How History Shapes Regional Identity

Behind the postcard beauty of Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine lies a complex and powerful history — one that still echoes in the culture, values, and architecture of southwest France today.

As a professional guide, I believe that to truly understand a place, we must uncover the stories just beneath the surface — the ones that shaped its people’s mentality, boundaries, and relationship with freedom.

Montpazier

A Region Forged by Conflict

Long before medieval battles, this land was a strategic heart of the Roman Empire. Positioned between Rome and Hispania, the southwest became a major crossroads for trade, military routes, and ideas. Roman towns, aqueducts, roads, and arenas introduced the concepts of civic life, urban planning, and infrastructure still visible in local landscapes — laying the groundwork for centuries of cultural blending.

• In the 13th century, the Cathar movement, rooted in spiritual independence and local identity, was violently suppressed during the Albigensian Crusade, led by the northern French monarchy and the Roman Church. This “crusade against freedom” devastated towns and began the long struggle between centralized authority and regional autonomy.

• The 14th–15th centuries brought the Hundred Years’ War, in which control of Aquitaine and the southwest oscillated between France and England. This era left enduring scars on local architecture — fortified churches, hilltop bastides, and châteaux built as much for defense as for dwelling.

• In the 16th century, the region became a central stage for the Wars of Religion, with Protestants and Catholics vying for dominance. Entire communities were shaped, divided, or displaced, and deepened the tradition of individual conscience and resistance.

  
  

These conflicts weren’t just battles over faith or territory — they shaped the mentality of the south: a fierce defense of freedom, a suspicion of imposed power, and a celebration of diversity.

The True South Today

Today, what we call “le vrai midi” — the true south — continues to protect its cultural heritage, regional languages like Occitan, and a way of life that values human connection, nature, tradition, and respect for difference.

Whether through architecture, regional pride, or storytelling, the hidden history of southwest France is alive — and ready to be explored.

This is the kind of depth we offer in our tailor-made tours at Carte Blanche. Because travel should help us understand not just the beauty of a place — but the soul of it.