Midi-Pyrénées,is a region that encompassed the southwestern départements of Lot, Aveyron, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne, and Ariège. In 2016 Midi-Pyrénées was joined with the région of Languedoc-Roussillon to form the new administrative entity of Occitanie.

The Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region in Metropolitan France, covering 17,509 sq mi - more than countries like Denmark, Switzerland or the Netherlands. It is also one of France's most sparsely populated area, with barely 2.8 million residents, among whom 1.2 million live in the Greater Toulouse area. This leaves only 1.6 million people spread over a territory the size of the Netherlands (which has over 16 million inhabitants).

Airports: You can fly to Toulouse–Blagnac Airport, Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport, Rodez–Marcillac Airport or Castres–Mazamet Airport.

Public transport: Rail connections from Toulouse link up the regional capital with other major stations, including Albi, Lourdes, Rocamadour and Millau, among others. For further information on rail routes, timetables and ticket prices httpss://www.sncf-connect.com/.

By Bike: This is Tour de France territory and a fantasy land for keen cyclists. If you don’t want the intensity of the mountain passes, steer away from the Pyrenees peaks and opt for more casual, less hilly cycle routes. The relatively flat path along the Canal des Deux Mers, for instance, or the low-traffic Lot Valley véloroutes offer easy to moderate cycling that’s perfect for pottering cyclists.

On foot: With more than 18,600 miles of waymarked footpaths, the Midi-Pyrénées is perfect for walking/hiking. The Le Puy, Arles and Pyrenean Foothills routes of the famous St. James’s Way pilgrimage all converge here before continuing through the Pyrenees and into Spain en route to Santiago de Compostela.

By Car: If you’re arriving by TGV or by air, you’ll probably want to pick up your car in Toulouse. Car rental agencies such as Avis and Hertz have branches in the airport and near the main rail station.

France is mostly composed of flat plains or gently rolling hills. This region is different and boasts many mountains, valleys and lakes. Midi-Pyrénées geography is made up of hills, plains, valleys, many lakes, many mountains, valleys and lakes land, as well as many forests.

The capital city of the Midi Pyrenees is Toulouse, the fourth-largest city in France. Lying more of less in the center of the region, it is by far the biggest city. Although this is the largest region in France, over a third of the entire population live in the Toulouse urban area, and the Haute Garonne department, surrounding Toulouse, accounts for well over 4% of the regions population.

Toulouse is known as La Ville Rose (`The Pink City`) due to the terra-cotta bricks used in many of its buildings. Its 17th-century Canal du Midi links the Garonne to the Mediterranean Sea, and can be traveled by boat, bike or on foot. Its small, 18-century Old Quarter is a maze of narrow lanes and plazas in which to get happily lost.

The region's second largest urban area, surrounding the city of Tarbes, capital of the Hautes Pyrenees department, is ten times smaller than the Toulouse urban area. The only other towns with a population of over 40,000 are Montauban, Albi and Castres.

The best-known specialties here are liver pâtés and goose or duck confits, respounjous (a kind of asparagus), cassoulet, beef filet with sauce périgueux, piperade, poule au pot, braised goose, and Toulouse sausages.

Local desserts commonly found in this region are gâteau à la broche, Lectoure melons, and the Chasselas of Moissac.

Regional Cheeses of the Midi Pyrenees are tomme de Vache Barousse, Cabécou, faisselle, Moulis, Pyrénées, Rocamadour, Roquefort, and tomme des Pyrénées.

Wines and Spirits to enjoy while in this region consist of Guyenne (Bergerac), Cahors, Tarn and Rouergue (Gaillac), Gascogne and Pyrénées (Armagnac, Madiran).

Like much of the South of France, the Midi-Pyrénées is blessed with the kind of warm, sunny climate. It’s at its hottest during July and August when average maximum temperatures rise to the late 70's - 80'sF, though cooler nights provide welcome relief.

Vacationers planning to spend most of their time out and about may be more comfortable arriving between early April and late June or in September and October, when temperatures are just a few degrees lower. Spring and fall both have unique draws: in spring, the orchards blossom and flowers bloom, while autumn sees the landscape covered in a myriad rust-colored hues.

Winter in the Midi-Pyrénées means ski season, and resorts such as Grand Tourmalet are the snow-covered destination of choice for beginners and pros alike. Further north away from the high-altitude slopes of the Pyrenees, things are a little milder though you can still expect bright, frosty days.

With lovely scenery, outdoor activities, picturesque villages and historic towns, and more lovely scenery the extensive Midi-Pyrenees region of southern France has something for everyone - except beaches!

Visitors usually either explore the mountains on the south, the beautiful countryside and villages of the north, or the calm attractions of the Gers (Gascony) region in the center of the region.

Because the Midi-Pyrenees region is quite extensive and each department has its own particular appeal, style and attractions it is more useful to look at the departments separately when deciding where to visit.

With its extremely varied scenery, the Midi-Pyrénées region offers excellent attractions, from natural and architectural treasures to traditional riches, through flavorful culinary specialties. The famous Pyrenees mountain range with its magnificent peaks, the impressive blockfield of Montpellier-le-Vieux, the immense cirques of Gavarnie and Troumouse, the serene Aubrac plateau and the romantic Canal du Midi, as well as cave art centers like the Pech-Merle and Niaux caves, charming villages like Belcastel, Bruniquel, La Couvertoirade, Larressingle, Najac, Penne, Puycelsi, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie and Rocamadour, and lovely medieval fortified towns like Beaumont-de-Lomagne, Castelnau-de-Montmiral, Lauzerte et Saint-Clar, boast plenty to enchant lovers of nature and heritage. The countless hiking trails and ski slopes in the region are sure to thrill fans of outdoor sports.

While exploring the Midi-Pyrénées area, you can also appreciate some fascinating cities like Albi and its Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, Auch and its picturesque side streets, Cahors and its Valentré bridge, Cordes-sur-Ciel and its Gothic houses, Foix and its medieval castle, Lourdes and its sanctuaries, Millau and its famous viaduct, Montauban and its Place Nationale, Rodez and its Gothic cathedral or Toulouse and its Renaissance mansions.

The currency of France is the Euro, US dollars are typically not accepted.