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French heritage: landmark sites and food of Occitanie
This sheet presents cultural landmarks of French society. It is in particular about Occitanie.
Key points of the sheet
- The pont du Gard is an aqueduct, a stone canal. The Romans built it in the 1st century to carry water over 50 kilometres to Nîmes.
- The pont du Gard is a technical and aesthetic achievement. It is one of the best-preserved aqueducts in the world, listed as UNESCO World Heritage.
- Cassoulet is a dish from Languedoc, in the south of France. It is made of white beans slowly cooked with different meats: duck confit, sausage or pork.
- Cassoulet is prepared in a "cassole", a large earthenware pot. People tend to eat it in the cold season. It reflects local cooking know-how and farming tradition.
Words to know
- aqueduct
- The pont du Gard is an aqueduct: a stone canal.
- pont du Gard
- It is a Roman aqueduct from the 1st century. It carried water to Nîmes.
- UNESCO World Heritage (patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO)
- The pont du Gard is listed as UNESCO World Heritage.
- cassoulet
- It is a dish from Languedoc made with white beans and meats.
- cassole (earthenware pot)
- It is a large earthenware pot used to prepare cassoulet.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Who built the pont du Gard?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui a construit le pont du Gard ?
The pont du Gard was built in the 1st century by the Romans.
To which city did the pont du Gard carry water?
In French, the language of the exam: Jusqu'à quelle ville le pont du Gard transportait-il de l'eau ?
The pont du Gard carried water over 50 kilometres to Nîmes.
What is cassoulet made from?
In French, the language of the exam: Le cassoulet est préparé à base de quoi ?
Cassoulet is made of white beans slowly cooked with meats.
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More in this topic (Culture)
- French heritage: landmark sites and food in Centre-Val de Loire
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of Brittany (Bretagne)
Source
Sheet “Patrimoine français : sites emblématiques et gastronomie d’Occitanie” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.