Jewels of French History Books, The Lauragais Story

A new history book for France that examines the commercially and strategically important region of the Lauragais, sometimes known as the 'Land of Cockaigne' in reference to a time of Pastel and the flourishing woad industry that once existed there.


The Lauragais lies to the south east of Toulouse and this history of the region is aimed primarily at both the expats and the huge number of tourists that live in or visit the region respectively. This is an opportunity for them to truly discover the region and understand the significant role that the Lauragais played in the history of France.


There are any number of cock-ups, catastrophes and conspiracies that mark the 5000 year history of the Lauragais. It has been the heartland of Catharism and the home of Pierre Paul Riquet, the pioneering genius behind what is now a UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the 'Canal du Midi', an icon of European industrialisation. The area suffered at the hands of the Vandals, the Inquisition and the Gestapo, and has profited enormously on the proceeds of wheat, woad and airbuses, to the music of its troubadours. This is a book to make you cry and laugh out loud in turns.