South of France Cycling Tours

LANGUEDOC HISTORY

The archeological and historical heritage is very important in Languedoc, relating from one of the oldest European Man (the Man of Tautavel, 450,000 years old) to Roman and Baroque churches and fortresses.

The population of the Mediterranean Sea arrived on the coast of Languedoc in the VI century BC. They introduced vineyards and olive production. The Phoenicians founded Collioure and Agde. Originally from Minor Asia, the Greeks of Phocee founded Massilia (Marseille). The Masseliotes (inhabitants of Marseille) took control of Agde and it became an important commercial trade center between the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

Around 120 BC the Romans conquered this southern region, Narbonne in 118 BC, then Beziers. In 27 BC, the Narbonnaise was created, a province that would correspond to today’s Languedoc.
The Roman history of Languedoc-Roussillon is long and has left some spectacular traces. The names of towns, the Catalan language, the region’s heady wines and olive-oil dishes all testify to the lasting influence of 400 years of occupation.

This is also a region where the “Cathars”, named after the Greek “katharos” or “pure”, fought the Catholic church in the 13th century. It took many decades to exterminate this movement whose followers believed the visible world to be the work of the devil. Nowadays, many impressive fortresses perched on dizzying heights and the ancient villages still bear witness to this lost religion.

The term « Languedoc » appeared in the XIII century to designate all the landmarks where it was said « oc » for « oui » (yes) by opposition of the Northern provinces where the dialect « oil » was spoken. The Occitan language was composed of several dialects: the gascon, the limousin, the auvergnat, the provencal, and the languedocien. In 1919, the Escola occitana school was created and in 1945 the Institut of Occitana studies to keep the language alive. It is indeed a national treasure as it holds 160,000 words versus 30,000 in French!

You can also find your Normandy bike tour, your Spain bike tour, Paris bike tour or your Pays Basque bike tour.