Chrisoula's blog
Chrisoula Sirigou
8 February 2011
Explore Languedoc-Roussillon – A Joyous Art de Vivre!
Situated just three hours from Paris by TGV (high speed train) and with flight services to Montpellier, Carcassonne, Perpignan airports, the region boasts a wealth of different landscapes, rich history, traditions, and talents waiting to be discovered.
300 days a year of sunshine, 220 km of fine sandy beaches, charming villages and welcoming towns, architectural sites with Unesco listed status www.sunfrance.com including the fortified town of Carcassonne www.carcassonne-tourisme.com, www.carcassonne.org the Pont du Gard site www.pontdugard.fr, the pilgrim trails to Santiago de Compostella, the Cathar Castles offering the perfect combination to cater for different interests for all ages.
The Cathar Castles www.payscathare.org with their military architecture, keep careful watch over centuries of silence. Aguilar, Peyrepertuse, Quéribus form a fascinating ring of impressive monuments perched on their rocky peaks.
The Pont du Gard - a UNESCO World Heritage site - the highest Roman aqueduct bridge in the world: 48 metres high, 360 m long, 49 arches, three tiers of stonework ... . A remarkable natural 165-hectare site! Visitors can wander through a typically Mediterranean landscape and enjoy the magic of the place over lunch on the banks of the river Gard or over dinner with wine of Languedoc-Roussillon, the land of wine tourism.
The summer festivals and shows bubble with wine enthusiasm and culinary specialities! In July and August in High Languedoc, the Festival of Wine Colours (Couleurs Vigneronnes) allows you to discover the scenery, the history, the people, the way of life with its arts and crafts. “Minervois” wine is my personal recommendation!
Canal boating www.canal-du-midi.org drifting along this peaceful waterway is one of the loveliest ways to discover the region.
Looking for a sense of wellbeing and a sense of fun and excitement? Thalassotherapy www.thalasso-grandemotte.com, thermal spas, a range of water sports and unusual sporting activities like canoeing through rivers, lakes or canals as well as hiking, cycling, and skiing in the Pyrenees are just some of the activities you can take advantage of.
Places with remarkable architecture: Circulades - Circular villages: Gruissan, near Narbonne www.gruissan-mediterranee.com.
I'd like to wish you a memorable year of travels ahead and to leave you with the fantastic news that the never-ending narrative about beautiful regions of France will be featured again on Explorama Blog and in the series of Explorama talks "Explore Authentic France". All to be revealed soon!!!