Occitania (Occitanie in French) is an administrative region in the South of France resulting from the merger of the former Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées regions. Created by the territorial reform of 2014, it has 13 departments. The name of the region, whose capital is Toulouse, has been official since September 28, 2016 and effective since September 30, 2016.
The region covers 72,724 km2 and is comparable to Ireland, making it the third largest region in France (behind New Aquitaine and Guyana), as well as the second in mainland France. It has 6,101,005 inhabitants (municipal population as of January 1, 2023) and thus constitutes the fifth most populous French (and metropolitan) region. Its population density is lower than the average for metropolitan France, with 84 inhabitants/km2, the sixth lowest density among French regions (and the fourth lowest among metropolitan regions). However, its population is very unevenly distributed, with two major metropolises (Toulouse and Montpellier), a densely populated Mediterranean coastline and rural regions belonging to the “diagonal of the void.”
Its largest city is Toulouse, which is also the regional prefecture, while the second regional metropolis, Montpellier, maintains several administrations. The headquarters, administrations and general management of the regional council are in Toulouse; the deliberative assemblies are held in Montpellier.
With a maritime facade on the Mediterranean Sea, it brings together territories of the Aquitaine Basin to the west (Gers, northern Hautes-Pyrénées and Ariège, center and north of Haute-Garonne, center and west of Tarn -et-Garonne, west of the Tarn, south of the Lot), the Pyrenees to the south (south of the Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne and Ariège, south of Aude and west of the Pyrénées-Orientales), the Massif central to the north (Aveyron and Lozère, center and north of the Lot, east of Tarn-et-Garonne and Tarn, north of Aude, Hérault and Gard) and the Mediterranean basin to the east (east of the Pyrénées-Orientales and Aude, southern Hérault and Gard). It is bordered by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions to the west, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes to the north and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur to the east, as well as Spain (and Catalonia) and Andorra to the south.
Occitania is also the historical region in Southern Europe where the Occitan language was historically spoken and where it is occasionally used as a second language. This cultural area roughly encompasses much of the southern third of France (except the French Basque Country and French Catalonia) as well as part of Spain (Aran Valley), Monaco and parts of Italy (Occitan Valleys).
Climate
The Occitania region straddles three major climatic areas: the Languedoc coast is subject to the Mediterranean climate (Csa, even tending towards Csb in certain areas, according to the Köppen classification); the Aquitaine Basin has a slightly warmer oceanic climate because it is further south (Aquitaine oceanic climate, Cfb and Cfa of Köppen); the Massif Central and the Pyrenees have a climate under mountain influence (only the highest peaks of the Pyrenees have a mountain climate). The area located between Toulouse and the Lauragais’ threshold is subject to a Mediterranean climate under both oceanic and mountainous influence.
Administrative Structure
The region includes thirteen departments (Ariège, Aude, Aveyron, Gard, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Hérault, Lot, Lozère, Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Orientales, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne) which are divided into 4454 communes. The largest (by area and population) is Haute-Garonne, with a Toulouse capital.
Economy
The standard of living in Occitania is lower than the national average: in 2022, the unemployment rate was 9.30% and the poverty rate was 16.20%. Nearly 500,000 people also live just above the threshold of poverty. Two departments of Occitania have the highest unemployment rates in mainland France, the Pyrénées-Orientales and Hérault, while Lozère has one of the lowest.
Airbus, a European aircraft manufacturer located in Blagnac (a suburb of Toulouse) and a division wholly owned by the industrial group Airbus, manufactures around half of the airplanes produced in the world and is Boeing’s main competitor.
In the late 1960s, Airbus was founded as a consortium by European manufacturers. Airbus Industrie became a SAS (simplified joint stock company) in 2001 and, in 2014, a subsidiary of EADS (renamed Airbus Group). Between 2001 and 2006, BAE Systems owned 20% of Airbus.
Tourism
Occitania is the 4th largest tourist region in France, with 13 billion euros in tourist revenue and 181 million annual nights on average, including 23 million in the open air , with 14.2 million tourists on the coast, including 7 million foreigners and 15 million in hotels.
• First for outdoor hotels (for capacity and attendance), with 1,326 campsites, including 159,700 pitches (65% of foreign tourists prefer camping)
• First for thermal spas (in establishments: approximately 166,000 spa guests)
• Fourth in number of hotel rooms, with 65,700 rooms for 2,037 hotels (3.8 million foreign tourists, including 2.1 million in Lourdes)
• Fourth in tourism jobs (87,500)
The region is home to two mountain ranges: The Pyrenees, which borders Spain and Andorra, where the Pyrenees resorts, located in the Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne, Ariège, Aude and the Pyrénées-Orientales, spread their alpine ski slopes between 1,400 and 2,500 m altitude. The highest slope is in Piau-Engaly, which reaches an altitude of 2,600 m. The Massif Central, where the resorts are located in Aveyron and Lozère, have slopes which are between 1,100 m and 1,400 m.
Main attractions by departments (303 objects in alphabetical order)
Ariège
Ax-les-Thermes – SPA and ski resort
Bishops’ Palace in Saint-Lizier
De la Hille castle: a place related to WW II
Foix – the most touristy city of Ariège
Foix castle: the main citadel of the county of Foix
Les Bains Couloubret SPA resort
Lombrives caves are the widest in Europe
Lordat castle
Miglos castle
Mirepoix and its famous arcaded market square
Montségur castle – the site of the Cathars
Niaux cave in Ariege: a Masterpiece of Paleolithic Art
Orgeix castle on the Campauleil lake
Pailhes Castle – historical monument
Pamiers
Prehistoric park in Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Roquefixade – a Cathar castle
Saint-Lizier
Tarascon-sur-Ariège – former industrial center of Ariège
Aude
Abbey of St. Mary of Lagrasse
Aguilar – a Cathar castle
Alet-les-Bains and the house of Nostradamus
Arques castle – historical monument
Belflou Castle – historical monument
Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Hilaire
Cabezac castle and its wineries
Castelnaudary – a strategic point during the Crusade against the Cathars
Carcassonne – UNESCO heritage
Cavanac castle – historical monument
Caunes-Minervois abbey
Coustaussa castle
Cucugnan and its mill
De Joyeuse Duces’ castle – a hotel with a rich history
Durban castle – historical monument
Espéraza Dinosaur Museum – the first Dinosaur Museum in France
Fanjeaux and its metal installations
Fontfroide abbey
Quéribus – a Cathar castle
Quillan – a historical town, known by green tourism lovers
Quillan Castle – a French defense mechanism against Aragon
Lastours castles, the Orbeil Valley’s “inseparable guardian brothers”
Limoux – the birthplace of sparkling wine
Monastery of Notre-Dame-de-Prouille – cradle of the Dominicans
Montolieu – a French Village of books
Moulin paper mill in Brousse
Museum of the Machine Dolls
Narbonne and its Canal de la Robine
Notre Dame d’Alet Benedictine Abbey ruins
Notre Dame de Marceille Basilica
Padern – a Cathar castle
Peyrepertuse – a Cathar castle
Puilaurens – a Cathar castle
Puivert – a Cathar Castle
Rennes-le-Château keeps the Holy Grail’s secrets
Rennes-les-Bains city
Rennes-les-Bains SPA resort
Saint-Martin de Toques castle and its wineries
Saint-Papoul Abbey
Saissac – a Cathar castle
Villelongue Abbey
Villerouge-Termenès castle
Aveyron
Bonneval Abbey and its chocolate factory
Bosc castle – family home of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Cabrières castle
Combret and its colors
Foissac – an Upper Palaeolithic cave
Graves castle
Labro Castle
La Garde castle – historical monument
Loc-Dieu Abbey
Lugagnac castle
Masse tower
Metal installations in Estaing
Millau and its belfry
Millau Viaduct – the tallest bridge in the world
Notre-Dame de Rodez cathedral – national monument
Onet-le-Château castle
Rodez – prefecture of the department of Aveyron
Taurines castle
Saint-Affrique and its church
Saint-Izaire and its castle
Saint-Sépulcre de Villeneuve church
Salles-la-Source and its waterfall
Salomon castle
Villefranche-de-Rouergue – city of art and history
Villeneuve-d’Aveyron – bastide city
Gard
Automobile Museum of Provence
Nîmes and its Roman heritage
Haute-Garonne
Aeroscopia – a French aerospace museum
Bagnères-de-Luchon – SPA and ski resort
Calmont
Mauvaisin castle
Old wings – aviation museum
Saint-Félix-Lauragais – birthplace of Déodat de Séverac
Saint-Julia
Space City in Toulouse
Toulouse, the pink city
Vaux castle
Gers
Auch – the capital of the former Gascony region
Boulaur Abbey
Busca-Maniban castle and its wineries
Gallo-Roman villa of Séviac
Castelnau-Barbarens
Cassaigne castle
Condom-en-Armagnac – an important stop on the Camino de Santiago
Éauze – the capital of Armagnac
Flaran Abbey
Lavardens Castle
L’Isle-Jourdain and its bell tower
Lombez and its Sainte-Marie cathedral
Mansencôme castle
Pessan
Sainte-Marie d’Auch Cathedral
Saint-Pierre de Condom Cathedral
Valence-sur-Baïse and its river tours
Hérault
Agel Castle
Béziers – one of the oldest cities in France
Cassan castle – “Small Versailles of Languedoc”
Castle of the Archbishops of Narbonne
Collegiate Church of Saint-Paul in Clermont-l’Hérault
Domain Château Les Sacristains
D’O Castle and its park
Flaugergues castle – historical monument
Gellone Abbey – UNESCO heritage
Girard castle
Grammont castle and 90 hectares of cedar forest
Grézan castle nicknamed “Little Carcassonne”
Guilhem castle built for the Lords of Clermont-l’Hérault
Jonquières castle – one of the oldest family wine estates in Languedoc
International toy museum in Pézenas
Lézignan-la-Cèbe castle
Mallet castle
Malmont castle and its wineries
Margon castle – the imposing 12th century fortress
Maureilhan castle – historical monument
Montpellier and its university
Museum-Park devoted to dinosaurs near Montpellier
Mogère castle designed by Jean Giral
Pézenas known for its connection with Molières
Pont du Diable – UNESCO heritage
Saint-Félix-de-Montceau abbey – historical monument
Saint-Michel de Grandmont Priory
Valmagne Abbey with its wineries
Lot
Assier castle
Bousquet castle
Cabrerets and its castle
Cahors and its cathedral
Figeac – city of art and history
Geniez castle
Lacapelle-Marival and its castle
Pech Merle cave and its paintings
Hautes-Pyrénées
Arreau and its hiking routes
Balnéa Spa – the leading thermal water relaxation complex in Loudenvielle
Lourdes – the second most important tourist center of France after Paris
Pic du Midi – the starry sky international reserve
Saint-Lary-Soulan included in the Pyrenees National Park
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes
Soum castle
Pyrénées-Orientales
Abbey of Arles-sur-Tech
Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda SPA resort
Arles-sur-Tech
Aubiry – an eclectic Neo-Baroque castle
Canigou Peak – the National Symbol of Catalonia
Cape Cerbère lighthouse
Céret and its cherries and bullfighting tradition
Cornellà del Bercol castle and its wineries
Dorres Roman SPA Baths
Font-Romeu – SKI resort
Fort de Bellegarde is a 17th-century fortification on the border between France and Spain
Fort Liberia designed by Vauban
Grandes Canalettes Cave: a trip to another world
Llo SPA resort
Mont-Louis designed by Vauban
Odeillo solar furnace
Perpignan – a former capital of the Kingdom of Majorca
Prades with its views on Canigou
Royal Castle of Collioure
Saint Elm Castle – part of the sea surveillance structures to defend Catalan Countries
Saint-Martin du Canigou Abbey – historical monument
Saint-Thomas-les-Bains SPA resort
Salses fortress
SPA town of Molitg-les-Bains
Vernet-les-Bains and its SPA resort
Yellow Train
Tarn
Albi – an important stop on the Camino de Santiago
Brassac and its bridge
Castres and its architecture
Cayla castle-museum
Gaillac and its abbey
Lisle-sur-Tarn and its arcades main square
Mauriac castle
Mazamet – the “capital” of the majestic Montagne Noire massif
Rabastens and its colors
Saint-Benoît d’En Calcat Abbey
Sainte-Cécile d’Albi Cathedral
Saint-Scholastique Abbey
Saint-Sulpice church
Salettes castle
Sorèze and its abbey church
Tarn-et-Garonne
Belleperche Abbey
Castelsagrat and its arcades
Caylus and its installations
Goudourville castle
Gramont castle
Human Figurines from Auvillar
Moissac
Montricoux and its castle
Reine Margot castle
Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val lies on one of the ancient pilgrim routes of the Camino de Santiago
Saint-Pierre de Moissac Abbey
Varen and its castle
Natural objects (rivers, lakes, mountains)
Aude river
Aveyron river
Baïse river
Canal du Midi – UNESCO heritage
Les Angles and Matemale lake: activities
Massif Carlit
Massif Central
Ganguise lake and its water activities
Garonne river – one of the few rivers in the world with a tidal bore
Génos-Loudenvielle lake and its activities
Lot river
Pyrenees
Salagou lake known for its red soil
Tarn river
Sea resorts, beaches and marinas (by departments from south to north)
31 municipalities in the Occitania region are bordered by the Mediterranean Sea with its 215 km of coastline, 45,000 hectares of ponds and lagoons and a natural marine park in Banyuls-sur-Mer.
Pyrénées-Orientales department
- Cerbère (Vermillion Coast)
- Banyuls-sur-Mer (Vermillion Coast)
- Port-Vendres (Vermillion Coast)
- Collioure (Vermillion Coast)
- Argelès-sur-Mer (Vermillion Coast)
- Saint-Cyprien (Amethyst Coast)
- Canet-en-Roussillon (Amethyst Coast)
- Le Barcarès (Amethyst Coast)
Aude department
