If you are a lover of history then you are in luck in the South of France. There are some excellent Languedoc museums covering a range of historical periods from the Dinosaurs through to the local resistance movement of the Second World War. Here is just a selection of our favourite 5 Languedoc museums.

The excellent Villa Loupian Site Gallo-Romain museum of a Roman settlement in Languedoc provides an excellent day out for you and the children.

The South of France has been home to a wide range of famous artists throughout history. Towns such as Arles, Montpellier, Toulouse, Collioure and Ceret all boastan impressive art heritage. Van Gogh, Gaughin, Picasso, Lautrec, Chagall, Miro, the Fauvist movement, and the Cubists group of painters have all come to work in the South of Francefor the "special light" and create some fantastic art and

The Marc Chagall Museum in Nice France (or the "Musee Marc Chagall National Message Biblique " to give it it's full title) was set up under the terms of the artists will. Marc Chagall had lived in the Nice era for a large part of his later life and he bequeathed to the city 17 separate works which make up his 'Biblical Message'.

It is quite something that the village the size of Mougins in South France has a world class Art museum to rival any National collection. The Mougins Classic Art Museum (MACM), was established in 2008 by Christian Levett, a wealthy Hedge-Fund Manager and local resident of Mougins. The Mougins Museum of Classical art is essentially a private collection open to the public. 

The little Languedoc coastal town of Serignan, just south of Beziers, is home to not only a modern art gallery, but also a popular contemporary theatre. In the centre of Serignan, a small hard working old Languedoc wine town, you will find a modern art gallery housed in a disused wine

For lovers of theatre, dance and contemporary art, the Festival d'Avignon remains a major yearly event. The 70th Festival d'Avignon will take place from 2nd to 31st July 2016. The Festival d'Avignon is becoming a major international event for this beautiful city in South France.

I reckon that Musee de l'Arles Antique,  Arles' archeology museum, is one of the best modern buildings I have seen. It was designed by Henri Ciriani and looks brilliant. It is a shame the inside exhibitions are not quite up to the standard of the building, but I am sure

Musee Riguad serves as perpignan's Museum of Art. This old 17th century Palace, was originally the workshop of the artist Hyacinthe Rigaud, a favourite of the court of Louis XIV. But it later served as a studio for a range of famous artists such as Picasso, Dufy, Maillol and

Montpellier's famed Modern Art Museum, Musee Fabre, has just completed a Euros 62m facelift. The museum has added a new wing and constructed a new walkway up to Musee Fabre. If you are looking for things to do in Montpellier, France, then a

Nimes' modern art museum, the Carre d'Art, was built in 1993 by English architect Norman Foster. The museum quickly established itself as one of the best museums of contemporary art in South France. Musee Carré d'Art hosts a number of visiting modern art exhibitions.

Collioure has in the past been home to an immpressive array of artistic talent, attracted by Collioure's "special light". Luminaries feature Matisse, Picasso, Dufy, Derain, Rennie McIntosh and Maillol. With over thirty galleries and many

In 1888 van Gogh left Paris for Provence. Here, in collaboration with Paul Gaugin he painted some of his most impressive works. It was also the scene of his famous "ear cutting" act and his decline into mental illness.

Van Gogh spent time in two places in the South of France: St Remy de Provence and Arles. In 1889, following the infamous incident where he cut off part of his ear, he was brought to the asylum in St Remy by a priest and his doctor and here he stayed for 12 months.

Van Gogh is linked to two main places in the South of France: Arles and Saint Remy de Provence. He had initially traveled to the South of France from Paris in the hope of improving his health and to establish a "studio in the South".