I see a long term chain of opportunities and cultural forces that would give you a chance to figure out a good answer to your question.
Take a look at the House of Savoy, starting around 1200 AD.
Take a look at the needs and wants of Occitan Culture, Population, Resources, and Identity.
I think there would be several opportunities over the course of 1200 to 1900 for the needs of the Occitans for protection to coincide with the needs of the Dukes of Savoy to have many people to support their political activity.
There would be several obvious moments where the key PODs take place.
Occitans going into military service with Savoy well before the French Revolution.
Occitans and Savoy taking a unified or congruent stand on Napoleons reorganization of French/Savoy/Occitan territory.
Occitan embrace of service with Savoy in the Crimean War (if not butterflied away).
The thorough respect of the British for Savoy and the Occitan at a crucial moment, establishing a useful working relationship.
It's the best I've got. It looks like a really hard territory to unify. Good luck!