Gateway to the south

It’s hard to say where in your journey through France you cross the ‘border’ and enter into what we would call southern France.

For sure, it is not defined very well by regional boundaries. Although Aquitaine, Provence, Languedoc and Midi-Pyrenees would certainly be considered as south of France, the regions just north of these also claim, with some cause, to be part of the south.

On a recent trip I passed through Correze in the southern Limousin department, and through Puy-de-Dome in the Auvergne . These fall just north of the Dordogne and Languedoc regions respectively.

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Five places to visit as you zoom across the south of France

Imagine you have a week in the south of France and want to see everything. Not easy – you could spend three months travelling across the region and there would still be lots of things you missed. However, we will imagine you are landing at Bordeaux airport and plan to travel from west to east in a suitably fast car and go home with great memories of your visit. Where to start?

Day 1 Saint Emilion

Head east from Bordeaux towards Bergerac and after about one hour you will reach St Emilion. Best known for producing some of the greatest French wines, Saint Emilion is also a very lovely town and now a UNESCO listed world heritage site.

Park at the bottom of the town and head up the narrow streets until you reach the main square, with a church on one edge carved into the rock. Continue upwards through the streets of attractive stone buildings, in the style traditional for the region and you reach a broad pathway with great views back across the town and surrounding vineyards.

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South of France vacations

Vacations in the south of France mean different things to different people.

Coastal vacations in the south of France

Some people think first of the coast of France when planning their visit. And for good reason – the coast and beaches in the south of France offer a wide range of possibilities!

For some the perfect visit will include a week surfing in the fine waves of the Atlantic Coast around Biarritz, the capital of surfing in Europe. Others will prefer the Mediterranean coast – the French Riviera offers some of the finest scenery to be found, and more or less guaranteed sunshine during the summer months. This section of the coast can be very crowded in high season, and you need to pay to use many of the beaches.

Then there is the Languedoc coast south of Perpignan – much less crowded than the Cote d’Azur further east, the beaches are family friendly, sandy, and also less crowded. The region is also popular with those seeking naturist beaches. Read more