Page Text Content
Languedoc & SW France
Coastal plains and white stony hills against blue skies
This is an easy-going land of thyme and cicadas, where cypress trees offer shade to red-roofed farms and old men play boules in shady village squares. A region of contrasts, from sun-parched coastal plains to rolling vineyards and the white stony hills rising steeply against brilliant blue skies.
Millau in the Averyon boasts a spectacular viaduct suspended among the clouds high over the town, linking the surrounding hills and plateaux. Finally Montpellier is the capital of the Languedoc, boasting Frances oldest university, botanical gardens, gothic cathedral, museums and elegant C18th buildings.
Landscape
Spectacular countryside, ideal for an active outdoor holiday, with plenty of walking in the hills, riding and watersports on lakes or along river gorges. The ancient Canal du Midi stretches down to the sea and offers plenty of peaceful walking or relaxing. The coast is a far cry from the rugged harsher interior; the flat plains are edged with long sandy beaches and vivid blue sea.
Food and Wine
The local cuisine is rustic and rich with garlic and olive oil country soups, spicy sausages and cassoulet, or bean stew. The fishing ports provide bountiful seafood. Roquefort, one of Frances most famous cheeses, is made locally and matured in deep caves. This is also an excellent wineproducing area, with names such as Corbieres, Minervois and Gaillac alongside new favourites in the Coteaux du Languedoc.
allows you to put the car on the train in Calais to Narbonne or Toulouse, alternatively catch the Eurostar to Paris and pick up a TGV to the south.
Towns and resorts
The towns of the region are individual in their beauty and history. Carcassonne is Europes largest fortified town with its 54 towers. The mellow city of Albi, home to the painter Toulouse-Lautrec, has a fabulous pink brick cathedral, old town and art collections. Ceret on the border with Spain is a lively Catalan centre with modern art museum, bustling streets and weekly market. For a change of pace, Cordes-surCiel is a medieval village perched in the sky as the name suggests, high on a hill with charming narrow winding streets and gothic houses.
How to get there
Driving takes around 10 12 hours from ports such as Calais or Dieppe an overnight stop is recommended to break the journey. There are now plenty of flights into Montpellier, Carcassonne, Perpignan by both schedule and low-cost carriers. Motorail
Average temperatures
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 11 12 15 18 21 26 29 28 26 21 15 11
Average days of sunshine
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 19 19 21 23 24 26 29 26 24 20 18 18
Languedoc & South West France
185
|
inbro