Canal du Midi:

Building started in 1666 and took 12,000 men to build it. It is 235km long. Why not explore some of it on Foot, Boat, Bicycle or by Horse.

Cap d'Agde

Billed by the locals as a smaller version of St Tropez, this modern bustling port offers an impressive selection of shops, restaurants and bars.

Languedoc

The Languedoc is a well guarded secret by the French. They're a smart bunch you see. They're keeping quiet about the sandy, generous beaches, the charismatic medieval towns, the vast fields of fragrant lilac lavender and the fiery wild white horses of the Camargue. Sleepy villages relax in the sun and plump grapes ripen on the vine. But now the secret's out. Though once you've discovered Languedoc for yourself, you might want to keep it quiet too.

There is one thing that the French do want us to know: this is the world's biggest wine region, covering almost 300,000 hectares and producing more wine than Australia. Now that is something to shout about.

For a small skinny region, the Languedoc has a lot of places worth seeing - too many to include here, so these are two places you must see before leaving the Languedoc.
Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is a World Heritage Site, with Bronze Age gorges and caves to explore, and is one of the “Plus Beaux Villages” (most beautiful villages) of France. But rather than letting these accolades go to its head, St Guilhelm has remained refreshingly modest, resisting all attempts to sell-out and go into showbiz.

Get your children to look out for the symbol of the scallop shells. Though I like to imagine they're ancient signs for fish'n'chip shops, they actually signify that this was part of the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Though it's always possible that the pilgrims snacked on scallops and chips, en-route, to keep their energy up on such a long pilgrimage! Whilst you're here it's worth visiting the Gellone Abbey, the Gorges d'Herault and the Pont du Diable (the Devil's Bridge) and finding someone to tell you about the legend behind the bridge - a great tale, involving two abbeys, the devil and a dog.
You must go to Carcassone. Really. You must. You won't regret it. I promise. I could wax lyrical about its ‘captivating beauty', ‘magical appearance' and ‘romantic spires'. But none of these words do it justice. It has been called ‘the finest medieval fortified town in Europe', and could probably convince even the most hard-hearted cynic to believe in fairytales again. July seems to be when everything happens here: one of the biggest firework displays in the whole of France, “l'Embrasement de la Cité” (Setting the City Ablaze); a large arts festival (“Festival de la Cité”) and open-air concerts in the evening. Just go. See for yourself. It will be worth it. Promise.
Port Grimaud is St Tropez without the fake tan. It's a French version of Venice, with winding streets and canals, but no-one to steal your cornetto - the French are far too civilised! See if your children are eagle-eyed enough to spot that no two houses are alike.
For a more ‘epic' experience visit the Gorges d'Heric; it is one of the most impressive and magnificent gorges in the region. This long deep crack in the ground is wild, lush and incredible.

Montpellier

The cosmopolitan city of Montpellier has a maze of old narrow streets, offering everything from antiques to the best in
French Haute Couture and a vibrant youth culture that teenagers will love. It is the perfect place to while away an afternoon.

Nimes:

At the gateway to Provence, Nimes is Famous for its outstanding ancient heritage