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5 Must Sees in Languedoc-Rousillon

By RM | July 7, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Languedoc-Rousillon lies between Provence and the Pyrenees, hugging the Mediterranean coast just north of the French / Spanish border. Together with Midi Pyrénées, it forms the new region of Occitanie. Less crowded than Provence, it offers historic towns and cities, rugged mountain scenery, fertile valleys filled with vineyards, and beautiful coastline.

Rich with history and culture, Languedoc is named after the Occitan language that was widely spoken until the 20th century. Further south in Rousillon, Catalan is still spoken, and there are many cultural links with Catalonia to the south. The region was ruled by the Romans, the Visigoths, the Moors, Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Emperors, finally becoming part of France in the late middle ages.

I first visited this area of France in my twenties, and fell in love with the medieval towns and villages, and the beautiful scenery. Returning recently, I have been able to explore the region in more depth, and look forward to spending more time discovering its hidden riches. Here is a list of my 5 ‘Must Sees’ when you visit Languedoc-Rousillon.

1. Pont du Gard

Built in the 1st Century AD by the Romans, this amazingly well preserved aqueduct carried water to fill the fountains and baths of the Roman city of Nemausus, modern day Nîmes.

At 160 feet / 48.8 meters tall, it is the tallest roman aqueduct, and incredibly well preserved. It stands as testament to the engineering and building skills of the Romans.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Pont du Gard attracts a lot of visitors. One way to to avoid the crowds? Rent a kayak and view the aqueduct from the Gardon river below.

More Information.

2. Carcassonne

The cité, or citadel, at Carcassonne is one of the best remaining examples of a medieval walled city. Across the river Aude from the modern city, its towers dominate the skyline. Fortified since Roman times, most of the current cité is medieval, and was used to guard strategic trade routes from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and the Massif Central to the Pyrenees.

Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Carcassonne was a film location for many movies, including Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. To walk its cobbled streets is to travel back in time.

More Information.

3. Sète

Plan of Sète (Cette) from 1777 — Cette image provient de la Bibliothèque en ligne Gallica sous l'identifiant ARK btv1b53010782c/f48.item, Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31013009 — Plan of Sète (Cette) from 1777
(Cette image provient de la Bibliothèque en ligne Gallica sous l’identifiant ARK btv1b53010782c/f48.item, Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31013009)

When Louis XIV ordered the Canal du Midi to be connected to the Mediterranean Sea in the 1660s, the port and town of Sète was founded where the canal met the sea. Set on Mont St Clair, between the salt water lake of Bassin de Thau and the sea, it has always attracted writers, poets and artists.

In the port, fishing boats and sailboats cluster along the piers, and restaurants serve fresh seafood. The town has a large market hall, and many interesting shops and boutiques. Visit Maison Janicot, an épicerie / deli stocked with a vast selection of delicacies and run by friendly, helpful staff.

Enjoying a delicious lunch, Maison Janicot

For an interesting preview of Sète, watch the 1954 black and white movie, La Pointe Courte, by famed French director Agnès Varda. Great scenes of traditional fishing life, and of the ‘water jousting’ that was introduced to celebrate the founding of the town in the 1660s, and persists to this day. It’s a great movie at the forefront of the French New Wave.

South of the town are a series of beautiful beaches, with clear blue water.

Trying to outdance the waves, Plage de Sète

More information.

4. Gorges d’Héric

Gorges d'Héric, from the River Orb — Gorges d’Héric, from the River Orb

Set in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional de Haut-Languedoc, the Gorges d’Héric offers a great opportunity to hike and explore the natural beauty created by the river Heric as it carved deep gorges in the side of the Caroux Massif.

Gorges d'Héric, hiking on a winter's day — Gorges d’Héric, hiking on a winter’s day

Park at the base of the trail, just outside the village of Mons, and follow the trail alongside the river, past waterfalls and rock pools, as it winds 5kms / 3 miles up to the hamlet of Héric.

Hiking the Gorges d'Héric, view from the trail — Hiking the Gorges d’Héric, view from the trail

There is a parking fee from Easter until mid-September, and refreshments are available in the parking area and the hamlet of Héric, at the top of the Gorges, during the summer months.

5. Wineries / Vineyards

Wineries / vineyards abound in Languedoc-Rousillon

The wines of Languedoc-Rousillon may not be as well known as those of Bordeaux or Burgundy, but this is one of the oldest wine-producing areas in France, with vines first planted by Greek settlers around Narbonne in the 5th century BC.

Town & Country magazine rates this area as possibly the “best kept wine secret in France”, and the region, formerly know for the quantity, rather than the quality, of its wines is now home to many small wineries that offer an array of excellent vintages.

As you explore the region you will undoubtedly see lots of signs for wine tasting / dégustation de vins.

Where to stay while visiting this area

There is a wide choice of wonderful places to stay in Languedoc-Rousillon. However, if you want to stay in a traditional stone house in a medieval village, within 25 minutes – 2 hours drive of all the highlights listed above, check out the AirBnB listing for our Quaint Stone House in the picturesque village of Villemagne l’Argentière.

NOTE: Any ‘must see’ list like this is by definition subjective. Feel free to add a comment below if you have your own favorite places to visit in Languedoc-Rousillon.

Driving from Ngorongoro Crater floor back up to the rim

I once had this job… Intro

By RM | September 23, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

You know when you’re with a group of friends, maybe sitting around a campfire, or on a patio on a warm evening, and someone starts talking about travel? And there’s invariably someone who has a crazy story, maybe about traveling in West Africa during a coup attempt, and getting mistaken for a mercenary? Or about visiting a Soviet collective winery in an old double decker bus, with a group of Swiss marxist students? Or maybe about appearing in court in Sudan to convince the judge that, ‘no, my scared out of his mind friend here wasn’t really trying to change money on the black market, it was just a terrible misunderstanding’?

Well, more often than not, I’ve been that person. Over the years, people have told me, ‘you need to write this stuff down!’ So here goes…

My desire to explore emerged early. At age two, my mother left me to nap on the porch of our house (as all good Irish mothers did, since, come snow, rain or shine, kids needed ‘fresh air’!). At some point, I unbuckled myself from my stroller, climbed the 6 foot gate, and dropped carefully to the street below. I was free to explore! Several hours later, my distraught mother and grandmother found me half a mile away, happily holding a big mug of sweet, strong tea made on an open coal brazier, listening to the ‘roadmen’ as they entertained me, between filling in potholes with asphalt heated over that same coal brazier. “We knew someone would come looking for him eventually Missus”, they said.

That was how it all started – my desire to explore and travel! Check back for further installments…

Southern charm, in Charleston…

By RM | November 12, 2009 | Comments 0 Comment

Charleston, grand old houses and elegant porches. — Charleston: grand old houses and elegant porches.

In October, I took a quick trip to the East coast, and spent a weekend in Charleston. The pace of life definitely seemed slower, and people had more time to chat. Asking for directions to a restaurant produced a spirited discussion as to which restaurant to recommend. But it was in walking the streets of the oldest neighborhoods that the city started to share its secrets.

The architecture varied from old, ante-bellum style mansions, to very European looking townhouses, hinting at the city’s rich and varied history. Periodically attacked by the French and Spanish, and warding off raids by pirates, Charleston thrived from its founding in the mid-1600s, becoming the largest port city in the South, and signs of trade with the islands are still reflected in some of the architectural detail.

And did I mention the food? Shrimp and grits at the Hominy Grill, Southern fried Chicken and Green Eggs and Ham (by special request) at Virginia’s on King were all truly delicious, but required a lot of walking to mitigate their effects!

Green Eggs and Ham (really! With pesto...)

Egypt by the Bay?

By RM | October 27, 2009 | Comments 0 Comment

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium in San Jose brings a little bit of ancient Egypt to the San Francisco Bay Area.

This museum “houses the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts, on exhibit in the western United States — including objects from pre dynastic times through Egypt’s early Islamic era”, including several mummies, all located in a building “Architecturally inspired by the Temple of Amon at Karnak”.

Set in a beautiful ‘Peace Garden’ the museum has a great collection of Egyptian artifacts, and even a replica of a rock-cut tomb. Not quite the same as visiting the valley of the Kings and Queens, but next best thing!! Displays are well marked and give a good representation of ancient Egyptian life and religion. Well worth a few hours!

so we all know San Francisco is beautiful…

By RM | August 12, 2009 | Comments 0 Comment

… but sometimes those of us who are lucky enough to live here are so busy, we forget just how beautiful our surroundings are! Or maybe we just start to take it for granted? Either way, in the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reminded, both by personal visits and by news stories about the state budget crisis, of the incredible natural beauty, and unique history of the area, and the need to preserve them both!

Golden Gate from Angel Island — Golden Gate Bridge from Angel Island

Alcatraz is the island in San Francisco Bay that everyone has heard of, along with Al Capone, it’s most famous former resident. But not far beyond Alcatraz lies the much larger Angel Island. A slice of wilderness in the middle of the bay, Angel Island was originally a hunting and fishing site for Coastal Miwok Indians, and later the West Coast equivalent of Ellis Island, when hundreds of thousands of mostly Chinese immigrants were held here prior to being allowed to enter the USA. With great hiking trails, a fascinating history, and spectacular views of San Francisco, Mount Tamalpais and the East Bay, it’s a great place for a picnic, a hike, and, for those who want to learn more about the island’s history, a visit to the newly opened Immigration Station.

Alcatraz and San Francisco, from Angel Island

However, once the crowds have left on the last ferry of the day, that’s when you can really experience the magic of this little piece of wilderness! The campsites tend to book up months in advance, so some forward planning is required, but in my mind the best sites are the West Ridge sites, with views of the Golden Gate bridge, Alcatraz, and the San Francisco skyline. It’s hard to beat roasting ‘smores to the backdrop of city lights, fog rolling through the Golden Gate, and the surreal soundtrack of the foghorn!

But Angel island is a California State Park, and as such still remains under threat of closure due to the state budget crisis. Park fees are being raised effective Monday, but even that will not be enough to prevent many park closures. I had heard that in the event the state does try to close some parks, the feds are ready to intervene. And on a recent visit to another local park, Point Reyes National Seashore, I had the opportunity to ask a National Park ranger about that. He told me he didn’t know all the details, but confirmed that Point Reyes does have some contingency plans to help out the local state parks should the ‘governator’ proceed with closures.

View from Mt. Wittemberg to the Pacific, Point Reyes

And after my recent visits to Angel Island and Point Reyes reminded me once again of the natural beauty of the San Francisco bay area, and the need to do everything we can to help keep our State Parks open, I also found a very evocative photo, that for me sums up our multicultural, mysterious, city by the bay. Click on the thumbnail below and see if you agree!

Photo credit for ‘Dragon attacks Golden Gate bridge’: Caitlin of www.roamingtales.com, reproduced with permission.