From the Pont du Gard to the Millau Viaduct, from Rocamadour to the Camargue, from the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean, from Toulouse to Montpellier, from the Canal du Midi to the Arena of Nîmes, Occitanie is a land of spectacular sites and landscapes. But for lovers of wide-open spaces and local produce, you can also enjoy the region's magnificent natural parks. Here's the proof in 7 gourmet walks...
La Narbonnaise en Méditerranée, a park with plenty of salt in it
Vineyards, garrigues, pine and holm oak forests on one side, reedbeds, beaches, dunes, lagoons and salt marshes on the other... In just a few square kilometers, the Narbonnaise en Méditerranée Regional Nature Park beats all records for diversity. Stretching gently from the coast to the splendid La Clape massif, a hiker's paradise, it is one of the last preserved natural areas of this size on the Mediterranean coast.
Whether you discover it along 200 km of signposted trails or at the peaceful pace of a kayak trip between the islands of the lagoons, a stop at the Salin de Gruissan, on the island of Saint-Martin, is bound to add a special touch to your walk. Learn more about this age-old culture at the eco-museum, meet passionate salt workers and, above all, stock up on the unique, tasty pink-powdered fleur de sel.
Parc naturel régional de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée Salin de La Palme Le Salin de Gruissan
Catalan Pyrenees, apples, pears and taste
On the border with Spain and Andorra, the Parc naturel régional des Pyrénées catalanes is perched high up! Situated at altitudes of between 300 and 3,000 m, it plays leapfrog across the grandiose landscapes of Capcir, Cerdagne and Conflent. Whether you're on two wheels (including electrically-assisted), or hiking through the Canigou massif, it's well worth the detour, as there's plenty to pedal and hike through, and plenty to see. Churches, abbeys and citadels fortified by Vauban make up a remarkable heritage. As for the record amount of sunshine, it softens the mountain climate all year round.
The peaceful Catalan valleys and peaks are a delight to explore. We're particularly fond of the gourmet Rotjà valley, renowned for its orchards of old-fashioned apples and pears. Enjoy apples in juice or as a snack, with cow, goat or sheep's milk cheeses bursting with cistus, dill, thyme and laurel, and a piece of gingerbread bursting with brown honey with the aroma of little flowers.
Pyrénées ariègeoises, full of good smells
Dreaming of flowering meadows, soft green pastures and breathtaking views? Just south of Toulouse, welcome to the Parc naturel régional des Pyrénées ariégeoises. Both mountainous and pastoral, the atmosphere here is irresistible, inviting you to take a stroll, or even a bivouac, to savour bucolic paths, lakes, waterfalls, mysterious caves, charming hamlets and open-air markets.
What's the most beautiful gift of this generous nature enjoyed by the Gascon cow from the Pyrenees, local emblem with its silver coat, made-up eyes and arched horns? No doubt the 1,800 varieties of flowers, including the Pyrenean lily, and the 2,900 mushrooms, promising miraculous harvests. With the scent of herbal teas and infusions at Coumes farm, the syrups, jellies and sorbets of Gourmandises de Blours, a good rhododendron honey or a few beneficial sips of birch sap, you're sure to get your fill of nature...
Parc naturel régional Pyrénées Ariégeoises Les Gourmandises de Blours Floréale
Haut-Languedoc, honey on the lips
In the last foothills of the Massif Central, on a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean, the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park is a collection of deep woods and forests, rugged granite massifs, moors and steep gorges where hikers and mouflons have a field day. For refreshing, picturesque stops, there's also a string of lakes and torrents and quaint villages nestling in the garrigue.
In this land of strong character, vines have found plenty to express themselves, and several appellations have made a name for themselves, from AOP Saint-Chinian to AOP Minervois, AOP Faugères and IGP Haute Vallée de l'Orb. The park's honeys also offer a wide variety of sweetness. Heather, bramble, acacia or chestnut... To each his own, but the curious will be interested to discover the local “trunk hives”, hollowed out of a section of tree trunk and covered with a lauze, particularly in the beautiful Caroux massif.
Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc Montagne du Haut-Languedoc
Causses du Quercy, from paths to 1000 stars
Fattened duck, foie gras, confit, fritons or magrets... Tender farm lamb with its eye circled in black, cabecou de Rocamadour, a small goat's cheese made here since the 15th century... And then there's flamboyant saffron, fragrant honey and the black diamond of truffles... In the Parc naturel régional des Causses du Quercy, it's an understatement to say that you'll feel like a rooster in dough! There's not a walk here that doesn't tantalize the taste buds. On these high plateaux of the Dordogne Valley, crossed by the Chemins de Compostelle, gastronomy is 1,000 stars, as are the landscapes and the night sky, reputed to be one of the purest in France.
Aubrac, oh la vache!
The Aubrac Regional Nature Park, straddling the Aveyron, Cantal and Lozère departments, has the look and feel of a world away. In these steep, wild landscapes, on this high plateau strewn with boulders, moors, peat bogs and green pastures as far as the eye can see, you can get away from it all, on foot, by bike and even by car...
Aubrac is often summed up by its namesake cows, with their tender, flavorful meat, its typical burons (summer cottages) and its Laguiole, the PDO cheese with the most perfumed flavor. And then there are the Bras, father and son, Michel and Sébastien, passionate chefs and tireless ambassadors for a land of beautiful nature. So, of course, you'll have to try the Aubrac beef with wild garlic, croquetout peas, broad bean sprouts and flowers that Sébastien Bras prepares at Suquet, the family restaurant in Laguiole... But why not also take advantage of a visit to the park to discover a lesser-known speciality, Aubrac tea, or large-flowered calament, which grows in the beech undergrowth. Infused, it is renowned for its digestive and relaxing properties, as well as its powerful, inimitable taste. Just like its native land.
Aubrac Regional Nature Park Maison Bras La Grange au thé Jeune Montagne
Grands Causses, what a cheese...
South of the Massif Central, the Parc naturel régional des Grands Causses is the land of ewes and agropastoralism, a know-how unique in the world and honored by Unesco, and the pride of the unyielding Larzac plateau. It is on these foothills that Roquefort, the king of cheeses and the first appellation d'origine contrôlée created in 1925, is made by 7 producers in the cellars of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon alone. You won't want to miss the visit or the tasting. Afterwards, there's always time to explore the park and its other treasures. Along the way, you'll discover a spectacular and typical heritage: perched castles, Templar cities, semi-troglodytic caves, menhir statues and, of course, hospitable farms where you'll be offered educational tours, lodging and often meals. An invitation not to be refused!
