Capital: Toulouse Michelin-Starred Chefs: 23 Famous Natives: • Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864 – 1901 ; Albi) • Pierre Soulages (1919 – aujourd’hui ; Rodez) • Jean-Dominique Ingres (1780 – 1867 ; Montauban) • Bernadette Soubirous (1844 – 1879 ; Lourdes) • D'Artagnan (entre 1611 et 1615 – 1673 ; Lupiac, Gascogne) Top 5 Sites Visited by Americans: • Toulouse, the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées, is a bustling technological hub renowned as the home of Airbus and Aéroscopia as well as a thriving arts and culture scene. Read more • Lourdes and the “Grand Sites” of the Pyrénées, including the UNESCO natural heritage site of the Cirque of Gavarnie and the Pic du Midi, a mountain in the Pyrenees famous for its astronomical observatory. • The Cahors Malbec vineyards; the Lot Valley, known for the perched villages of St-Cirq-Lapopie and Rocamadour. • The city of Albi, which boasts the Toulouse Lautrec Museum, the Episcopal City a UNESCO site dating back to the Middle Ages, and the nearby village of Cordes-sur-Ciel, a fortified town dating from 1222 perched on a hilltop. • The beautiful sites along the Way of St. James, including: Conques, Figeac, Moissac, Auch and many others. • Grape Varieties: Armagnac, Malbec-Cahors, Gaillac, Fronton and Madiran. Top Museums: • Soulages Museum: Opened in May 2014 in the town of Rodez, this museum is dedicated to the work of Pierre Soulages, one of the most well-known contemporary painters in the world. Pierre Soulages was born in Rodez, one of the Great Tourist Sites of the Midi-Pyrénées. • Toulouse Lautrec Museum: The museum features over 1000 paintings, drawings, lithographs and posters by the painter. • Musée Ingres: Ancient Episcopal Palace from the 17th century, located in Montauban specially exhibits two collections by Montaubanais artists: the painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle. • 2016 the Picasso Year in Midi-Pyrénées : Combination of Picasso Exhibitions: - In Toulouse: “Picasso Horizon Mythique” will be on display at “Les Abbatoirs” the modern art museum through January 2016 - In Rodez, the exhibition « Picasso » at the Musée Soulages in Rodez (Spring- Summer 2016) Major Festivals: Jazz in Marciac, one of the biggest jazz festivals in Europe, takes place every year in Marciac, a quaint village located in Gascony, august’s two first weeks. Five UNESCO Sites: • The Way of St. James • Gavarnie • Albi • Les Causses du Larzac • Canal du Midi Twenty-six "Grands Sites:" The Midi-Pyrénées is renowned for its 26 "Grands Sites" known throughout the world, including the Millau Viaduct, le Pic du Midi, Lourdes, Cahors, le pont Valentré, Conques, Rocamadour, Moissac and many others. How to Visit: More than 100 tour operators program visits to the Midi-Pyrénées all year round.
