Spain/France
From Languedoc to Catalonia Through the Pyrenees: A Cross-Border Discovery
Program No. 21705RJ
Explore the French and Spanish Pyrenees, discovering pristine wilderness, medieval villages, Cathar history and Romanesque architecture in this unique region of Europe.
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800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Sep 19 - Oct 2, 2024
Starting at
4,599Sep 26 - Oct 9, 2024
Starting at
4,599DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
May 23 - Jun 5, 2024
Starting at
5,269Sep 19 - Oct 2, 2024
Starting at
5,499Sep 26 - Oct 9, 2024
Starting at
5,499Oct 10 - Oct 23, 2024
Starting at
5,269Oct 17 - Oct 30, 2024
Starting at
5,26914 days
13 nights
27 meals
12B 4L 11D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
6
Carcassonne, Free Time
Couiza
8
Foix, Andorra, La Seu d’Urgell
La Seu D'Urgell
9
Catalonia, Cathedral de la Seu d’Urgell & Museum, Cheese
La Seu D'Urgell
At a Glance
Be inspired by the gorgeous mountain landscapes of the Pyrenees and delve into the distinct but equally fascinating cultures that evolved on either side of these peaks on a discovery of southern France and Catalonia. Time stands still in the medieval villages and Romanesque castles of this sun-streaked land where the crags and peaks of the Pyrenees hold treasures of history and culture awaiting your discovery. Walk in the footsteps of Moliere at Pezenas, touch medieval castle walls defended by the Cathars in Carcassone and taste the wines of Languedoc and the cheeses of Catalonia while local experts cast light on one of Europe’s most intriguing regions.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
2-3 miles of walking on some days. There are several days with visits to villages and castles with cobblestones, uneven surfaces and very steep steps and inclines.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Venture into the Spanish Pyrenees and learn about the unique flora and fauna of the area.
- Explore Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and learn the history of the Cathars.
- Meet with a local artisan cheesemaker.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Tony Muldoon
After graduating with a master’s in Hispanic Studies in 1993 from the University of Glasgow, in his native Scotland, Tony Muldoon came to live and work in the mountains of Andalusia — first in the Sierra Nevada and now the Serrania de Ronda. He leads trekking and cultural programs all over Spain, Portugal and Morocco as well as cultivating olives and almonds on his smallholding. His passion for the history, culture and landscapes of his adopted home is heartfelt.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Tony Muldoon
View biography
After graduating with a master’s in Hispanic Studies in 1993 from the University of Glasgow, in his native Scotland, Tony Muldoon came to live and work in the mountains of Andalusia — first in the Sierra Nevada and now the Serrania de Ronda. He leads trekking and cultural programs all over Spain, Portugal and Morocco as well as cultivating olives and almonds on his smallholding. His passion for the history, culture and landscapes of his adopted home is heartfelt.
Meritxell Centeno
View biography
Meritxell Centeno has a background in communication and environmental journalism, in addition to qualifications as a licensed mountain guide and regional expert, specializing in Romanesque art and Pyrenean history and culture. As president of the local guide association for the Aiguestortes National Park, she is actively involved with the local community and is enthusiastic in her goal of researching, preserving and promoting the rich culture of the Pyrenees. In addition to her native Catalan and Spanish, Meritxell is fluent in English, French, and Italian.
James McDonald
View biography
James McDonald is a mathematician and nonfiction writer. He was educated at University College, Oxford and holds an M.A. from Oxford University and an M.Sc. from Sussex University. He writes on topics including the Cathars of the Languedoc, the Counts of Toulouse, Occitania, Medieval warfare and the Medieval Inquisition. His work is characterized by combining serious scholarship with an entertaining style. He is currently the châtelain of a late Medieval castle in the South of France, listed as a Monument Historique by the French Government.
Suggested Reading List
(19 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
From Languedoc to Catalonia Through the Pyrenees: A Cross-Border Discovery
Program Number: 21705
Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings
A spirited, meticulously researched chronicle that recreates the life and world of Eleanor of Aquitaine in 12th-century Europe. A Harvard University Press Classic, first published in 1950.
Love and Revolutionary Greetings: An Ohio Boy in the Spanish Civil War
Follow the story of a boy name Sam Levinger who travels to Spain in 1937 to join the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Based on letters home to his mother, this story will captivate and educate it's readers of the American involvement during the Spanish Civil War.
Footprint Focus Guide Barcelona & Catalunya, Includes Andorra & Eastern Spanish Pyrenees
This slim Footprint guide provides up-do-date listings of eateries, lodging places, maps, as well as activities, sites and nightlife. The handy "Essentials" section also has useful advice on getting to and around Barcelona & Catalunya.
Montaillou, The Promised Land of Error
This absorbing, candid and marvelously detailed portrait of daily life in 13th-Century Languedoc was a French bestseller. It's based on the 600-year-old transcript of heretic interrogations by Bishop (later Pope Benedict XII) Jacques Fournier of Pamiers. 30th Anniversary Edition.
France, A Traveler's Literary Companion
This collection contains literary gems from all corners of France--not just Paris--by a select group of 20th-century French writers from Colette to Simenon.
Catalonia, A Cultural History
A literary, cultural guide to the art, architecture, traditions and history of Catalonia.
The Catalans
Patrick O'Brian's bitingly funny novel of Dr. Alain Roeg, who returned home to a family in crisis, beautifully evokes Saint-Feliu, the town in Languedoc ("French Catalonia") where O'Brian made his home.
Languedoc-Roussillon Map
A detailed regional map.
The Road from the Past, Traveling through History in France
Time travel through France by way of its finest castles, chateaux, cathedrals and monasteries. This unusual travelogue is an invaluable companion for traveling in Paris, southern France, the Dordogne and the Loire Valley, combining personal observation with large doses of well-presented history.
A Most Holy War, The Albigensian Crusade and the Battle for Christendom
As talented a writer as he is a historian, Pegg never loses sight of the drama of grand expeditions, heroic sieges and the panoply of village insurgents, kings and crusaders in this rousing tale of the battle for Christendom.
Inquisition and Medieval Society
A professor of history, Given draws on the ideas of Marx and Foucault in this schoalrly analysis of the papal inquistion in medieval Languedoc.
Romanesque Churches of Spain: A Traveller's Guide
A perfect companion for travellers, by leading Times journalist Peter Strafford. With its ten maps and arrangement by region, the book provides a stimulus for the exploration of wild and remote areas that are unfamiliar to many people, especially across the Pyrenees and in the mountainous areas of Aragon,
Homage to Catalonia
Orwell's portrait of the Barcelona uprising and the spirit of a city at war is a classic, an observant and heartfelt report from the streets.
The Frost on His Shoulders
In the 1930s, in an isolated valley of the Pyrenees Mountains, an aging teacher reconstructs a bloody and tragic event that seemed destined to remain forever hidden behind a wall of silence
The Perfect Heresy: The Revolutionary Life and Spectacular Death of the Medieval Cathars
An insightful review of a difficult subject - the Albigensian Crusade - and the tragic, bloody history of the Cathars,
Barcelona
A Longitude favorite, this big, thoroughly enjoyable cultural history of the city touches on architecture, art, religion and literature from Roman outpost to today.
Cadogan Guide Languedoc-Roussillon
Based themselves in southwest France, Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls cover the sweep of the Mediterranean from the Rhone Valley to the Spanish border in knowledgeable detail.
Hot Sun, Cool Shadow
In this mouthwatering travelogue interspersed with classic recipes, Murrills shows the allure of Languedoc and the slow food movement. Charmingly illustrated by her husband, Peter Matthews.
Paris to the Pyrenees
David Downie's spirited book is haunted by the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix and the Gallo-Roman forebearers of modern France. On ancient trails through the forests of the rugged Morvan, they continued across the celebrated wine country of Burgundy and the centuries-old Via Podiensis on the Way of Saint James.