St Gaudens

Lourdes

In the 19th century, a new pilgrimmage was created with the miraculous apparitions by a 14 year old child, Bernadette Soubirous in a grotte. It has now become the most visited Christian pilgrimmage in the world. The water source is renowned for curing all sorts of illness. Very crowded in summer & Easter week.

St Bertrand de Comminges

Featured as one of the most Beautiful Villages in France in the book Most Beautiful Villages of France. Twenty centuries of Roman & Christian civilisation has given the cathedral of St Bertrand de Comminges, Cathedrale Sainte-Marie, an exceptionally important role as an artistic and cultural centre and a place of pilgrimage.

The cathedral is encircled by ancient houses and steep remparts which rises to 515m (1,700 feet) dominating from the top of its acropolis the fertile valley drained by the Garonne. Worth visiting in the church is the Renaissance stalls, a huge organ and cloisters in a gothic style. Check opening hours +33 5 61 95 44 44 or +33 5 61 89 04 91.

Below it on the valley is the famous Romanesque church of St Just de Valcabrere.Closed from October to March (except on weekends and during school holidays) however it is not essential to go inside to enjoy its beauty.

It is also an archeological site which witnessed the Roman city of Lugdunum, older than 2,000 years ago.Founded by the Roman general Pompey in 72 B.C.

There is a famous musical festival, Festival du Comminges, from June to the end of August. Call +33 5 61 98 45 35 or +33 5 61 8 32 00. www.festival-du-comminges.com

Luchon

The  spa town of Luchon, renowned as the Queen of the Pyrenees was created in 25 B.C It has a Belle Epoque ambience and was the 5th Thermal town in France. Historically it was under the control of Auguste and Roman rule for over 6 centuries. It has sulphur waters which were the natural remedy for respiratory and articulary infections and conditions

Luchon was revitalised in the 18th C by the baron Etigny in 1848. Chambert constructed the actual thermals which resulted in Luchon becoming fashionable and visited by the grandees of the period - Hugo, Flaubert, Lamartine, Dumas, Rostand to take the baths.Legend says that the father of Cyrano and others celebrated equestrian events embellished with flowers which resulted in the Annual Flower Festival (held on the last weekend of August).Call +33 5 61 79 21 21 or +33 5 61 94 68 86.

Today it has a famous vaporarium which was constructed in 1970 and renovated in 1993.It has subterranean galleries of 150 metres long with heat of 38º C to 42º C cleaning the skin, eliminating the toxins and providing muscular relaxations. There are spa facilities which provide jet spas, massage and other treatments.

In addition, the town has other sport facilities including mountain guides & paragliding

The skiing resorts are closeby - Superbagneres, Peyragudes, Bourg d'Oueil.

Tourist Office: 18 allees d'etigny 05 61 79 21 21 www.luchon.com

Guides office 05 61 79 69 38 Mountain guides for walks. Climbs, alpinisme, canyoning.

"Recommended is a drive south of Luchon to a place marked Hospice de Franee The climb from the hospice .... it's among the most wonderfel views I've ever seen. Everyone had fallen in love with the chateau and its inspiring setting" ....Henry Porter 22/7/2000

Toulouse

Renowed as the 'Ville Rose' with its lovely pink-red bricks and posssessing some lovely architectural buildings including Place du Capitole which houses the Hotel de Ville and the Toulouse Opera. Other famous sites include The church of St Sernin & les Jocobin, le Pont Neuf by the Garonne River.

Toulouse is now home to Aérospatiale, the driving force behind Airbus and the Ariane space rocket. See the giant hanger constructed to build the new super-jumbo. The national Space Centre, the European shuttle programme, the leading aeronautical schools, the frontier-pushing electronics industry. Toulouse also has a high student population, 110,000 students make it second only to Paris as a university centre.

Toulouse-Blagnac airport has daily flights from London (Gatwick) on British Airways and EasyJet.

www.mairie-toulouse.fr/ANGLAIS/Accueil_En.htm

www.tourisme-haute-garonne.com

www.mairie-toulouse.fr