is the home of the famous painter Toulouse-Lautrec Museum.
Cahors is a dramatic site – contained on three sides by a U-shaped bend in the River Lot. Today the town is famous for its ‘black’ wine. As far as architecture is concerned, the Valentré bridge, the Cathédrale Saint Etienne and many medieval houses make Cahors a very interesting town to visit.