Languedoc-Roussillon by Arnold Stewart

 

This is perhaps the most diverse region of France, with a long stretch of Mediterranean coastline, countless castles, medieval villages, ski resorts, Roman aqueducts and modern cities.

As befits the diversity of the landscape, the climate is equally diverse and in winter it is often possible to explore a medieval village in a T-shirt in the morning, and ski in the afternoon with little over an hour between the two.

 

WESTERN LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON by Arnold Stewart

The modern city of Montpellier marks the eastern border of this area. It has an excellent pedestrian-only shopping centre at its heart, and an expanding light railway to get you around. All this is within just 30 minutes of the Mediterranean resort of La Grande Motte, with its unique stepped architecture.

Moving west from here brings you onto the eastern end of the Canal du Midi with the series of nine consecutive locks at Beziers, although to see a more typical stretch of the canal you should go elsewhere, for example to the small village of Le Soler, where you can also arrange to take short or long trips on the canal. For those travelling by car to the region, the tollfree A75 highway currently terminates just north of Beziers, after crossing the world famous bridge at Millau.
 

In contrast to the modernism of Montpellier and the Millau bridge, moving west of Beziers takes you into a region steeped in history. This is where you will find castles in abundance, (there are few chateaux) ranging in size from the tiny castle of Aquilar, pictured here, to the enormous walled city of Carcassonne, with everything in between.

For those interested in Cathar history or the Da Vinci Code, this is where you will find the famous Montsegur stronghold, the church of Rennes-le-Chateau, and the castle of Queribus (where the Cathars made their last stand in 1256). In addition to these, there is an abundance of lesser-known places such as Alet Les Bains, the birthplace of Nostradamus, and Villerouge-Termenes where William Belibasto, the last of the Cathar heretics, was burnt at the stake in 1321. In addition to the castles, there are numerous monasteries and abbeys scattered around the area, such as the Abbey of St Martin near Villefranche-de-Conflent, which offers a spectacular view, amply rewarding the steep climb required to reach it, and Fontfroide, perhaps the most famous.
 

The Roman history of this area is a long one, and you will find it just about everywhere that you look, from the Roman road right in the centre of Narbonne to the aqueduct just outside the small village of Ansignan. Reaching back into prehistoric times, the remains of the earliest human settlement in Europe were found near the small village of Tautavel, which now hosts several museums where you can experience something of what it was like in 450,000BC.

Some of this area was formerly in Spain, and the Spanish (or, rather, Catalan) influence is still strong, notably in Perpignan. The most obvious signs of this that you will see are the bilingual signs in what was formerly Catalunya, but there are also more substantial indications, such as the large fortress at Salses which marked the old border with Spain. One of the unusual remnants of those days is Llivia, which is the small Spanish town that was accidentally left inside France.
 

Of course, it isn't all history in this region. Surrounding the various monuments you will find an abundance of vineyards and fruit orchards. Unlike other areas in France, there is no typical Languedoc wine in the same way as there a Burgundy or a Champagne. The range of wines produced reflects that of the grape varieties used, so that in addition to getting the standards such as merlot or chardonnay, you also get individually blended varieties from the wineries.

All of the wineries offer wine tasting ("degustation") of their products during summer, and many will give you a tour round the winery if you ask.
 

It is a very popular area for ramblers and cyclists, with stretches of the Tour de France passing through each year. Motorcyclists find the lure of the twisting mountain roads and spectacular scenery irresistible, and it is rare for a week to go by without seeing a group of bikers pass by.

The walking and cycling season is roughly from mid-January to late June, and again from September to early December; in July and August it is a little too warm for serious exercise.

In winter, a wide range of ski resorts open including Capcir, Espace Cambre d'Aze, Font-Romeu and Les Angeles among others. Those are the main resorts, but there are innumerable smaller ones which are equally attractive and which offer good ski-ing. Depending on the altitude, the resorts are open from late November through to early April.

 

 

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