Languedoc Roussillon Cottages

Holiday Cottages in Languedoc Roussillon

Welcome to Languedoc-Roussillon

With the sublime Mediterranean coast and Provence to the east, Spain to the south and the Dordogne to the north, Languedoc-Roussillon is a fantastic region, simply stuffed with culture, good food, ancient history, nature reserves, beautiful beaches and plenty of great family entertainment.  A Languedoc-Roussillon country cottage in any one of the départements of Pyrénées Orentales, Aude, Gard and Herault offer all this and much, much more.

The region’s rich history includes dinosaur bones, megaliths, Greek and Roman architecture, including the oldest Roman road in France, Cathar castles, abbeys, thermal springs and châteaux.  Hannibal even passed through with his famous elephants.  There are many UNESCO world heritage sites including mighty Carcassonne in Aude, the Canal du Midi in Herault and awesome Roman three tiered aqueduct, the Pont du Gard, in Gard – but that’s just a few!  Artists too loved the region Chagall, Dali, Matisse and Picasso all spent time in Céret where their works can be seen in the Modern Art Museum.

With the diverse scenery of Languedoc-Roussillon, as you can imagine there are a whole range of activities to enjoy,  from climbing, walking and cycling to riding, fishing, shooting and hawking, plus all the watersports you know and a few you may not have come across before.  The beautiful region and national parks of the Camargue and Cévennes are also fabulous for wildlife and are quite spectacular.

Languedoc-Roussillon’s sandy beaches stretch out along the gently sloping Mediterranean coastline and its étangs, or saltwater lakes, also make great places to try your hand at the many watersports from scuba diving to yachting and kite surfing.  The regions many canals mean lots of messing about in boats and there’s plenty of family entertainment to be found in the wildlife parks, water and theme parks dotted along the coast.

Things to do in Languedoc-Roussillon

If you enjoy your history, strap on your boots and get busy as Languedoc-Roussillon has a wealth to share.  The unique and compelling history of the Cathars has left its mark across the region in strongholds and street names.  Visit Chateaux Lastours and Montsegur.  The truly breathtaking city of Carcassonne with its medieval cité.  It’s worth noting that the French word ‘cité’ doesn’t mean city, but a walled town. Enjoy Roman Pont du Gard, amphitheatre in Nîmes and Canal du Midi in Béziers for a top cruise.

Art lovers make a beeline for Céret and the Modern Art Museum for, amongst others, Matisse and Picasso. Check out the museums, galleries and Frances’ oldest botanical gardens in Montpellier and, if you like caves, the region has many to explore including the Giant Chasm of Cabrespine – one of the largest public access caves in the world.

The beautiful national parks of Camargue and Cévennes offer fantastic bird spotting, walking and cycling opportunities and, if you enjoy climbing, head for the mountains of La Clape for bags of hiking, horse riding and mountain biking.   Below La Clape on the coast you’ll find St. Pierre-la-Mer, a small seaside village well regarded for sailing, windsurfing and kite surfing.  Also popular is the Etang de Thau in Herault, plus beautiful Cap d’Agde – with a wealth of great beaches (the nudist beach is only a small part) and bags to see and do the French love this resort.  Long sandy beaches hug this coastline but if you want off the beaten track head for the ‘Côte de Vermeille’ south of Perpignan for rocky inlets and secluded bays.

Children and the young at heart are kept very much in mind with plenty to choose from including Bouscarasse waterpark, a scenic steam train ride from Anduze to St Jean du Gard, top dinosaur park, wildlife centres, adventure parks and for sweetie lovers, the Haribo Museum.