MONTPELLIER — Southern France’s Languedoc Roussillon region welcomed buyers and media from around the globe, including Canada, for a series of hosted fams ahead of this week’s Rendez-vous en France trade show in Montpellier.

The region curves around the Mediterranean coast, with Spain to the south, the Midi-Pyrénées to the west and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur to the east.

Wholesalers, travel agents and tour operators took part in the fam trips that featured the natural beauty, history, culture, cuisine and adventurous spirit of the region.

There was a visit to the magnificent ancient Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard (a UNESCO world heritage site built around 50 years AD) at Vers-Pont-du-Gard, a horse and carriage ride across fields to witness the ‘rounding up of the bulls’ in the town of Castries and a stroll along the cobblestone streets of the medieval village of Uzès.

There was an afternoon at the seaside town of Collioure with its strong Catalan culture and pebble beach while the luxury spa, stunning views and exceptional wine cellar of La Distillerie hotel in Pézenas, left a fine impression. Gourmet cuisine included foie gras, aligot (mashed potato blended with cheese and garlic) and creme brûlée.

In addition to Canada, other nations on the Sud de France Développement hosted fams included Germany, Australia, Serbia, Taiwan, Armenia, Brazil, Spain, Norway and South Africa.