The Midi-Pyrenees is one the most interesting regions of France; especially for anyone who loves beautiful landscapes and outdoor adventure, but also for anyone who wants to have a taste of metropolitan France. This vast hinterland region is located next to the middle section of the Pyrenees mountains (thus the name), and it’s highly favored by travellers from across the globe as a place of respite.

If you are planning to visit the Midi Pyrenees, this guide will help you organize your journey.

Reaching the Midi Pyrenees by plane or train

The two most common ways of reaching the Midi Pyrenees, especially for international travelers, is either by train or plane.
There are several airports in the region, but if you plan to actually visit the Pyrenees, you should look for flights headed to Lourdes, Perpignan, Carcassone, as well as Blagnac airport, in Toulouse (which is the capital of this region).  Other airports in the region include Agen (La Garenne), Marmande, Albi, Rodez, Aurillac, Limoges (Bellegarde) or Angouleme (Brie-Champniers). There are plenty of low cost airlines operating in this region, in case you’re wondering.
If you plan to reach the Midi Pyrenees by train, you might want to consider booking a trip in the TGV (high-speed train) headed towards Toulouse or Tarbes, coming from Paris. Once you’ve reached the Midi Pyreness, you will find no shortage of train connections within the vast network of Regional Express Trains (locally known as TER). Since this is region is very active in terms of tourism, you’ll find frequent trains connecting all the major cities such as Toulouse, Rodez, Albi, Figeac, Lourdes, Pau, Tarbes,  Castres, Souillac and Auch. You will find booklets with all destinations and train times freely available in most train stations and tourist offices in the region.

Taxi, Public transportation, or Car Rental?

Since the Midi-Pyrenees is broadly a metropolitan area, you will have no problems booking airport shuttle services. In fact, you’ll usually be able to get a Taxi from the airport to the nearest city for as low as $30-50. There is also a good network of public transportations that you can rely on to move around even if you’re on a budget.
If you plan to visit the suburban areas or explore the scenic views available next to the Pyreness, you might want to rent a car instead; local car hire companies include Sixt, National/Citer, Europcar, Hertz, Budget and Avis. There are various scenic driving routes you may want to consider asides from exploring the Pyrenees Mountains; notable examples are wondrous natural sites such as the valley of the Dordogne, Gascony and Gorges du Tarn.
If you want to get to know the best this region has to offer, you should plan ahead your journey… and make sure you’ll be around for one or two weeks.

There is much to see and do in the Midi-Pyrenees, regardless of your budget and means of transportation. Whether you’re interested in exploring metropolitan France or you prefer the wondrous natural landscapes afforded by the Pyrenees and other natural sites, you will find many points of interest while exploring this region of France. In fact, the biggest trouble will likely be deciding what you want to see, from the wide diversify of options.