When visiting a country, you probably want to see the best known cities. However, it is also worth visiting their smallest versions. In less known cities, you can walk quietly without being hit by tourists. Instead, you will discover local gems while absorbing the fascinating history of the country. Let me show you five of my favorite medium -sized cities in the southeast part of France, in alphabetical order.
Avignon is a city with two Unesco World Heritage sites. The Palace of the Popes and the Saint-Bénézet bridge annually attract many visitors, but there is much more to explore. I love the place of L’Oogle, a pleasant square in the heart of the city center surrounded by majestic planes and many restaurants. Uploading the stairs of Santa Ana de la Basilica de Notre-Dame Des doms, to the left of the ‘Palais des Papes’, you will discover another hidden treasure: the exuberant Rocher Des doms Green Park. What a beautiful oasis in the middle of the city! And if you are looking for some food and/or purchases, you can’t miss the wheel ball or Tinmith street. Walking through the small streets of this neighborhood, you will find an interesting mixture of boutiques and restaurants.
Béziers is a great surprise finding and can be visited throughout the year. You can easily spend a whole day seeing the highlight or stay longer to really know this unique and beautiful city. An excellent way to deepen Béziers is the Place Jean Jaurès, who had a complete image change in 2018. This great place is now a beautiful and spacious place where people come to the alarm. The Place Jean Jaurès will automatically take Les Allées Paul Rivet and the rest of the city, including the place of Madeleine and Les Hales. The last one has also been renewed recently. Finally, the terrace in front of the cathedral of Saint-Nazaire will allow you to contemplate the great orb square to the Haut-Languedoc Regional Park. Another fun way to discover Béziers differently: let the many trumpe-l’Oeail guide it through the historic center of the city.
When visiting Carcassonne, you can see two medieval cities. On the north side of the river is the citadel, called Cité in French or Carcasonne. The citadel is lovely, perched on a hill, with excellent views of the bastide and the region. Athegh, the well preserved citadel, with its Gallo-Roman military architecture, 3 kilometers of walls, 52 towers and 4 doors attract so many people, it is still a monument not to have bad. On the south side of the Aude River you will find the Bastide, also known as the “Ville Basse” or the lower city. Like the Citadel de Carcassonne, the Bastide is a medieval city, built in 1247 under the reign of Louis IX. He is small and cozy, perfectly passable and also deserves a visit. The best time to walk through both cities in peace is spring or autumn, since it fills a lot in summer.
It is always a pleasure to visit Charming Narbonne. Crossing The Pont de la Liberté gives you a postal vision of the city. From here, you can see the Palais des Archevêques that appear on the plane trees and the colorful houses in the pont des marcharands reflected in the Robine Canal. To the left of this channel is the famous market covered in Narbonne, simply called ‘Les Hales’. This Baltard -style cast iron building is a must for food lovers and has the leg since 1901! The Archbishop Palace is formed, as well as the Cathedral, Narbonne’s medieval heart and now houses the City Council and a museum. The passage of L’Ancre, a very charming cobblestone alley between the ancient and new palaces (Le Palais Vieux and Le Palais Neuf), will take you to the vaulted cloister of the Saint-Justa et Saint-Pastur cathedral.
Created as a maritime exit for the Du Midi channel in 1666 and now one of the most important fishing ports of the French Mediterranean Sea, Sète has a realistic atmosphere. Start with Mont Saint-Claire so you can see a beautiful view on Sète developed in front of you. Do not miss the Notre-Dame-De-Salatte nearby chapel and the maritime cemetery for some local history. The center of the Ciudad Real has beautiful stores, delicious restaurants, an excellent covered market and a funky street art to visit. If you want to know the true heart and soul of the soul, you must visit the pointe coulle. The picturesque neighborhood of the fishermen is located in northern Sète, between the Royal Canal and the Etang de Thau Lagoon. And fishing is what this community is still about, so take the time to absorb the many magical lives of drying fishing networks.
