Walking holidays in Languedoc-Roussillon

The region of Languedoc-Roussillon covers a vast area of southern France, from south of the Auvergne to the Pyrenees and as such offers a wide range of scenery and landscape. There is a wide, fertile, coastal plain that runs from Montpelier to the Spanish border and this area produces an abundance of fruit, vegetables and vines. In the north of the region, the coastal plain is flanked by beautiful hills, characterised by vineyards and ‘garrigue’, rocky outcrops of limestone and aromatic bushes. The hills abound with historic, fortified and cathedral towns and cities, many dating from Roman times and with a bloody history of sieges and religious persecution. In the south of the region, the Pyrenees form a natural barrier with Spain, wooded on the lower slopes but also interspersed with orchards and vineyards, and then offering fantastic hill-walking higher up. The coastline here is characterised by charming fishing villages such as Banyuls and Collioure, rocky cliffs and coves. There are a couple of Grande Randonnées, the GR36 and the GR7, that cross the region and there are several pilgrimage routes. Languedoc-Roussillon is an ancient region, with traditions that vary from area to area, with a fascinating history and a dramatic, beautiful landscape.