When you open a window and see something like this, it's a sign you're in Occitania. Then you climb onto the roof and gaze down at the entire village nestled beneath a mighty castle. I've been dreaming of a morning like this for a long time...

But wait, before I tell you about Brousse-le-Château – pardon my French – let's go back to the previous day, when on the way from Mulhouse we stopped to take a look at a certain gorge... A gorge, really...

The town of Bozouls is perched on the edge of this stunning hundred-meter-long canyon carved into the limestone by the Dourdou River. Perched on a rock jutting into the canyon, you can see the church of Saint Fausta of Cyzicus. Let's take a bird's-eye view of this spectacular place. It seems a bit unreal, doesn't it?

And this is our hotel in Brousse-le-Château, the only one in this village of 150 inhabitants. It's our base in the Aveyron department. It's a bit gloomy, but the dull weather perfectly complements the gray of the stone houses and the castle towering over the village. We didn't end up entering the castle itself because we ran out of time, though it feels like time has stood still in this place. But no, wait, the Tarn River is still flowing, and the grass needs mowing. Everything's fine, we're heading deep into Occitania.

The region offers stunning mountain views. Although you have to expect the occasional unplanned stop... but after a while, the tree was cleared away. From a bench, you can admire the view of a completely random town, no big deal...

And now we're in Albi, a city listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Albi was the center of the Cathar or Albigensian heresy – this name comes from the city of Albi. The symbol of the city, gracefully situated on the banks of the already familiar Tarn River, is the gigantic cathedral dedicated to Saint Cecilia. Wikipedia lists it as one of the largest brick churches in the world, while the Occitania region's website bluntly states it is the largest brick cathedral in the world.

It's as beautiful inside as it is outside. Touring part of the church is free, but it's worth buying a ticket to fully enjoy the lavish interior and the treasury, which houses books from the 13th century, among other things.

Albi was made famous by the locally born painter and graphic artist Toulouse-Lautrec, who has his own impressive museum here. We head to the river, through the old part of the city, and after crossing the Tarn River, we marvel at the fantastic view of the city and cathedral.

And that's not all. We're already in the next village, but I'll tell you about it on camera as soon as I climb the castle hill.

Adventure, adventure, every moment... It's a terribly narrow road, but in the distance looms the mighty Millau Viaduct – the pride of Occitania. A moment later, we descend to the river – yes, you guessed it, the Tarn – to a village with a rock-hewn troglodyte church.

Returning to our village, in the middle of nowhere, we stumble upon this unusual open-air art gallery. The master was working on another masterpiece in the garage; we quietly slipped between the departments without disturbing him… It's impossible to unsee an obelix carrying a real car. The Gauls have that power!

Welcome to another episode, which will feature the wonders of Occitania. Yes, Occitania has definitely become my favorite part of France…