Jeanne Quigley takes a seven-day tour of the Languedoc region in southern France, taking in historic sights and fantastic local food and wine
France’s Languedoc region has it all – great beaches, picture-perfect medieval towns and quaint villages, and great food.
There’s more than enough to keep you occupied for a week or two – here’s our suggested itinerary for a week-long trip in the region.
Day 1: drive through French villages
Spend a day meandering lazily through the countryside, with miles of vineyards, the Canal de Midi and pretty little villages.
Visit Cruzy, where you’ll find one of the best bakeries in the area and its magnificent fortress church. Lunch in L’Auberge de la Croisade just outside the village or Le Terminus on the Quarante road. Le Somail is one of the liveliest villages on the banks of the Canal.
It’s also well known for its hat museum, which has 6,500 items on display. Continue to the medieval village of Mirepeisset on the river Cesse where you can see the river flowing beneath the aqueduct with the canal overhead.
Best bits: Dinner in La Garonne in Mirepeisset.
Staying longer? Take a weekend cookery or art course in Mirepeisset.
Day 2: boat trip on the Canal de Midi
This magnificent canal was the dream of Paul Riquet, a tax collector from Beziers. It’s probably the most comprehensive and greatest civil engineering undertaken since the time of the Romans.
Completed in 1680, it links the Mediterranean with Toulouse and the Atlantic. Originally constructed for commercial purposes, it’s the largest UNESCO World Heritage site on earth.
You can hire a boat at one of the towns or villages along the route and meander slowly through lush countryside. The canal banks are lined with huge plane trees and the horse towpaths are now cycling lanes.
Best bits: Buying local delicacies from the lock keepers.
Staying longer? Spend a week on one of the canal barge hotels which ply along the canal.
Day 3: Narbonne market
Foodies should make a beeline for the daily covered food market in Narbonne – Les Halles – one of the biggest in France.
Delicious aromas waft through the high-ceilinged halls and you’ll find every French delicacy here. Fresh breads and patisserie, cheese, olives, charcuterie – you’ll be hard pushed to resist the temptation to buy.
If you visit on Thursday, the open-air market takes place on both sides of the Canal de la Robine, which runs through the centre of the town. This is a great place to pick up all those presents you have to bring home.
Notable sights here are the Archbishops’ Palace and the Cathedral de St-Just and St-Pasteur, just off the main square.
Best bits: Having lunch in one of the café’s alongside the market.
Staying longer? There are some wonderful walks around the Narbonne area or, if you prefer the city, take one of the Heritage trails.
Day 4: wine tasting
Languedoc is famous for wine, in fact the area resembles nothing more than one huge vineyard.
You’ll see the familiar ‘degustation’ signs as you drive around but you can afford to be choosy. Rugby buffs will know the name Gerard Bertrand, a one-time stalwart of the Narbonne team and capped for France three times. He now owns L’Hospitalet, a state-of-the-art winery in La Clape, not too far from Narbonne.
The site has a fine hotel and restaurant and some pretty artisan shops. At the other end of the scale is the family-run Domaine Terres Georges winery in Castelnau d’Aude, run by Roland and Anne-Marie Couscal. These are Minervois wines and tastings begin about 6.30pm.
Day 5: Carcassonne Medieval city
On the banks of the River Aude, this lovely town has two rings of town walls, 52 towers and two miles’ of battlements. Although it can be a bit touristy, it’s well a wander around the artisan shops and restaurants.
A sightseeing train takes about 20 minutes to pass by the city’s most important buildings, including the Museum of the Middle Ages and the Jewel of the City, the Basilica de St Nazaire, although the more romantic might like to take a horsedrawn carriage.
Best bits: Go to the Tower of Justice and watch out for ghostly sightings, including the woman in the bloodstained dress and the poltergeists throwing candlesticks!
Staying longer? Visit Dinosauria, just outside the city. There are 35 different dinosaurs on display.
Day 6: beaches
With a Mediterranean coastline stretching for miles, you’ll be spoiled for choice when you spend a day at the beach. Most of them are long and very sandy but some have been ruined somewhat by concrete apartment blocks which do nothing to enhance the area.
A short drive south of Narbonne will bring you to Le Franqui, a beach with sea on one side and the Etang, the inland lake on the other. There’s a smaller beach in front of a pretty village with relaxed restaurants.
Leucate has two wonderful beaches and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve hopped over to California if you choose this one. The main beach is in front of the town. Round the rocks you’ll find a nudist beach.
Best bits: Great windsurfing and surfing facilities.
Staying longer? Go farther down the coast to where the Pyrenees meet the sea for a different landscape with hills and trees. Try the family-friendly Racou or Colliere, with ancient ramparts spilling into the sea.
Day 7: Montpelier
This Roman city is one of the liveliest in the south of France and there’s a great cosmopolitan buzz. Wander around the side streets, where the university faculty buildings are.
Stroll along the wide boulevards, where there are some great shops. In fact, this is a great shopping town, particularly along the Rue de la Loge where you’ll find everything from designer boutiques to terrific little shoe shops. Take a quick look at the Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe.
And a visit to the recently reopened Musee Fabre, which houses a stunning art collection of French Old Masters, is a must.
Best bits: Have a coffee in the Place de Comedie, the city’s main square, and watch the passing parade.
Staying longer? Tired from all the shopping? Finish off the day with a visit to the beach, just minutes away.
Sample product
Eurocamp offer seven nights in a deluxe mobile home at Village Club Farret in Vias (near Beziers) from £933, based on a family of five sharing in August.
Inghams has seven nights for four people in Moulin de Bissat, a restored windmill in a vineyard in Montlaur, in September from £418 including ferry crossings.
