Languedoc

Gard is named after the river that incited the Romans to settle here and make Nimes the 'Rome of France'. It is also home to the Rhone delta with bulls quietly grazing on the marshy banks alongside pink flamingos searching for food.

Within Gard you will find the delightful walled town of Aigues-Mortes, established by Louis IX and was the point of departure for the crusades.

Aigues-Mortes is the base for discovering the surrounding Camargue and it's very fragile eco system.

You can enjoy the Gards numerous different sporting activities such as:

• Canoeing in the Gorges du Gardon
• Horse riding in the Oak Forests
Mountain biking following the route of the Roman Aqueduct.

Lozere covers the southern part of the Massif Central this includes the mountainous regions of La Margeride, Le Gevaudan, Aubrac and the Cevernnes.

The climate is very harsh in the winter, the mountains fill with snow and the temperatures drop to below freezing - on the bright side it has much milder summers.

It is the dramatic limestone tarn gorges that attract tourists each and every year to this area, as they are amazing to explore.

Lozere prides itself on local specialties such as "La Pouteille" which is a rich dish of beef and pig's trotters or "L'Aligot", which are mashed potatoes with huge amounts of fresh crushed garlic.

Now if you like good old fashioned French wine then Aude is the place to be, it also contains historical castles and abbeys. It's usually referred to as "the land of the Cathars" it is here that you will find the unconquerable mountain sites of Peyrepertuse and Rennes-le-Chateau.

The coasts are amazing, miles upon miles, upon miles or sandy beaches for family holidays and isolated inlets for those looking to escape from the crowds of people and have a nice relaxing bathe in the sun.

Canal du Midi also offers lots of family packed fun and is very suitable for barge holidays or even canal boat trips that are extremely relaxing. There are many medieval locations i.e. the city of Carcassonne as well as Narbonne with its Gothic Cathedral.

This is an attractive alternative to the more expensive Provence and Cote d'Azur. Herault is an amazing place.

Here you will find gorges, limestone cirques, forests, endless beaches, the university city of Montpellier and scrubland. There are also acres upon acres of vineyards - it is one of the most prolific wine producing areas in France.

If you are fond of shellfish especially oysters and mussels then the Bassin de Thau, is the place to go or you could try the popular aperitif Noilly Prat produced in nearby Marseillan.

You will notice a distinctly Catalan feel to Frances most southern tip in the language of the people and the names of the local towns and villages such as Eus and Poltig.

This was once part of Spain; the Saracens, Visigoths and also the Romans have also occupied this area.

The Pyrenees-Orientales landscape is diverse it includes beaches, mountains, vineyards and valleys that climb to the Pyrenees and then the flat inland plains.

It has many leisure activities including skiing on the plateau of Cerdagne. The scenery here is amazing with glacial lakes and pine forests adding a magical dimension.