Description of the Languedoc-Roussillon
The Languedoc Roussillon region of Southern
France curves in a great arc around the
Mediterranean, from Robert Louis Stevens'
beloved Cevennes down as far as the
Pyrenees and the border with Spain. The
region offers magnificent scenery, clean,
uncrowded beaches with warm seas,
excellent skiing & other recreational facilities,
a richly diverse culture (and a cuisine to
match!), quiet roads, ready access, and a
climate which boasts the highest annual
sunshine average in France.
Access really is surprisingly easy
The area upon which Rural Retreats focuses particular attention - encompasing the Herault,
Aude and Pyrenees-Orientales departements - is well-served by FIVE international airports
- Toulouse (the fastest-growing 'hub' in Europe), Montpellier, Carcassonne & Perpignan in
France itself, plus nearby Barcelona in Catalan Spain, currently one of the cheapest means
of entry for travellers from Northern Europe and other departure points.
Then there is the super-fast TGV rail service from Paris which whisks you to the Med in under 4 hours and is scheduled to extend as far as Barcelona and Madrid within a few short years.
For the motorist, driving is still a pleasure in France with its extensive road network and relatively uncrowded autoroutes making short work of the distances involved. When route-planning, choose between the western A62/61 via Toulouse, the central and nearly-completed A7 (offering the shortest route from north to south via Paris and currently toll-free for much of the way), or the more easterly A9 by way of...
