This region is popular with holidaymakers and expats who are drawn to the sunny climate, pretty towns and villages, rolling countryside and vineyards and Mediterranean beaches.

The countryside varies from the Pyrénées mountains, Mediterranean beaches, the marshy Camargue and the Cévennes mountains.

There are plenty of vineyards so you have plenty of choice including wine from the Corbières, the Minervois and Gallic wines. Limoux produces a good sparkling wine called Crémant de Limoux, and legend has it that the secret of the sparkling wine was smuggled back to Champagne by Dom Pérignon. In terms of food specialities you can choose from aligot – a hearty dish of potatoes, cheese, garlic, cream and butter – foie gras, cassoulet which the town of Castelnaudry claims to have invented and Roquefort cheese.