My wife and I are heading to Germany in early July for a friend's wedding and are then planning to spend a week in France (we've done a fair bit of traveling in Germany but not in France).

Right now we're planning on spending 2-3 days in Paris and then 4-5 days in Southern France and more specificially the Languedoc region. We've become fans of the Pic Saint Loup wine appellation which is about 25 miles north of Montpellier.

We understand this isn't the optimal amount of time to spend in the country but would appreciate any feedback on:
* Interesting places to stay in the Languedoc region, specifically any beachside towns/villages, or smaller villages off the beaten path that have good dining options.
* Wineries we wouldn't want to miss.
* Anything else for the first time Languedoc visitor.

Our schedule is flexible, and outside of visiting the Pic Saint Loup area, we're up for anyting but generally enjoy outdoor activities, checking of wineries and exploring.

Any feedback/ideas would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Brian

in Montpellier, the musée Fabre is a must, beautiful beaux arts. The Restaurant Le Chandelier9Not cheap)
In Beziers, Restaurant Le Jardin. The quaint village of Pézenas, there's an inexpnsive two star logis, Genieys. There's a small vineyard village,st Guiraud that has one of the region's best resto but I didn't get there.

Brian, it's an interesting area that I wish I knew more about. My wife and I spent a day in Montpellier, and I have since been back for a couple more. The city is an intriguing mix of history and vibrancy, the latter due, I'm sure, to the thousands of university students that attend class there.

You will be on the coast of the Med. If that appeals (and it will probably be hot), there are numerous public beaches running north and south of Montpellier. I've walked along the coast at la Grande-Motte, cold and deserted in February, but probably packed in summer. Alternatively, you could drive down to Sète (do a search here for various comments on that town--many find it intriguing) and then onwards to the beaches on the long spit leading down to Agde.

Another idea, and one I would definitely recommend, is an excursion to St. Guilhem-le-Désert, a beautiful village overlooking the Gorges de l'Hérault. Here are a couple of photos I took about just over a year ago:

www.pbase.com/anselmadorne/image/75771687

www.pbase.com/anselmadorne/image/75773236

The village is due west of your Pic Saint Loup wine region.

There are lots of interesting wines in the Languedoc region. We drink more red than white, and have developed a fondness for Corbières, Minervois, Faugères, Costières de Nîmes, and Coteaux du Languedoc. You'll find all of these available in restaurants, as well as wine shops and even grocery stores.

Anselm

Here is a B&B where we have stayed a couple of times. It is near the Pic St Loup, also well situated for visiting the Gorges de l' Herault:

http://www.guidesdecharme.com/v3/ser...CE&lang=en

The countryside thereabouts is often scrubby "garrigue" -- not beautiful but wild, empty, evocative.

Mme Noualhac, the B&B owner, is a gracious elderly lady who has renovated beautifully an old family house, called Le Poux, that was left in an abandoned state for many years. It's beautiful and only a couple of miles from a major highway.

But this location is NOT for everyone -- for one thing, Mme Noualhac may not speak much English, if any.

Our favourite restaurant in nearby St Martin de Londres has closed. But there is also the very fancy "Les Musardins" (sp??) in St Martin...

Thanks for the feedback so far - this is exactly the kind of information we're looking for. Any information on places to eat is appreciated as well. Ideally, when we settle in for the evening we'd like to be able to walk to dinner and not have to deal with the car. Thanks again.

Sorry,mistyped the house's name: it is Le Pous NOT Le Poux. The latter would be pretty unappetizing ("le poux" = "the louse&quot