The collection of Top Tourist Destinations in Midi-Pyrénées includes
7 towns and cities that are of considerable interest and have an established historical and a cultural reputation. These include
Toulouse, the capital of Midi-Pyrénées, and also
Albi, the South of France's two 'villes roses' where brick has proved its worth as a magnificent building material. In
Cahors, the orange-red brick gives way to golden-hued stone in a town with a reputation for a superb quality of life.
At the foot of the Pyrenees,
Lourdes, the spiritual destination that is one of the biggest pilgrimage sites in the world, has also won its place among the prestigious Top Tourist Destinations in Midi-Pyrénées. The same applies to other great centres of attraction such as
Auch, capital of Gascony and
Rodez, the home of the great contemporary artist Pierre Soulages, and not forgetting
Figeac, the beautiful birthplace of Jean-François Champollion, the man who first deciphered hieroglyphics.