With an average of 300 sunny days per year and stunning scenery including beaches, vineyards, mountains, rivers and canals, the Languedoc is an ideal holiday destination.

The Languedoc region stretches along the Meditteranean coast from Provence to the Spanish border. It is made up of 5 departments, 4 of them coastal. Montpellier is the capital of the Languedoc and is situated in the Herault department, where we are based. Getting to the Languedoc is easy with a good choice of airports, the TGV from Paris and good motorway links.  Check out our What's On page with local market listings

The Languedoc is cheaper to visit than the glitzy Cote d'Aure and trendy Provence. It is also more rugged, and here you get a sense of the real south of France. It has something for everyone -  

For City Lovers  

The biggest city in the Languedoc is Montpellier with its massive student population. Montpellier is France's fastest growing city and has a very young and trendy vibe, with almost half of it's population being under 30. Great for shopping and museums, Place de Comdie is the place to people watch over a coffee or wine, the Antigone district is the very modern part of Montpellier, and of course it has an old town too. Pont du Gard

Nimes - the birthplace of denim and home to an outstanding Roman arena and the famous Maison Caree temple built in the 1st century AD. Not far away is another Roman marvel - the Pont du Gard. Nimes has some good museums, and not to be missed are the annual feria's.

Perpignan in the south is a true Catalan city, home to the Palace of the Kings of Majorca. The centre is easy to explore on foot, you will find great shopping in the old town and lots of restaurants and cafes with large outside terraces to make the most of this sunny city.  

Beziers with it's Feria, Carcassonne with it's fairy tale castle and Narbonne with it's Roman Road - are smaller cities each worth a visit.  

For History Lovers Cathar castle

The Languedoc is teeming with history, almost every village you visit will have it's old quarter. Where to start - the abundant Roman history throughout the region including the Via Domitia the Roman Road linking Italy to Spain, the Knights Templar, the medieval villages, the Cathar castles and the forts, Rennes les Chateau. The human remains of Tautavel man were found here - one of the oldest humans in Europe at 450,000 years old! Discover the historic market town of Pezenas. Minerve, one of the plus beaux villages de France certainly deserves this recognition

 

For Sporty typesTour de France Maureilhan 2008 

Cycling - from gentle bike rides along the Canal du Midi, to off road mountain biking. Hiking - there are miles of marked walks throughout the countryside and the National Parks. Windsurfing and Kitesurfing head to St Pierre la Mer for the kitesurf zone, and windsurfing can be practised both here and in the many etangs along the coast, as well as the beautiful Lac Salagou. Canoeing along the river Orb, Golf, the Languedoc has a good selection of courses. Try the Pyrenees for skiing in the winter. Rugby is extremely popular here, and home to Perpignan's Catalan Dragons 

For Nature Lovers

Lac Salagou

Discover the wilds of the Pyrenees, or the beauty of the Haut Languedoc National Park. Explore the lakes, rivers and gorges. Escape the summer heat by visiting one of the many underground caves. For bird watchers head to the etangs, or the Camargue which sits between the Languedoc and Provence where you can see the Camargue horses, bulls and the breeding colony of pink flamingoes. Lac Salagou, pictured left, is a stunning spot and makes a great day out 
 

For Beach Lovers

Sete Beach

Miles upon miles of sandy beaches, if you like a beach with the facilities of a town to hand head to Valras plage, or for quiet sunbathing try Serignan or Portiragnes. Cap D'Agde has a choice of good beaches, not forgetting the naturist beach which is one of Europe's largest.  Take the road from Marseillan plage to Sete,  here the beach runs the entire length of the road and you will find a quiet spot for your towel even in August. 

For wine Lovers 

Roquebrun vine
Languedoc-Roussillin is the world's largest wine producing area, think St Chinian, Faugeres, Fitou, Corbieres, Minervois, and Muscat, the sweet dessert wine. It's impossible to drive anywhere without seeing acres of vineyards and the many chateaus and caves offering tastings and sometimes tours. Buy wine by the case, the bottle, the bag-in-box, or for everyday wine do as the locals do and have your water bottle filled up from the pump, this often costs as little as one euro per litre!     
 
 
 
Further reading - here are some recent news articles about the Languedoc
 
The Independent recently produced a booklet on the Languedoc in conjunction with Sunfrance. Click here to read it.