Read an Excerpt
Carcassonne to Montpellier encompasses the départements of
the Aude and Hérault, the very heart of Languedoc, with all the
essential Languedoc ingredients: the vertiginous Cathar castles
tickling the clouds, the Canal du Midi winding lazily through sun
soaked hills covered with vines. Sandy beaches that stretch for
miles on end, some wild, others like Cap d’Agde full of fashionable
Parisians. Inland, medieval villages huddle around Romanesque
abbeys, high over gorges where rivers made kayaking, rush down
to the Mediterranean from the Massif Centrale.
As Provence fills up with glitterati, Languedoc basks in its
reputation as ‘the thinking person’s south of France.’ In recent
years, fairy tale Carcassonne, with its World Heritage crown of
walls and towers has been a chief beneficiary of the growth of low
cost European flights; as a key gateway to Languedoc, it now has
a panoply of boutique hotels and gastronomic restaurants. While
Carcassonne perfects its charms, Montpellier, charges full steam
ahead: the capital of the Languedoc region as well as a major
university, medical and research centre, hosting a full calendar of
top-notch music, theatre, dance, cinema and art events, it’s the
fastest growing and most future-oriented city in France. Yet in the
midst of all this go-getting is a lovely 17th-18th century core, filled
with elegant hôtels particuliers, boutiques and bars, as well as one
of the finest art museums outside of Paris.
In between these two cities, Languedoc offers plenty to see
and do as you’ll discover in this little book. But also take time to
enjoy what many people love best about the region: the laid-back
pace of life (outside of Montpellier, that is!), the old fashioned
friendliness in the village cafés, exploring the local vineyards and
weekly markets overflowing with fresh local produce…and the
joy of just lazing about in the Languedoc sun.
