A historic region stretching from Provence to the Pyrenees, Languedoc-Roussillon is a territory where you can make beautiful discoveries. Visitors come here to discover the richness of the Gard's historical heritage or to appreciate the most beautiful natural sites of the Herat or the Eastern Pyrenees, among others. Department by department, discover on this page the activities and places must-sees.
The Gard
The Gard is one of the departments of the South of France. Nîmes, its prefecture and one of its main tourist destinations, is an hour east of Montpellier and Sète, two cities also popular with tourists in the Herat. The city of Nîmes is also 45 minutes west of Avignon, in the Vaucluse, and about an hour and a half from Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, in the Bouches-du-Rhône. The journey to the town of Nimes from the Les Mimosas campsite takes about an hour and a half. For your next getaway to the most beautiful city of the Gard, we've selected three must-see places that you've probably heard of or that you may have already seen for some:
- Arenas The amphitheatre is one of the many Roman remains found in the Gard. Two millennia old, the monument is now used for various cultural events and concerts. Every year in May, it hosts six days of bullfighting during the Feria de Nîmes. In Roman times, the amphitheatre would have accommodated up to twenty-four thousand spectators. This capacity can be explained in particular by the configuration of the stairwells and galleries.
- Square House A masterpiece of Vitruvian architecture, maison Carrée is also a jewel inherited from roman times. The monument has been standing in the city for more than two thousand years, and the only signs of its age are slight alterations barely visible on the columns of the portico. It was at the time a temple dedicated to Gaius and Lucius Caesar, two grandsons of Emperor Augustus, who died in their youth. Over the next twenty centuries, the building became a house and then an attic, before becoming a church. It is also believed to have been the tomb of the 16th century Duke of Uzès, Antoine de Crussol.
- Fountain Gardens Many visitors fall in love with these 18th century gardens around the water source where the ancient Nimes was founded. There are majestic railings, wide staircases, marble statues and vases, as well as exciting Roman monuments. When the Jardins de la Fontaine opened in 1745, it was one of the first public parks in Europe, "born" after attempts to channel the natural spring led to the discovery of a temple of Augustus and a theatre.
La Lozère
La Lozère also makes departments that make the wealth and reputation of the South of France. Mende, one of its main cities, is more than two hours north of Montpellier, in the Herat, and Nîmes, in the Gard. The town of Mende is also two hours from the Les Mimosas campsite in Portiragnes, Herat. The city of Mende is a convenient starting point for exploring the most beautiful natural sites in the Lozère. During your stay, take the time to explore the Cévennes National Park to the south. From the top of the Great Causses, you can contemplate the Tarn Gorge and the Jonte Gorge. In Aubrac, in the Northwest, you will enjoy a benevolent atmosphere and a breathtaking landscape. Also explore the Margeride, a secret and unspoiled place in the Northwest, with its hills and moors. Mende is also a destination of choice for cycling and mountain biking. You'll also enjoy walking or horseback riding on hiking trails, motorcycling on the roads or travelling by car or motorhome to the nearby villages of Mande, including Javols, an ancient Roman city, but also Marvehols, a royal village on the edge of the Aubrac, Châteauneuf de Randon, the stronghold of Le Guesclin, or Chanac and its dungeon...
Aude
Aude is one of the most beautiful territories in the Occitanie region. Carcasse, one of its main destinations, is one hour and forty-five south of Montpellier and an hour and a half from Sète. The Les Mimosas campsite is one hour and ten minutes from Carcassonne. Here are three of the must-see places in Carcassonne, Aude:
- The Comtal Castle and the ramparts of the City of Carcassonne The ramparts are made up of a double line of fortifications. An impressive military work, it is now one of the most emblematic architectural wonders of the territory. The walls deemed insurmountable and the fifty-two towers stretch for three kilometers around the old high town. The public can also visit Comtal Castle freely. For an hour or two, using an audio guide, we learn more about the construction of the walls in the 15th century or about their restoration in the 19th century by Eugene Viollet-le-Duc.
- Saint-Nazaire Basilica One of the singularities of this church is the fact that it was built over several hundred years, from the 9th to the 14th century. Visitors are also captivated by the perfect harmony between Romanesque and Gothic art. The building also houses Romanesque sculpture, stone and stained glass.
- The Bastide of St. Louis Built outside the ramparts in the 13th century on the orders of King Louis IX, who would become St. Louis, the Bastide, named after the French sovereign, offers an atmosphere that is particularly different from that of the City, which can be summed up in the street plan of the regular network, the shops on the main street, the usual amenities or even a small tourist influx.
The Herald
L'Hérault is home to several well-known tourist destinations such as Montpellier, Béziers and Sète. The department also owes its attractiveness to its seaside destinations, in particular Valras-Plage, Vias, Agde, Palavas-les-Flots, but also Portiragnes, La Grande Motte or Vias. From the campsite, you can reach Vias or Sérignan in about ten minutes. Valras-Plage and Agde are a quarter of an hour away. Among the must-see places in Portiragnes, the commune where the campsite is located, are the Roque Haute reserve, the Jean-Salluste Archaeological Museum and the Saint-Félix church. Other places near Portiragnes are worth a visit, including the Occitanie Museum of Contemporary Art (MRAC) in Sérignan, and the Cactus Park in Bessan. We can also mention the Parc des Orpellières de Valras-Plage, the church of the Madeline de Béziers or the Biterrois museum, also located in Béziers.
The Eastern Pyrenees
Perpignan, Canet-en-Roussillon, Argelès-sur-Mer or Saint-Cyprien... The department of the Eastern Pyrenees includes several of the most beautiful Languedoc destinations, especially seaside destinations. The Les Mimosas campsite, located in Portiragnes, Herat, is just over an hour from Barcarès, Canet-en-Roussillon and Perpignan. The five-star hotel is about an hour and a half from Argelès-sur-Mer and Collioure. The Palace of the Kings of Mallorca, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist are among the must-see places in Perpignan. In Argelès-sur-Mer, the Paradise area, an amusement park is also worth a visit, as is the Valmy Municipal Park or the eco-museum La Casa de L'Albera. In Banyuls-sur-Mer, the Lands of the Templars attracts many visitors. The same is true of Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette Cathedral is also worth a visit, the underwater trail of the Cerberus-Banyuls Marine Nature Reserve or the Mas de la Serre Mediterranean Garden.