Notable Languedoc Cities include:
Carcassonne: (
Carcassona): the largest medieval city in Europe
with its city walls still intact. Stunning. It is one of several World Heritage sites in the Languedoc. Click for more
on Carcassonne,
capital of the Aude
département.
Mende Popular Tourist destination. Click for more on Mende, captal of the Lozère département
Montpellier (
Montpelhier): Leading University Town, with a
medical school dating from the twelfth century. A
quarter of the population are students. Now a
vibrant high tech city, but with good communications. The
charming old city has been pedestrianised. Click for more
on Montpellier,
capital of the Hérault
département
Nîmes: An old Roman city, founded by the Emperor Augustus. It has some of the best surviving Roman buildings in Europe including Les Arènes (an amphitheatre) and the Maison Carées (a temple). Denim was originally made in Nîmes - its name come from the fact that it was "de Nîmes:". Click for more on Nîmes, capital of the Gard département
Perpignan (
Perpinhan, 
Perpinyà): Once
the capital of the Kingdom of Mallorca (1278-2344), stilla
major Catalan centre, more Spanish than French. Click for
more on Perpignan,
capital of the Pyrénées-Orientales
département
Alès-en-Cevennes: Pleasant town,
despite its coal mining past. Click for more on Alès
Béziers (
Besièrs): Orginally a Phoenician settlement,
Later an important Roman
military post, now in the Hérault département. This was the setting for the first
siege of the Cathar Crusade, where some 20,000 inhabitants
were massacred in 1209. The Cathédrale de St-Nazaire
(XIIe-XV Centuries) is a good example of a fortress cathedral.
Click for more on Béziers
Narbonne (
Narbona): The first Romans
city in France, dating from c 120BC. Once a port, now inland.
It was also one of the principal Roman Cities in Gaul, later
a Visigothic Capital, then a Moorish City and later still
a Frankish one. Narbonne
Uzès (
Usès): Famous as the site of an ancient bishopric.
Click for more on Uzès
Millau (
): Famous for its bridge. Click for more on Millau
(and its bridge)
Toulouse (
Tolosa): The historic centre of the Languedoc.
Click for more on Toulouse
