Languedoc

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Discussion

fourstardan

Original Poster:

4,863 posts

150 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
Hi,

Looking at my holiday options at the end of the year (Sept/Early Oct) and I can get to Carcassonne from Bournemouth for peanuts (well 100 quid each all in).

Has anyone stayed in the Languedoc region? It seems very low key compared to the Riviera side looking on Google Maps.

Leucate seems to yield a lot of good properties.

cliffords

1,709 posts

29 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
It's very french not always massively touristy albeit it is in the summer .
I like the area best if you have a car .

fourstardan

Original Poster:

4,863 posts

150 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
cliffords said:
It's very french not always massively touristy albeit it is in the summer .
I like the area best if you have a car .
Car will be a must as we would want to be on the coast.


Earthdweller

14,172 posts

132 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
I think a car is an absolute

Stayed near beziers, between there and the coast, in an Airbnb and explored quite widely

It’s a lovely area with lots of history, seemed very French with not that many Brits around

Flew in/out of carcassone which again is worth a visit


ClaphamGT3

11,480 posts

249 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
It's a lovely and much under rated part of the world.

The summer weather drops off quite quickly in early September and it can be quite affected by Atlantic, Mediterranean and pyrenees weather systems all colliding over the summer.

Beziers is nice enough but Pezenas I much nicer. Around the coast, avoid Cap d'Agde and head further round towards Argeles and the Spanish border

Audis5b9

1,044 posts

78 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
I've been going to Aigues-Mortes every summer for 12 years now.

It is very low key compared to the 'posh side of the SOF', but there are still plenty on nice places to visit, good restaurants and you don't have to deal with the pretentious twerps or the crazy pricing.

The weather is good till late into September, the daytime temperatures are still good, but gets a little chilly in the evenings by then.

Places to visit: Montepellier, Sommieres, Pont du Gard, Nimes, Arles, Avignon, the wine regions around Picpoul de Pinet....

What do you enjoy doing on holiday?

greygoose

8,583 posts

201 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
ClaphamGT3 said:
It's a lovely and much under rated part of the world.

The summer weather drops off quite quickly in early September and it can be quite affected by Atlantic, Mediterranean and pyrenees weather systems all colliding over the summer.

Beziers is nice enough but Pezenas I much nicer. Around the coast, avoid Cap d'Agde and head further round towards Argeles and the Spanish border
Would echo that, beach resorts at Argeles/St Cyprien, touristy village at Collioure and vineyards towards Banyuls. Carcassone is a nice day out on its own.

mikef

5,150 posts

257 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
You’ll need a car. personally I’d spend around three days based in Carcassonne and visit there then some of the Chateaux Cathares if you are up to short hikes - Montségur, Peyrepertuse, Quéribus - then head to the coast - Canet Plage, Argelés, Colliure, even Port-Vendres for somewhere basic but genuine. Perpignan is also worth a visit to see the Palais des Rois de Majorque

Deesee

8,509 posts

89 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
We’ve done a few Europecamp type holidays in Valaris Plage, Argles.. well worth a look if you’ve got children. We’ve done Sandaya, yelloh, there.

Can highly recommend Aloha Beach Camp.

We drive down, the A75 autoroute over the mountains and Milau round off the holiday!

NDA

22,176 posts

231 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
I'm heading there next week as it happens... have rented a house near Mirepoix which is about 40 mins from Carcassonne.


mikef

5,150 posts

257 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
You should definitely do the climb up to Montségur then. And if you don’t know what the Cathares were all about, you could read Montaillou: Cathars and Catholics in a French Village 1294-1324 by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie

fourstardan

Original Poster:

4,863 posts

150 months

Sunday 11th June 2023
quotequote all
Thanks all, we will have a 3 year old so will need things to do in this region (zoo's, fun parks, evening stuff to knacker him out to sleep so I can drink loads of red wine etc) and easy eating of course.

It's always nice to have flights to these sorts of places from an airport 20 mins away but not if it's not suitable so thanks for the inputs.

21st Century Man

41,613 posts

254 months

Sunday 11th June 2023
quotequote all
I'm looking forward to it, some friends have bought a house in Axat that also has an annex/rental/gite type thing with it. Ours whenever and for as long as we want :smug:

Si 330

1,302 posts

215 months

Wednesday 14th June 2023
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We have been to Argeles sur mer 5 or 6 times and heading there again late July / August. Plenty of places to see, only been in that area in September once it can get windy at that time of year. Also lots of place in the costal resorts close down as out of season.

fourstardan

Original Poster:

4,863 posts

150 months

Friday 11th August 2023
quotequote all
It's time to start booking...flights into Carcassone are the best value for us.

Has anyone stayed in Sete before?

I like the idea of having Nimes and AIX in driving distance for a day trip too.

Ideally I'm after a bit of evening vibe to walk about after dinner etc.

Dan

shambolic

2,146 posts

173 months

Friday 11th August 2023
quotequote all
https://www.oliverstravels.com/france/languedoc/ch...
Staying here next July.
The region looks lovely but quieter than other parts of France. Any other tips of things to do there?
Cheers
Edit to add we are looking at flying Edinburgh to nimes then hiring a car. Take it that’s the best airport to go to.

psychoR1

1,081 posts

193 months

Sunday 13th August 2023
quotequote all
fourstardan said:
It's time to start booking...flights into Carcassone are the best value for us.

Has anyone stayed in Sete before?

I like the idea of having Nimes and AIX in driving distance for a day trip too.

Ideally I'm after a bit of evening vibe to walk about after dinner etc.

Dan
Stayed in Sete a few times on bike trips - in the Hotel Marine - Sete used to be more fishing port than holiday town - not sure what it is like now tho' - nothing bad to say about the place tbh

fourstardan

Original Poster:

4,863 posts

150 months

Monday 14th August 2023
quotequote all
psychoR1 said:
Stayed in Sete a few times on bike trips - in the Hotel Marine - Sete used to be more fishing port than holiday town - not sure what it is like now tho' - nothing bad to say about the place tbh
Thanks..looks like it from Google maps. I'd be staying outside the main town area. I've got a lot of Rental options available on the coast between Montpellier and Narbonne.

One issue is I saw Simon Reeve did a 10 min piece on Corsica last night that's turned my head, the island looked really nice and tranquil and offered some good fishing opportunities, although i'm not going for fishing I will probably take a travel rod and lures if a location offers decent spots.

The trouble is its LGW not 10 mins down the road to Bournemouth!


Semmelweiss

1,725 posts

202 months

Monday 14th August 2023
quotequote all
On my drive through Mediterranean France in 2020, w spent a night in Montpelier, which was really lovely. We decided to drive to Sete in the morning because we fancied a day at the beach, before driving along to Villefranche. It was foul.

Dirty, run down and industrial, so a bit like going to Southampton for a day at the beach.

Skip it.

ettore

4,287 posts

258 months

Monday 14th August 2023
quotequote all
Montpellier is lovely, easy to get everywhere and a lively, fun place to go out in the evening - fastest growing city in France so is very clean and up together as well as being very attractive. It’s far nicer than the well trodden Riviera towns and cooler than the Provençal staples.

Spain, Arles/Nîmes/Avignon, Carcassonne, the Camargue etc all easy trips out.