Languedoc

Languedoc in southern France stretches from the Côte d'Azur to the Pyrénées, along the Mediterranean and into the Massif Central. As if this wide geographical variety didn’t make it attractive enough to travelers, it also includes the magnificently walled Carcassonne, Nimes with its Roman arena, legendary Avignon and Montpellier. Add the Canal du Midi and a handful of Cathar castles and towns, several prominent Roman sites including the astonishing aqueduct of Pont du Gard, and the region is hard to beat for either its points of interest or their diversity. All this is set in landscapes that sweep upwards from long sandy beaches past ...

Languedoc in southern France stretches from the Côte d'Azur to the Pyrénées, along the Mediterranean and into the Massif Central. As if this wide geographical variety didn’t make it attractive enough to travelers, it also includes the magnificently walled Carcassonne, Nimes with its Roman arena, legendary Avignon and Montpellier. Add the Canal du Midi and a handful of Cathar castles and towns, several prominent Roman sites including the astonishing aqueduct of Pont du Gard, and the region is hard to beat for either its points of interest or their diversity. All this is set in landscapes that sweep upwards from long sandy beaches past farmlands and rolling vineyards to the rugged slopes and peaks of the massif. Its respected vineyards alone cover three times that of Bordeaux’s. The region’s tumultuous history has left a variety of monuments, including the mammoth Palace of the Popes in Avignon, where the Catholic Church was based during the great schism in the 14th century. Languedoc was home to the Cathars, a movement that was quickly crushed by the church, leaving a string of picturesque ruined castles as a reminder of the slaughter. Carcassonne is perhaps the finest remaining look at Medieval France, a completely walled city, still intact.

About the Expert

Juliette Rogers is coauthor of the guidebooks Eating New England: A Food Lovers Guide to Eating Locally, Secret Providence and Newport, and two Thomas Cook guides on France.