Christina

thanks, Ger, I think I will try to book the Royal. I know that will be a busy area and I am a person sensitive to noise -- but they do have AC so I can close the windows, and I think I'll ask if they have rooms not looking onto the street. The 3* Hotel de Noailles was mentioned by some others as nice, and was in a quieter area but I gather it does not exist any more (not in phone book nor in Tourist Office hotel list).

looking forward to hearing about Narbonne...

OReilly

Next morning, I was awoken by the wonderful sound of church-bells; there is no better way of waking up. The temperature was mild, but the skies were heavily overcast and a dense fog had descended. Despite the overcast skies, I was determined to wear linen, and chose black linen pants and a white linen shirt, hoping for better weather in Narbonne.

I had had three options on where to pick up the rental car: The airport, the train station and Rue Ettore Bugatti. I chose the last option, because it was described as the “city office” on “autoeurope.com”, when in fact it is NOT: It is in an industrial suburb, approximately 20 minutes drive from the town centre (about 15 Euros taxi fare). By the time I reached the rental office, it was raining. Although I had ordered CDW, and agreed to pay the local charge for additional insurance, it was NOT possible to get ZERO deductible. Even with the additional insurance, there was a minimum deductible of 200 Euros. Hmmm .. Ger would have to be extra careful with the parking!

I had decided to take the Motorway (A9) to Narbonne, approximately an hour’s journey. As I drove toward Narbonne, the heavy fog and overcast skies lifted. I don’t like driving major motorways; there are long periods of stultifying boredom, intersected with moments of sheer panic when I lose concentration and find I have an 18-wheeler up my rear.

As always, I had brought a good book on tape to entertain me during the long drives. I am a big fan of “Audible.com” and have been a member for two years. For this trip, I had chosen a hot seller “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell” (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...837161-7787267) It is a spectacular book. Those of you that might be intimidated by the sheer size and weight of the book, should consider taking the “listening” route.

I left the motorway at exit 38, followed the signs to the town and quickly found parking near the old town.

A Gallic town from the 7centrury BC, Narbonne was established as a Roman town in 118 BC and quickly became a centre of trade along the Via Domitia. Over the next century, its power and wealth expanded exponentially and, by the reign of Augustus, had become, along with Lyon, one of the most densely populated cities in Gaul. After Rome fell, the town was inherited by the Visigoths and then the Saracens and reclaimed by Pepin in the 8th century.

The town has a wealth of history, but it is the Roman past that I was most interested in exploring. I have a passion for the ancient Rome Empire that borders on an obsession. I can’t get enough of it. In addition to Rome and Naples area, I have traveled to Glennum, Pont du Gard, Nimes, Arles, Merida and many other destinations to sample the relics of its grandeur. My fascination is born of an appreciation of its art and its order.

Art: IMHO, Roman art was never particularly creative or visionary; it was mostly decorative (NOT that there is anything wrong with that!). They had extraordinary, gifted and disciplined artisans, that created the most astonishing works, in the fields of architecture, engineering, sculpture and interior design (mosaics, murals etc.). Rome fell and the barbarians ruled; the artisan tradition was lost. It was not until the renaissance that the West, once again, created the human form with such accuracy, with such passion. That thread of brilliance must be in the genes; how else could we see the gap of so many generations that allowed the brilliance of Michelangelo and Bernini to be reborn in Italy in the Renaissance?

When I look on the faces of Roman statuary, I see real people. I know them. I sometimes feel that I could stretch out my hand, touch their face, and the marble would fall away and I could talk to them. Haven’t YOU stared into the faces of these long-dead people and recognized them? If you haven’t, then the next time you see a roman statue, look deep into its face and see how the artisan have carved into the hard marble, the character of the sitter, how he has captured his/her personality and mood. From the hard marble, how did they convey personality, their virtues and their sins?

Sorry, I am rambling!


My pictures of Narbonne:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePh...b2d1c&Ux=0

I reached Narbonne at 11am and set out to explore the town. It was a wonderfully sunny, warm spring day, and I was glad I had worn linen. I crossed the bridge over the Canal de la Robine, which traverses the town, and found myself in the Place de Hotel de Ville. It a large, lively area, with several open-air cafés facing into the town square. I was fascinated to discover recently discovered remnants of the Via Domitia. I wandered through the town and finally located the Tourist Office (Pl. de Salengo) where I picked up a map and booklet.

My first stop was the Cathedral St-Just, the only Gothic cathedral in the Mediterranean that can rival the great Northern cathedrals. Construction began in the late 13th century, with a cornerstone sent from Rome by Pope Clement IV, a former archbishop of the city. I found his an interesting detail; continuity from the town’s ancient Roman past. The interior is impressive, with a wealth of side chapels to explore. As usual, I reflected on the position of the cathedral in medieval times as a source, not just of religious celebration, but also of entertainment. Visually, these structures lift the spirits and take the soul to a place far removed from the mundane. I am certain I would have been a more diligent a Catholic and constant church-goer, had this been my parish church. The church has a magnificent organ and I longed to be there for an Easter midnight mass, with the organ and choir filling the space with the “Latin” rite: The dirge for the dead, the prayers for forgiveness, the payers for the future, the joyous awakening upon the Resurrection. Explore the 14th century cloisters and see the delightful and mischievous gargoyles.

It was time for lunch and I returned to the main square to find a restaurant. Most, unfortunately, offer no shade at all and, although I had liberally applied sun-screen before I left the hotel, a PF factor has not been invented that will prevent my skin burning at mid-day! However, just to the left side of the square I found a pizza restaurant that offered deep shade. The food was quite good. The pizza crust was thin as a pappadom and delicious, and the .25 litre of local red wine very nice indeed. The 90 minute lunch gave me time to consider my options for the rest of the day. I had planned to explore Bezier that afternoon, but there was so much more to see in Narbonne. The Archaeological museum was a must, of course, but I decided against exploring the various palaces. I also decided that I would leave Bezier for another trip and instead visit Frontfroide Abbey (recommended by AnselmAdorne) and Sete.

After lunch, I explored the Archaeological museum. It is a little gem with one of the best collections of Roman paintings in France. Certainly, it is not nearly as spectacular as the Naples Museum or Pompeii, which I had visited in January, but if you have not seen either, then this museum will whet your appetite for more. The colours of the paintings are vivid, but the execution is perhaps less sophisticated than the originals in Italy. However, the beauty of this collection is the statement it makes about the glory and the vastness of the Roman Empire.

Despite all its frightening cruelty, the Roman Empire offered a degree of peace and prosperity, for a long period of time. What followed, with the barbarian invasions, the destruction of order, the almost total loss of art and literature, is almost incomprehensible to me, despite the fact that I understand why and how it happened. Every time I visit an ancient Roman site, I wonder how the world would be today, if Rome had not fallen and I understand how fragile any civilization. We like to assume a constant assent of civilization, but any student of history knows that is not the way it happens.

Sorry, I am rambling again!

I spent a pleasant hour wandering in the quiet of the afternoon. I particularly enjoyed strolling along the canal. The spring flowers were blooming and the trees just beginning to bud.

Frontfroide Abbey is a 30 minute drive from Narbonne. I was devastated when I got to the abbey and found it was closed. I arrived at about 3:15 and it was supposed to be open until 4pm. I assume that guided tours leave on the hour and I had missed the last tour. In high season, I believe tours continue until 4pm. Check before you go.

http://www.languedoc-france.info/030502_fontfroid.htm

Regards Ger

AnselmAdorne

Ger, I'm so sorry to hear you missed the last tour of the day at Fontfroide! I feel as if I sent you off on a wild goose chase.

Your observations on Roman civilization are fascinating. I hope the rest of your trip went smoothly.

Anselm

MargrietVanderBanck

Christina, If you're still looking for a Montpellier hotel, you might consider Hotel Parc (8 r. A. Bège), which is in an 18th century mansion on a very quiet street in the old city. I'm not sure how many stars it has, but Michelin has it as two toits, which is the same as the Guilhem. We found it very comfortable when we stayed there in October 2001, and we remember the staff as being very chaleureux.

Margriet

Huitres

Hi Ger, love your trip report thus far.....glad to hear you made it down to Languedoc-Rousillon region. I was there exactly 1 year ago this month and loved Montpellier: the town's feel (exuberance describes it perfectly), the Botanical Gardens, the shopping, the Roman ruins, etc. I found the restaurants very modestly priced and the food good. Prices at comparable restaurants in Aix-en-Provence and Arles were higher.

I, too, love Roman history and have sought out nearly every spot in France and Italy where vestiges of that once-famous Empire stood. While down in the area, you should check out more Roman ruins in St. Raphael, La Turbie, etc. (albeit on the Cote D'Azur). Fortunately, I am able to integrate my love of Roman history into my work and have been able to give tours of some spots when in Italy. I love it!

I return to Italy in 3 weeks again - can't wait! Looking forward to reading more installments of your trip.

abbydog

Hi Margriet -- at the risk of hijacking this thread, I am so happy to hear your recommendation of the Parc hotel. I fell in love with its web page and booked it for a few nights in May, but was starting to panic when I read some poor reviews based on its location. My husband and I don't mind a bit of a walk into town, but some people thought its neighborhood was iffy. Did you have any trouble getting around from the hotel?

AnselmAdorne

Hi abbeydog. Margreit is my wife. She just suggested I respond because, in her words, "you're better at directions than I am."

Just to position it, L'hôtel du Parc is about 2 kilometres northwest of Place de la Comédie. It's in an old residential neighbourhood; we saw nothing about that area that gave us any unease, and we walked back to our hotel in the dark. I'd compare it to some of the side streets we have stayed in near Place de l'Horloge in Avignon.

When you leave the hotel, it's about a five minute walk along rue du Fbg. Boutonnet until you reach Place Albert 1er, which is where the university buildings start. From that point onwards, you'll feel you're in the centre of the city. Like you, we like to walk, and we loved the atmosphere of the pedestrian-only streets. There are quite a few of them in the city centre.

The hotel does have an inviting website. Like a lot of older hotels in France, things are a bit worn and rubbed around the edges. I just found our receipt from 2001. We had room 11, which overlooked the car park. It cost just over €70 for the two of us, including breakfast in our room.

Anselm

abbydog

Thanks so much Anselm! I appreciate you and your wife taking the time to fill me in on Hotel du Parc. It sounds just right for us -- we like hotels with some historic character, and I'm sure we'll enjoy the walking (and I'm glad to know even walking home after dark is not a problem).

mpprh

Hi

just worth saying the tram stops at Place Albert 1 and takes you South to all the main tourist spots and stations.

Peter
www.the-languedoc-page.com

abbydog

Thanks Peter! And thanks Ger, for creating a thread for me to invade. Still looking forward to the next update from you.

cigalechanta

Just popping in to say hello to my friend Ger. I guess you did not eat at Sens?

OReilly

Hi Mimi! No, unfortunately the restaurant was full for both Friday & Saturday. (BTW: I had forgotten how much work a puppy is )

Anselm: It was a wonderful recommendation and I should have been more careful about the times.

Huitres: "Fortunately, I am able to integrate my love of Roman history into my work and have been able to give tours of some spots when in Italy. I love it!" Sweetie darling, YOU have MY perfect job I look forward to hearing about your Italy trip. I ALMOST arranged a three day trip to Venice next week, but my meetings changed Now, I will spend the weekend in London, gorging on museums and galleries.

Regards Ger

Christina

hi, Ger -- I think I may visit Narbonne in my stay this June. I was interested to hear about the car rental sites as I didn't know where Bugatti etc was but chose the rail station for safety and that sounds like a good idea (I'm renting upon departure).

Thanks to Margriet et al about suggestions for Hotel Parc. I looked at it online before, but didn't want to stay in that location, although it looked nice.

I have booked a superior double room at the Hotel Royal for my stay in June. The rate was quite reasonable (around 100 euro) in comparison to other alternatives I saw, and has AC. The hotel staff has been exceptionally gracious in email correspondence in describing the possible rooms and their location, noise issues, etc. When I asked about noise, they said they had double-glazing, of course, but offered me a room that looks onto a small one-way street, rather than the main thoroughfare. So, I am looking forward to my stay there and it will be a super-convenient location.

Huitres

GER: It could be worse..."spend the weekend in London, gorging on museums and galleries" - I think that sounds fabulous!

OReilly

Hello there!

I have just completed my trip report on my weekend in London and thought that I should also try to finish this one. Here's the next installment.

*************************************

Sete
I drove back to the A9 toward Montpellier. I was quite weary at this point, and should probably had retuned to the hotel, but soldiered on. I exited at Sete, followed the signs and parked on the sea-front. I mentioned my ankle problem before. At this point, it was very swollen and quite sore, so my visit to Sete would be short.

Sete tourist office: http://www.ot-sete.fr/index.php3?id_...&langue=en

I found parking by the estuary and found the tourist office. It was too late to do a tour of the town, but the tourist office offers an audio tour. I satisfied myself with a painful limp along the seafront. I would have like to explore the town further, but finally admitted that I had done quite enough for the day and gave into the pain. I took minor roads back to Montpellier and this was the one and only time that I wished I had an automatic car; every time I had to change gears, the effort aggravated my aching ankle.

It was dusk by the time I reached Montpellier and I had to find parking, as close to the hotel as possible. Peter had warned me about the traffic! Its not that drivers are rude or aggressive, quite the opposite, its just that the streets are a confusing Gordian’s knot, there are a multitude of one-way streets and there appears to be a cunning plan afoot with the sign-posting to ensure that you will never arrive at your intended destination, except by accident. Very un-French, almost Italian! After skirting the inner town many times, I finally found parking near the entrance to the town and the hotel.

I limped to a pharmacy, my gait now resembling that of Igor, Dr. Frankenstein’s faithful and deformed assistant, to purchase bandaids, aspirin and possibly an amputation. No words were necessary; I showed the pharmacist my swollen ankle, now as big as a large grapefruit and she suggested an elastic sock and, in sign language, told me to keep it elevated. Yeah, RIGHT!

Eating out was out of the question, so I picked up a sandwich and a bottle of wine and dragged my injured foot back to the hotel. After a soak in the bath, I watched a DVD on my computer. À la folie... pas du tout, staring Audrey Tautou (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0291579/) - excellent movie!

Tomorrow, I had an early start to complete my ambitious plan to explore Perpignan and Collioure with a bad ankle.

mpprh

Hi

Should this be entitled "limping around languedoc" or "hobble Herault" or similar ?

Bad luck.

Peter

rex

While I have not begun to read this entire thread yet, I see that Ger made a favoprable comment about the Hachette Vacances series of books. Although it almost seems rude to talk about the guidebooks of another publisher, here on this forum, I don't think that Fodor's actually has any titles that compete with these in area specificity. I picked up Potou Charentes and Southwest/Dordogne at the library today - - and at least at a glance - - they look quite good to me. Borderline close to "plagiarism" of the Eyewitness guides format (though none of those "see-through" explode-a-building drawings). Hard to "patent" (or more properly copyright) a "layout-style/look of a book - - especially if the "infringed doesn't publish a book on that area.

Best wishes,

Rex

Laidback

Did I miss your report on Perpignan and Collioure or did you post on another thread? We are going to that area in Sept.2005.

mpprh

Gor Ger

Some interesting pictures of Montpellier here :

http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/la...gallery-11.htm

Peter

Therese

Another positive opinion of Hotel du Parc to add for anybody who might be considering it. I stayed there (on business) for a week in May 2004 and quite liked it. It's actually very convenient, a re-done villa in a residential neighborhood just outside the old city. Small shops, grocery stores, etc. around the corner. I'm female and was traveling alone and felt very comfortable in the area. I purchased a weekly pass for the tram: clean, safe, extremely convenient.

The location of Hotel du Parc is especially great if you've got a car, as they've got a car park on site (though not too many slots). Pleasant rooms---mine had a small balcony overlooking the courtyard/car park (which is not unpleasant, as it's covered in pea gravel, very traditional feeling).

Very pleasant staff. Breakfast served in a lovely room adjacent to reception. Books on the area available, the day's newpapers mounted on those long wooden poles for you to read---all very civilized.

One caveat: though it's an easy walk directly to the old city, once you're inside the streets on that side are pretty steep, and it's not as touristy. So nice in that way, but also a more rigorous walk. If that's an issue just hop on the tram and take it directly to the Corum (take the elevator up if you need) or Place de la Comedie (stops right in front of the Monoprix, near the carousel).