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Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Departments: Aude,
Herault, Gard, Lozere, Pyrenees-Orientales.
Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Main Towns:
Aigues-Mortes, Ales, Beaucaire, Bedarieux, Belcaire,
Beziers, Carcassonne, Castelnaudary, Clermont l'Herault,
Florac, Ganges, Gruissan, La Grande Motte, Langogne, Le
Vigan, Limoux, Lodeve, Mende, Meyrueis, Montagnac,
Montpellier, Narbonne, Nimes, Palavas, Perpignan, Port
la Nouvelle, Port Leucate, Quillan, Sete, St Chely
d'Apcher, Uzes, Villefort,
Villeneuve.
Languedoc-Roussillon stretches from
Provence in the east down to the borders with Spain and
Andorra in the south. The modern région was formed when
two historic provinces were merged. Languedoc takes its
name from langue d'oc, a language closely linked to
Catalan, and Roussillon in the far south used to be
known as France's Catalonia.
The southernmost
part of the Massif Central can be found in the north of
the region. The Parc Naturel Régional du Haut Languedoc
to the west, is covered by deciduous forest, but to the
east is dry and craggy. The very isolated and
mountainous Lozère is a wilderness where hermits and
exiles used to take refuge. The Grands Causses, are deep
canyons above which lie limestone plateaus. The Montagne
Noire, Corbière hills and the Cévennes are all areas of
dramatic hills, mountains and deep river gorges.
The landscape flattens around the tranquil Canal
Du Midi, which cuts across the région's middle with
Carcassonne, a world heritage site, at its centre. South
of the canal gentle rolling foothills start to ascend,
rising to the dramatic peaks of the
Pyrennees.
The région's Mediterranean coast is an
area of river deltas and coastal plains. There are some
attractive fishing villages, such as Sète and Palavas
and the picturesque port of Coullioure in Roussillon.
The coastline of Lower-Languedoc is cut off from the
hinterland by marshy étangs (lagoons).
Property is cheaper here than in Provence and
Côte d'Azur and it's easily accessible from the UK
thanks to an increasing number of airports served by
budget airlines. Employment is highly service-oriented,
with 68% of its work force employed in the service
sector. Telecommunications is a large industry and there
are many call centres. Agriculturally, milk production
from goats, sheep and cows is important and the major
crops are peaches, nectarines, apricots, melon and rice.
Beziers is capital of région's the wine industry around
which some excellent wines such as Corbières, Minervois
and Côtes du Rousillon are
produced.
Languedoc-Rousillon has a good mix of
lively cities and picturesque medieval villages. The big
Spanish city of Barcelona is an easy day-trip (and
possible commute) on the other side of the mountains and
there is good autoroute and TGV access to Paris. This
coast boasts some of the most vibrant resorts in the
Mediterranean and is an area of river deltas and coastal
plains. There are also some pretty seaside places such
as the picturesque port of Coullioure in Roussillon and
attractive fishing villages such as Sète and Palavas,
all within easy reach of the commercial centres of
Perpignan, Montpelier, Narbonne, Beziers
and Nimes. The coastline of Lower-Languedoc is
cut off from the hinterland by marshy étangs (lagoons).
Argelès-sur-Mer has miles of beautiful sandy beaches.
Its promenade is lined with shops and bars, and by night
and by day offers a unique mixed atmosphere of French
and
Catalan.
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