Languedoc-Roussillon (often called “the Languedoc”) is a coastal region in southern France, extending from Provence to the Pyrenees Mountains and along the border with Spain. The region is dominated by vineyards, three times the area of vineyards in Bordeaux, and it has been an important winemaking centre for several centuries.
The Languedoc-Roussillon is made up of 5 departments, namely Aude, Gard, Herault, Lozere and Pyrenees-Orientales and is one of France’s main wine developing regions. The coastline has miles of unspoiled sandy beaches and plenty of tourist resorts, marinas and old ports. Inland, visitors will find more rural landscapes with vineyards, open fields and farmland. Les Cevennes is worth a stop for its National Park with majestic mountains, steep valleys, picturesque views and remarkable caves.
There are a lot of historic cities and villages to explore, such as the famous fortified city of Carcassonne, rich in history and tradition, and other ancient villages with Roman ruins, old cathedrals and churches, museums and quaint art galleries. The Canal du Midi is the world’s oldest canal and a UNESCO world heritage site. It is popular with visitors who can hire a barge and travel the length or even part of the waterway, stopping in at villages along the way to eat local fare, drink wine and explore. Sports such as cycling, nature walks and water-sports are prevalent and very well catered for. Entertainment is varied from traditional festivals and annual events to carnivals and open-air food and souvenir markets.
The long history of this region has left some incredibly interesting and beautiful towns (e.g. Pezenas) and cities (e.g. Carcassonne). The coastline also offers some of the most popular beach towns in France, such as Sete and Cap d’Agde. The region is easy to get to from the UK and other parts of the world, as there are airports in Montpellier, Carcassone, Perpignan, Nimes, Avignon and Beziers.
