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Haute-Garonne, France

Haute-Garonne holiday rental homes - Gites Haute-Garonne

Haute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. The department, which also borders Spain in the south, is part of the region of Midi-Pyrénées and its main city is Toulouse.

The department is crossed by the upper course of the Garonne River for nearly 200 kilometers. The borders of the department follow the river and the UNESCO protected Canal du Midi also passes through the department.

The region covers a diverse landscape, from the hilly regions in the north, bordering Gascony, while the extreme south of the Haute-Garonne lies in the Pyrenees mountain range. The highest elevation is the Peak of Perdiguère, at 3,222 meters (10,571 ft) above sea level. Skiing is a popular attraction during the winter months when you stay in a Haute-Garonne self catering holiday rental home.

Rent a holiday gite in Haute-Garonne and explore the department’s natural landscape which can also be enjoyed during the summer months offering hiking in the Pyrenean mountains.

Toulouse, the capital of Haute-Garonne and the Midi-Pyrénées region, is France’s fourth largest city. It’s known as la ville rose (the pink city) because of the pink-red brick work which dominates the town. Toulouse is a lively university town and offers a plethora of cultural attractions – including museums, churches and shopping! The city is the home of France’s space industry and Cite de l’Espace, a popular tourist attraction draws fans of space and rockets!

There are numerous pretty villages and bastide towns worth a visit including Carbonne, Cazeres, Rieux-Volvestre and Saint-Sulpice.

There are several ski stations and spa towns to enjoy when you rent holiday accommodation in the Haute Garonne. The department offers four ski resorts: Peyragudes (1600 m -2450 m), 55 km of slopes; Luchon-Superbagnères (1440 m - 2260 m), 30 km of slopes; Le Mourtis (1380 m - 1816 m), 22 km of slopes  and Bourg-d'Oueil (1350 m - 1500 m).

Thermal baths are found at Bagneres-de-Luchon, Barbazan and Salies-du-Salat. During the summer months hikers will find that Hospice de France is a good starting point for many hikes near Bagneres.

Travelling to your Self catering Haute-Garonne holiday rental home

By rail: Toulouse-Matabiau is the main railway station. Located in the city centre and connected to the Toulouse Metro. Direct trains run to most parts of France; offering local and TGV services to Paris. By air: British Airways, flybe, bmibaby and easyJet all fly into Toulouse-Blagnac airport from most UK airports. There are daily scheduled, and charter flights between Toulouse and the UK throughout the year. By road: There are numerous motorways which converge at Toulouse – offering routes into Spain, Paris, Biarritz, Bordeaux and Montpellier. Journey time by car from Paris is approx 7 – 8 hours.