The evocative region of southwestern France has a long and deeply-entrenched regional character which sets it apart from the rest of the country. It was an enigmatic sect of Christians that once lived here, however, that thrust this area onto the world stage when they became a threat to the established church in the Middle Ages. Known as Cathars, they held an unorthodox set of beliefs and their practices quickly became anathema to the guardians of Roman Catholic doctrine. Join us to explore the story of the Cathars and the brutal crusade that was waged against them as we journey directly into the heart of the Cathar homeland—a verdant region dotted with fairytale-like citadels at the base of the Pyrenees known as the Languedoc.