Languedoc and Beyond
Our surrounding region is so rich with variety that you could spend several lifetimes here and not become bored. Whilst we are in the Languedoc, this brief guide covers also some of the neighbouring regions that are within an easy drive. Remember that the south of our region used be be part of Catalonia, so there is a huge Spanish influence on the food and the language.We will not go into huge detail here, as everyone now has such access to the detailed information such as directions, history and restaurants via smart phones and tablets. Rather we will just highlight a few places that we think are worthy of further research.
Carcassonne
Well we may as well start with the most obvious. Carcassonne is a superbly preserved and restored Medieval city steeped in the very bloody history of this region. Like most "must see" tourist sights such as the Grand Canyon or the Taj Mahal, there is always a feeling of cynicism for the first time visitor. The fact is, however, that they are so popular because they are so special. If you drove here from the West you will have had a spectacular view of the City from the A61. From the house I suggest taking the old Route National from Lezignan (D6113) to Carcassonne. the Medieval city is this side of the "new" one which is also worth a visit . It's clearly signposted after you go through Trebes, and follow the signs to car park number two. My advice is to get there no later than 10.00am, give yourself a couple of hours to walk around and then get an early lunch. As you are in France, it has literally dozens of restaurants from fast food to Michelin Stars.
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Narbonne
We use Narbonne as our local town. On the Roman road from Italy to Spain, Narbonne is still at a major junction of East/West and North/South transport. As such the main road approach can look a little industrial, but don't be put off. Head for the Les Halles Mirabeau car park. The town centre is lovely, with the Canal de la Robine coming right into the centre. Narbonne has plenty of small boutique shops, a spectacular 13th century cathedral, but our favourite place is Les Halles, the covered food market. Open every day from 7.00 am until noon, we use it as our main source of food shopping. Make sure you stay in the market for lunch, eating food at bars where the ingredients are literally fresh from the market stalls. (Don't go on Mondays, as no French farmers or fishermen work on Sundays, so the Market is a little empty on a Monday.) Narbonne also has loads of sports facilities and their swimming pool with huge flumes is a must for kids of all ages. For large groups with differing eating likes, the Les Grand Buffets is probably the best place to eat. It is a carvery done in only the way the French can, with world class food! Narbonne also has countless museums and galleries and it certainly is a town worth spending time in.
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Lagrasse & Minerve
Two of the most famous and most visited local villages, Lagrasse is 25 minutes to the south and Minerve is 25 minutes to the north. Both stunning and steeped with history, and again with excellent restaurants for lunch. Both can be busy at peak times, so go in the morning.
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Toulouse & MontpellierOur two nearest large cities, Both are within an hour or so of the house, and both are easy Motorway drives "door to door". Both are very prosperous and superb for a full day (or more) visit. Toulouse is a traditional old city built largely from brick with countless small squares and parks and fabulous shopping. Montpellier is a grand Mediterranean city, built from pale stone. It is visually stunning and packed with lovely winding pedestrian streets crammed with interesting shops. Both have many Museums, galleries, theatres and concert venues, and of course Toulouse is home to Europe's top Ruby team, Stade Toulouse, whilst Montpellier are the 2012 French football league champions.
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Sport (watching)For Rugby Union fans, you are in heaven. Toulouse, Castres, Montpellier, Toulon and Perpignan are some of the best club teams in Europe. This is also a top region for Rugby League, and Lezignan are regularly at the top of the Elite league. Toulouse and Montpellier both have leading Ligue 1 football teams For the more adventurous Bull Fighting takes place each August in Beziers, and many smaller towns have Bull Running as part of their fiestas.
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Sport (participating)With such great weather this is an ideal region for outdoor sports. We have 3 mountain ranges, hundreds of miles of coastline, rivers, canals and inland lakes Within easy striking distance, depending on when you visit and in no particular order, you will find: Golf,Tennis, Squash, Boules, Kayaking, Canoeing, Windsurfing, Hiking, Flying, Gliding, Parachuting, Sky Diving (real and in a tower at Lezignan), Ballooning, Boating, Sailing, Cycling, Horse Riding, Fishing, Walking, Rock Climbing, Go Karting, Skiing, Swimming, Bird Watching, Painting, Wine tasting and Eating.This is by no means a definitive list!
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Markets
We've already mentioned Les Halles at Narbonne, and they have a full town market on a Thursday. Nearby small market towns are Lezignan (Wednesdays) Ginestas (Thursdays) and Olonzac (Tuesdays). Toulouse' Halles Victor Hugo is spectacular with restaurants above (every morning). Possibly the best food market in the whole of France is at Revel every Saturday morning. It's about an hour and twenty minutes away but is worth it, perhaps on your way here. Also worth visiting are the local Vide Greniers (Empty Attics) which are like our Car Boot sales and advertised at roadsides. Finally do not forget the Trocs, a cross between junk and antique shops, and a great way to spend a couple of hours bargain hunting.
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Beaches
Languedoc has mile after mile of often very wide long beaches of golden sand. There are huge variations in type of beach, however, so it is important to decide which sort of beach experience you want. With over 40 to choose from, you won't be disappointed. Our nearest beaches are at Narbonne and Gruissan. The south of Narbonne beach is huge, wide and so you can always find your own place. Gruissan is a nicer beach and you can tie it in to a visit to the old village of Gruissan, and have lunch looking at the Flamingos in the lagoon. The most famous beaches are a little further south, Port Leucate is typical, in that there is the old, undeveloped stretch, but along the coast at the new town of Port Leucate the beach has been built up, so has everything a family may need from restaurants and bars to arcades and activities. South of Perpignan are the prettiest beaches as by then you are in the foothills of the Pyrenees, so there are more secluded coves although they may entail a walk to get to. Best of these is at Argeles, and you can tie this in with a trip to the stunning fishing village of Collioure. Slightly north of here near Beziers are good beaches at Serignan, and a classic "family" beach at Valras, where they have everything including a casino! (Remember lots of beaches here allow Naturism, so no need for white lines to spoil your tan!)
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The Etangs
This area has many huge salt water lagoons, known as Etangs, which are used for the production of some of the best Shellfish in the world. A trip to the Etang de Thau is a must. With the chalk waters of the rivers running into the saltwater of the Etang, the seafood is stunning. To the North of the Etang is the large fishing port of Sete. You can lunch there at the dockside literally next to huge sea going trawlers that have just unloaded your menu. A little south of Sete inland is Bouzigues, the home of the Oyster industry. Alternatively you can drive down the narrow headland separating the Etang from the Sea (with mile after mile of wild and unspoilt sandy beach and dunes) to a favourite of ours, Marseillan. A smaller fishing port than Sete, it still has dozens of seafood restaurants and has a real buzz in the evenings. It's also where Noilly Prat is made and a visit there is well worth it.(Don't confuse with Marseillan Plage, again most old towns have a modern beach side family orientated resort close by, suffixed by "plage")
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Mountains and HillsIf you want to have a break from the sea, then the magnificent Pyrenees are only an hour away. Alternatively head north to the Black Mountains for some spectacular scenery and countless pretty village and towns. A favourite is to follow the Orb valley. Perhaps spend the morning in the famous town of Pezenas, and then head inland into the hills for lunch and excellent walking country to burn off the calories.
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Canal du Midi
We are spoilt in that the prettiest stretch of the world famous Canal du Midi runs past our village. It is the epitome of what people want from the South of France, a tree lined canal meandering through miles of vineyards past picture book villages.You can hire a boat (or Kayaks) to sample the delights of the Canal at Homps a couple of villages along. Alternatively just walk (or take your early morning run) from the house along the towpath to Argens and back. There are plenty of lovely canal side restaurants and bars, Le Somail is particularly attractive, and the Auberge de la Croissade just past Argeliers is a more formal restaurant. Alternatively you can have a drink at one of the canal side bars at Homps and laugh at the first time boaters!
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Catalonia & OccitanePerpignan used to be the capital of Catalonia, and this regions history goes back way before modern political borders were drawn up.As such a holiday here gives you the best of both worls, Catlonian Spain and the South of France. You will certainly be aware of the Spanish influence on food, with Paella, Manchego cheese, and fabulous Iberico hams are found everywhere. Barcelona is 260 km away, all motorway, so is a comfortable drive. A favourite of our is Girona, smaller, nearer and less touristy than Barcelona. The coastline south from the Spanish border is particularly beautiful (as long as you avoid Lloret de Mar). There is also a high end outlet mall village(La Roca) just south of Girona, at junction 12 of the AP7 if you need a designer shopping fix at bargain prices.
You will also notice a lot of signs written in a second language, Occitane, the Language of Oc which is still in use today, along with the ubiquitous Occitan Cross. Occitan was the main language for most of France and this area really only changed to modern French in the 1800s |