Camping Holidays in Languedoc & Roussillon

Why we love holidays in Languedoc & Roussillon

Stretching across the sun-drenched southwest of France, and reaching to the Spanish border, Languedoc-Roussillon is a family-friendly region of rich history and fascinating diversity. Wonderful beaches, medieval cities, the snow-capped Pyrénées, and rolling vineyards all sit within easy reach of one another, offering exactly the kind of family holiday you imagined when you pictured the south of France. Away from the crowds of the Riviera, the region is softer and quieter, especially in its interior, where Occitan villages slumber in the heat and pétanque is still played in sun-dappled squares.

The two halves of the region each have their own personality. Languedoc, to the north, is shaped by Roman ruins, Cathar fortresses, and the UNESCO-listed Canal du Midi winding through silent countryside. Roussillon, to the south, carries a strong Catalan accent: look out for bilingual street signs, tuck in to its distinctive cuisine, and soak in the dazzling light that drew Matisse and Picasso to Collioure. Not that you need to be an artist to appreciate it all! With over 300 days of sunshine a year and a coast made for happy family holidays at the beach, it is a region that rewards both lazy afternoons and curious exploration.

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The essence of Languedoc & Roussillon

Wild, unspoiled coastline

The coastline offers a refreshing alternative to the crowded Riviera, with long stretches of pristine sand from Portiragnes and Sérignan in the north down to the Catalan-flavoured beaches around Collioure and Argelès-sur-Mer in the south. The dramatic Pyrénées are often visible in the background makes a great backdrop too,

Historic waterways and rich heritage

The UNESCO-listed Canal du Midi winds through Languedoc, while further south the cultural identity shifts as Roussillon's history of moving between French and Spanish control reveals itself in the food, the architecture, and the language. Roman remains, medieval fortifications, and Renaissance mansions sit alongside Catalan tradition.

Natural diversity

Beyond the coast, the region offers an impressive range of landscapes: from the red-earth lunar setting of Lake Salagou to the limestone Galamus Gorges and the marshlands of the Canet-en-Roussillon Nature Reserve. Mighty castles still crown rocky hilltops, watching over vineyards.

Our favourite beaches in Languedoc & Roussillon

Family holidays here begin and end at the beach. In Languedoc, Portiragnes Beach is a quiet stretch of fine sand with grassy banks and a wonderfully wild character – perfect for families seeking space to relax. Nearby Sérignan Plage is longer, flatter, and well-equipped, with showers, bars, lifeguards, watersports, and friendly ponies that little ones can ride along the sand. Plage de la Roquille is a cosier option, with sun beds, pedal boats, paddle boarding, and shallow waters ideal for young children.

Heading south into Roussillon, La Franqui is considered one of France's prettiest beaches – a wide expanse of flat sand fringed with palm trees and bordered by a salt lake popular with sailors and kayakers. At Le Grand Beach you'll spot Lydia, a beached ship turned restaurant and bar that has become a real landmark on this flat, sunny coast. The Canet-en-Roussillon Nature Reserve offers a pristine alternative, with a long sandy beach, mountain views, walking paths, bird-watching hides, and restored fishermen's huts.

Our favourite things to do in Languedoc & Roussillon

Fun days out

Start at Fabrikus World (formerly Europark in Vias), a free-to-enter, pay-as-you-ride theme park perfect for an evening of family entertainment. The fairytale walled city of Carcassonne – its turrets and towers said to have inspired Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle – is unmissable, with cobbled streets, drawbridges, and the Château Comtal at its heart.

Aqualand Port Leucate keeps thrill-seekers happy with slides like the Anaconda and Black Hole, while younger children gravitate to its pirate ship and Mini-Park. From Canet, dolphin-spotting cruises take you out into the bay, with a Saturday barbecue thrown in during summer.

Getting active

Cycling the tree-lined towpath of the Canal du Midi is one of the most relaxing ways to spend an afternoon, we’d say – flat, shaded, and ascent-free.

The coast offers everything from gentle paddle-boarding to jet skiing along the shoreline towards the Spanish border, and the newer sport of flyboarding for those who want to be propelled several metres above the water. Horse riding remains a regional tradition, whether through inland countryside on the distinctive white Camargue horses or galloping along the sands with a stable like Ranch Desperado in Leucate.

Cultural hotspots

Béziers, perched on a rocky spur above the Hérault plain, has narrow medieval streets leading to its 12th-century cathedral and a Gallo-Roman bridge dating from around 36 BC. Pézenas, once the seat of the Languedoc Parliament, is one of our favourite stops, with its stone-carved facades, hidden courtyards, and a buzzy artistic atmosphere.

Further south, Collioure – the City of Painters – is reason enough to visit on its own, with around 30 galleries lining the streets that climb from the beach to the royal castle. Perpignan, half French and half Catalan, offers a good day's wandering through its old town and glorious cathedral.

Our favourite things to see in Languedoc & Roussillon

Historic sites

The walled citadel of Carcassonne is stunning. A 13th-century hilltop fort whose turrets and ramparts rise vertically from the rock, it's tailor-made for films and TV (it’s why Game of Thrones used it as a location). Equally magical are the Cathar castles along the foothills of the Pyrénées, visit strongholds like Peyrepertuse and Quéribus that held out against the crusaders before falling in the 13th century.

Roman heritage runs deep: the Pont du Gard aqueduct, just east of the region, is one of the finest engineering feats of the ancient world, while Nîmes’ arena and temple are in great condition, 2000 years after the Romans built them. The medieval abbey of Fontfroide near Narbonne and the fortified cathedral of Maguelone are quieter but atmospheric, perfect for an afternoon away from the beach.

Cities and towns worth seeing

The hilltop village of Portiragnes, surrounded by vineyards just inland from the coast, is a typical Occitan escape from the bustle of the resorts. Minerve, perched on coloured rock above steep river gorges and accessible only by a high bridge, was the site of a famous Cathar siege.

Roquebrun clings terrifyingly to a cliff face above the river just north of Béziers, where a unique microclimate ripens the grapes for the (fantastic) local rosé - Brad Pitt has a vineyard here! In Roussillon, Argelès-sur-Mer is a bright seaside town with a surprising medieval past, while Narbonne combines an unfinished but impressive cathedral and an underground labyrinth of Roman warehouses your kids will love exploring.

Natural wonders

Children love the strange, almost Martian landscape of Lake Salagou near Clermont-l'Hérault, where red earth and oddly shaped hills frame a lake perfect for swimming. Les Orgues d'Ille-sur-Têt offers spectacular clay cliffs sculpted by wind and rain into shapes resembling organ pipes, with the Pyrenees on the horizon.

The Caves des Demoiselles in the Hérault gorges are an underground cathedral of stalagmites and stalactites, reached by funicular and a welcome constant cool on the hottest days. For wilderness, head to Les Coussoules near Leucate. Its vast sands, natural dunes, and empty horizons are quite something after the business of the coast.