Must-see attractions in Languedoc-Roussillon

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European, French, Mediterranean, Languedoc Rossillon, Bridge, Gardon, World Heritage, Destination, Colour
Pont Du Gard, roman bridge  over crossing the Gardon river

    Pont du Gard

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    The extraordinary three-tiered Pont du Gard was once part of a 50km-long system of channels built around 19 BC to transport water from Uzès to Nîmes. The…

  • Roman Amphitheater in Nimes, France

    Les Arènes

    Nîmes

    Nîmes’ twin-tiered amphitheatre is the best preserved in France. Built around 100 BC, the arena once seated 24,000 spectators and staged gladiatorial…

  • Montpellier, France - January 2, 2019: architectural detail of the Fabre museum next to the Place de la Comedie where people pass on a winter day; Shutterstock ID 1628380093; your: Sloane Tucker; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI
1628380093

    Musée Fabre

    Montpellier

    Founded in 1825 by painter François-Xavier Fabre, this exceptional museum houses one of France’s richest collections of European art. The galleries…

  • Night view of Carcassone medieval city in France.

    Cité Médiévale

    Carcassonne

    Built on a steep spur of rock, Carcassonne’s rampart-ringed fortress dates back more than two millennia. The fortified town is encircled by two sets of…

  • The Millau Suspension Bridge.

    Aire du Viaduc de Millau

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    The gravity-defying Viaduc de Millau toll bridge hovers 343m above the Tarn valley, making it one of the world’s highest road bridges. At its northern end…

  • Stalactites and stalagmites lit with multicolored lights in the Aven Armand cave.

    Aven Armand

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Within the cavern of Aven Armand is the world’s greatest concentration of stalagmites, including a gallery of stone columns known as the Forêt Vierge …

  • Ducal castle called "The Duchy" of Uzès.

    Duché

    Uzès

    This fortified château belonged to the House of Crussol, who were the dukes of Uzès for over 1000 years until the French Revolution. The building is a…

  • Réserve de Bisons d’Europe

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Near the small village of Ste-Eulalie-en-Margeride, 45km north of Mende, this vast 200-hectare nature reserve contains more than 30 free-roaming bison…

  • Palais des Rois de Majorque, Perpignan, France

    Palais des Rois de Majorque

    Perpignan

    Perpignan’s most dominant monument, the Palace of the Kings of Mallorca sprawls over a huge area to the south of the old town. Built in 1276, the castle…

  • Fontfroide Cistercian Abbey.

    Abbaye de Fontfroide

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Founded by Cistercian monks in 1093, Fontfroide Abbey became one of southern France’s most powerful ecclesiastical centres during the Middle Ages…

  • Gallo-Roman mosaics of the Villa Loupian.

    Musée de Site Gallo-Romain Villa Loupian

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Dating from the 1st century AD, this extraordinary Roman villa was built on the Via Domitia road linking Italy and Spain. It was occupied for 600 years…

  • Musée de Préhistoire de Tautavel

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    The cave-riddled cliffs above Tautavel, 34km northwest of Perpignan along the D117, have yielded a host of prehistoric finds, most notably a human skull…

  • Mont Aigoual Observatory

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Looming 37km south of Florac off the D18 is the prominent peak of Mont Aigoual (1567m). Its lofty 1894-opened observatory is the last remaining mountain…

  • Musée de la Romanité

    Nîmes

    Opened in mid-2018, this futuristic steel-and-glass structure faces Les Arènes right in the heart of the city. Within, the ambitious archaeological museum…

  • Uzes, Fenestrelle Tower, Cathedral of St. Theodore, Languedoc Roussillon, France; Shutterstock ID 119161549; Your name (First / Last): Daniel Fahey; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Cathédrale St-Théodont POI

    Cathédrale St-Théodont

    Uzès

    Built in 1090 on the site of a Roman temple, Uzès' cathedral was partially destroyed in both the 13th and 16th centuries and stripped during the French…

  • Chaos de Montpellier-le-Vieux

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Situated 18km northeast of Millau, overlooking the Gorges de la Dourbie, this maze of canyons was formed by countless millennia of water erosion, which…

  • Jardins de la Fontaine

    Nîmes

    Roman remains in these elegant gardens include the 30m-high Tour Magne, raised around 15 BC – the largest of a chain of towers conveying imperial power…

  • Cathédrale St-Jean

    Perpignan

    Perpignan’s old town has several intriguing churches, but the most impressive is the Cathédrale St-Jean, begun in 1324 and not completed until 1509…

  • Musée d'Art Hyacinthe Rigaud

    Perpignan

    Occupying two elegant hôtels particuliers (private mansions) right in the historical centre, this museum was entirely renovated in 2017 and now ranks as…

  • Micropolis

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Creepy-crawly-loving kids can indulge their interests at the excellent ‘Insect City’ of Micropolis, 19km northwest of Millau. This high-tech centre brings…

  • Pont-Vieux

    Carcassonne

    Though it’s one of several bridges spanning the Aude River, the Pont-Vieux is by far the oldest and prettiest. It was built during the 14th century to…

  • Château et Remparts

    Carcassonne

    To actually walk on the ramparts of Cité Médiévale, you have to pay to enter the Château et Remparts, a keep built for the viscounts of Carcassonne during…

  • Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran

    Montpellier

    Attached to the Musée Fabre is L’Hôtel de Cabrières-Sabatier d’Espeyran, a lavish Montpellier mansion that belonged to local notable Madame Frédéric…

  • Place de la Loge

    Perpignan

    Three fine stone structures flank place de la Loge. The 14th-century La Loge de Mer was rebuilt during the Renaissance; it was once Perpignan’s stock…

  • Palais des Archevêques

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    The former archbishops' palace houses several archaeological museums. Roman mosaics and stucco paintings are on display at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire…

  • Maison Carrée

    Nîmes

    Constructed in gleaming limestone around AD 5, this temple was built to honour Emperor Augustus’ two adopted sons. Despite the name, the Maison Carrée …

  • Les Loups du Gévaudan

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Wolves once prowled freely through the Lozère forests, but today you’ll see them only in this sanctuary in Ste-Lucie, 7km north of Marvejols and 36km…

  • Maison des Vautours

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Birdwatchers won't want to miss the Maison des Vautours, just west of Le Truel on the D996, where a population of more than 200 reintroduced vultures now…

  • Château Royal

    Collioure

    Collioure’s seaside castle was mostly built between 1276 and 1344 by the counts of Roussillon and the kings of Aragon, and was later occupied by the…

  • Écluses de Fonseranes

    Béziers

    Situated 1km southwest of town is this famous stepladder of eight locks and nine gates. The whole area was fully renovated in 2017 and is now one of…

  • Jardin des Plantes

    Montpellier

    One of Montpellier’s hidden gems, the Jardins des Plantes is the oldest botanical garden in France. Established in 1593, it was used as a model for the…

  • Bambouseraie de Prafrance

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    It’s more than 160 years since the first shoots of this rambling, mature bamboo grove were planted by a spice merchant returning from the tropics. Here in…

  • Arc de Triomphe

    Montpellier

    Built in 1695, Montpellier's 52m-high triumphal arch is dedicated to Louis XIV. The tourist office organises guided tours in summer that take you up 103…

  • Mont Lozère

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    The Mont Lozère range is of tough, impenetrable granite, from which the rainfall sluices in small streams. It's the source of the River Tarn, which flows…

  • Musée du Désert

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    In the village of Le Mas Soubeyran (17km west of Alès), this intriguing museum traces the history of the Camisard revolt, a bloody religious struggle that…

  • Le Castillet & Musée Casa Païral

    Perpignan

    Like many medieval towns, Perpignan was once encircled by defensive walls. Today all that remains is the red-brick town gate of Le Castillet, at the…

  • Musée du Bonbon Haribo

    Uzès

    Uzès’ history as a confectionery centre lives on at this Wonka-esque museum, which explores the sweets-making process from the early 20th century through…

  • Beffroi de Millau

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    The defining landmark of Millau's historical centre is this medieval 12th-century-built square tower topped by an octagonal 17th-century bell tower. It's…

  • Grotte de Dargilan

    Languedoc-Roussillon

    Just south of the Gorges de la Jonte, Grotte de Dargilan is known as La Grotte Rose (Pink Cave) for its rosy colouring. The most memorable moment of the…