alexous

Hi Fodorites. I will spend the last four days of August touring with my wife the SW France. The starting and ending point is Montpellier and we are interested in History & Heritage. We will have a car and we can use the whole day sighseeing. Could you please recommend sights(must-see and off the beaten track) as well as accomodation options. We prefer to sleep in B&Bs placed in urban places.

blackduff

alexous
Here are a few links for the area you're looking. This covers the west part of France, on the Mediterranean coast.

http://www.cg66.com/

http://www.sunfrance.com/

http://www.cote-france.com/

and my fav., which is from my area

http://perso.orange.fr/michael.macdonald/

Have a look and then post again. I'll try to let you know of good places to visit.

Blackduff

ira

Hi A,

Montpellier is about 2 hr from Saint-Chély-du-Tarn in the Gorges du Tarn,

About 1:30 hr from Carcassone.

StuDudley

We've spent 8 weeks vacationing in the Languedoc between Montpellier & Spain (in Roussillon - around Perpignan). I have a 35 page itinerary that describes a route through this region & my favorite sites, villages, scenic roads, restaurants, etc. E-mail me at [email protected] if you want a copy.

Why do you want to stay in Urban areas? IMO, the most interesting areas of that region are quite rural - small medieval villages, remote Auberges, etc.

Stu Dudley

cobbie

Mirepoix was quite charming. Unfortunately we were there on a Sunday when the center of the village was mostly closed up. Beautiful church. Wanted to see the Abbey of St. Hillary but it was closed.

nonnafelice

We visited the Languedoc earlier this year. I have a photo album linked to a trip report and blog here:
http://rozault.com/languedoc

alexous

Thanks for the suggestions. I am thinking of driving from Montpellier south to Abbey de Fontfroide, then visit the Castle of Peyrepertuse, the centre of Prehistory in Tauatavel and sleep somewhere close to Toulouse. The next day visit Albi, Conques and Carcassone. The last drive to Millau and visit the caves. Then return the car to Montpellier. Any issues that I have not considered?

ira

Hi A,

>The next day visit Albi, Conques and Carcassone. <

It is 3:30 hr from Carcassone to Conques. I don't think that you will have time to see much of Albi.

alexous

Is it worth to return to toulouse on day 2, given that I would go to Milau on day 3(and then to Montpelier)?

Molloy95

Stu Dudley's guide is wonderfully comprehensive and his section on restaurants will make you very, very hungry. Stu prefers remote inland to beach area as he mentions.

I also found great info here:
www.the-languedoc-page.com and www.creme-de-languedoc.com

The Languedoc Page has a wealth of information on all topics. Creme de Languedoc has a very comprehensive beach guide and a list of sightseeing activities broken down by type, which I found particularly helpful in determining what we want to do while there (in one week!): http://www.creme-de-languedoc.com/La...eing/index.php

Carlux

While you have some great items on your list Fontfroide and Peyrepetuse, I think you are greatly underestimating the driving time from one place to the next, and the amount of time you will want/need to spend. Most of these historic sites insist that you go around with a guide, which usually takes about an hour, and if you have just missed a tour, you may have to wait some time for the next. Also, driving from Montpellier, you may want to stop off at the Fort de Selves, right by the autoroute, and well worth seeing, at least from the outside,even if you don't take the tour. I wasnt particularly impressed with Tautavel, but then Ilive in the Perigord, where we have lots of caves, Cro Magnon, etc.

I don't think you can do Albi, Conques and Carcassonne in one day - you could easily spend a day in ALbi and a 1/2 day or more in COnques. Carcassonne isnt one of my favourite places, and so I can't comment on how long you'd want to be there.

Which caves do you mean near Millau?

alexous

Sorry for the continuous questions but I am trying to put some feasibility to itinerary. Would it be more efficient to drive from Montpellier to Toulouse visiting the Corniche de Cevennes(gorge florac) and the caves at Demoiselles before heading west towards stopping at Conques or Albi before arriving at Toulouse?

mpprh

I live near Montpellier.Some of the (popular !) trips I've taken my guests :

Spain-
Take the coast road one way, and the highway back. The coast road is spectacular, and passes close to Dali's house in Port Legat and nearby Cadaques is good for lunch. Empuria Brava has very interesting archeological remains (Phoenician/Greek/Roman cities next to each other) with a museum. Figueres is a working town, the Dali museum (closed Mondays) being the most interesting attraction. If you leave Figueres by the old road, there is an excellent Bodega on the right as you leave town. There is also a fuel station (cheaper fuel in Spain) just before you join the highway about 7kms out of town.

Millau Bridge-
The route to the bridge is rapid and spectacular in places. An interesting return route is via Mende, Florac, Corniche de Cevennes, Anduze, St Hippolyte and D17 back to Montpellier. A side trip is to visit a coal mine in Ales.

Other-
I'd think about including Sommieres, Aigues Mortes, Anduze, Uzes, Pont du Gard, Nimes and Arles in the planning. And the old centre of Girona is worth a visit.

Here are some more ideas information :
Restaurants : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/to...estaurants.htm
Village fetes : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/to...fetevotive.htm
markets : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/to...c-markets2.htm
wifi : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/to...rism-wi-fi.htm
What's on ? : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/to...sm-whatson.htm
Places to visit : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/to...rism-towns.htm
Photos of the area : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/ph...hoto-index.htm



Your time will go very quickly !

Bon voyage

Peter

alexous

thanks mpprh. The michelin guide rates highly the Grotte des Demoiselles, the road between st Jean du Gard & florac, the couvertoirade, the caves at Aven Armade at the area Chaos de Montpellier Vieux. Is that possible as a day trip? Is there someting else that you would add/remove?

StuDudley

Both of the caves close for lunch, and have guided tours. That complicates trying to squeeze both in on the same day. The Chaos involves quite a it of walking out to the various vista spots. There is a train, but it shuts down for lunch - but the grounds stay open at lunch. La Couvertoirade has very nice remparts you can walk around - which close for lunch - but the village stays open (not the shops, however).

You could do them in 1 day if you arrive at the first cave as soon as it opens. We've been there twice - quite nice.

Stu Dudley