Languedoc Property guide

Languedoc Roussillon is located in the South of France. It is bounded to the east by Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur and Rhone-Alpes, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, to the north by Auvergne, and to the west by Midi-Pyrenees.

The Languedoc Roussillon region consists of 5 départements: the Aude (departement 11), the Gard (departement 30), the Herault (departement 34), the Lozère (departement 48) and the Pyrenees-Orientales (departement 66).
With its population of 2.46 million and surface area of 27,400 km², the Languedoc-Roussillon is France’s 10th largest region.

Latest properties in Languedoc: click here

You can have a look at our new Town Property Guides :
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Beziers guide
Carcassonne guide
Perpignan guide
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Ski slopes in the Pyrenees

Harmony and Diversity

Situated in the far south of France, Languedoc-Roussillon is able to enjoy almost constant sunshine. The Occitanian, Catalan, Provençal and gypsy cultures live here side by side in harmony and contribute to its diversity. Everything seems thus to separate the Camargue from the open expanses of Roussillon, the coastline from the biggest wine-growing region of Europe or the hills of the Cévennes from the Cathar castles.

Heritage, Traditions and Culture

Languedoc-Roussillon is a land of coastal plains, garrigue (Mediterranean scrubland), mountains, valleys and plateaux. The rich variety of the region’s landscapes has strongly influenced the architecture, lifestyle and culture of its people. The name of the region itself underlines its dual identity: Occitan and Catalan.

The local culture is brought to life in carnivals and festivals, such as the traditional celebrations of the bull in the Camargue marshes (the ‘Bouvine’ festivals); the fishermen’s festivals at Gruissan, Sète and Bouzigues; and the traditional maritime jousting tournaments at Sète and Mèze.

Languedoc-Roussillon’s countryside is unspoiled and its coastline protected, but its historic and cultural riches are also stunning. The region is interspersed with historical monuments, abbeys and castles and boasts several UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Pont du Gard, the Canal du Midi, the medieval city of Carcassonne and the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela, which take in the abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and the abbey church of Saint-Gilles.

As a land of Mediterranean culture, Languedoc-Roussillon is characterised by it’s ‘art de vivre’ (‘art of living’) and is firmly attached to its traditions and customs.

Beaches and seaside resorts
From the Camargue to the Côte Vermeille (Vermillion Coast), the spectacular coastline of Languedoc-Roussillon stretches for 150 miles along the Mediterranean Sea. It has some of the finest French beaches, a warm climate and clear waters that are thought to promote good health: a perfect combination for family vacations.

A mix of family holiday resorts; health spas and ancient fishing villages cluster along the shore in fact, backed by a hinterland of untouched natural beauty.

Montpellier

The capital of Languedoc-Roussillon is a typical Mediterranean town, where the pace of life is unhurried and the quality of life is superb. The old and the new mix happily here, with historic buildings sitting side-by-side with the latest in modern architecture.

The Canal du Midi and Navigation
The 175 miles of navigable waterway that makes up the Canal du Midi stretches across the Languedoc plain, with more than 350 bridges, locks and other feats of engineering making its passage possible. Some of these constructions are now more than 300 years old, and are works of art in themselves.

Cruising gently on a boat through the Languedoc countryside is one of the most enjoyable ways to discover the region. You’ll travel at the leisurely pace of about 5 miles an hour, with frequent stops to pass through the locks or explore the surrounding area.

Although you’ll need to concentrate when it’s your turn to pilot the boat, it’s not a difficult job, and there are plenty of places to stop and take a break, visit the local sights, walk the canal towpaths or cycle. After a day or so, you’ll get used to the fact that life goes at a slower pace on the canal.

There are many different ways to explore the canal. You can sail your own boat on some sections, or you could hire a canal boat, book a holiday on a barge hotel or floating guest house, or take an excursion on a floating restaurant. It’s also possible to organise a school trip or educational holiday.

Mountain Health Spas and Hot Springs
The huge number and rich variety of mineral-water springs in Languedoc-Roussillon have made it the second most important hydrotherapy region in France.

In Aubrac, Margeride and the Cévennes, in Haut Languedoc, by the Mediterranean, in Cathar Country and the Pyrenees, 13 exceptional spa resorts offer hydrotherapy treatments and health breaks at well equipped health spas.

The dry and sunny Mediterranean climate makes the Pyrenees Mountains an ideal location for climatotherapy.

Water sports
The wide, sandy beaches and clear lagoons of Languedoc, and the rocky creeks of the Côte Vermeille, offer every kind of aquatic sport.

Top quality equipment can be hired for water skiing, sailing, windsurfing, fun boarding, scuba diving, sand yachting, kite flying, sea kayaking, jet skiing... you name it, Languedoc-Roussillon’s got it.

Walking, Riding and Cycling
For riding, cycling and walking tours Europe has few better destinations than Languedoc-Roussillon. The varied landscapes of Languedoc-Roussillon make it one of Europe’s favourite locations for hiking, mountain biking, pony trekking and horse trail riding.

The region has over 4,400 miles of footpaths, bridleways and waymarked trails, through scrubland and woodland, across plateaux and plains, through gorges and mountains. There are also themed routes and historic trails to follow that take in famous landmarks of France, such as the castle-strewn trail of the Cathars, and the Via Domitia, one of the most ancient Roman roads.

Naturism
Languedoc-Roussillon’s sunny climate and unspoiled landscape have made it the top destination in France for naturist holidays and clothing optional vacations.

There are naturist centers and clothing optional resorts all across Languedoc-Roussillon - on the Mediterranean coast, in the countryside and in the mountains. You can choose from several different types of accommodation: holiday villages, apartments and chalets, caravan sites and camp sites.

All the centres are affiliated to the FFN (French Federation of Naturism) and are registered and approved by official youth organisations.

Golf
With 14 golf clubs throughout the region, Golfers looking for sunshine, fantastic Mediterranean scenery and friendly, welcoming courses could do a lot worse than head to Languedoc-Roussillon for their golf holidays abroad.

The little yellow train of Cerdagne

With its red and gold livery, this train is a true symbol of the Catalan region. It has journeyed through Cerdagne all year round for the past 90 years. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the aim of the Yellow Train line was to link the high Catalan plains with the rest of the region.

The first section was completed in 1910 and linked Villefranche with Mont Louis. But the line wasn’t completed until 1927, when it reached Latour de Carol. The train’s route takes it through very hilly landscape, so a great deal of engineering work was needed. There were 650 engineering works along the route, including 19 tunnels and two remarkable bridges: the Séjourné viaduct and the Gisclard suspension bridge, which allow the Yellow Train to make light work of the 44-mile climb.

The mountains of Languedoc Roussillon
The mountains of Languedoc-Roussillon reach heights of almost 3000 metres in the Pyrenees, with the peaks of Canigou (2784m) and Carlit (2921m), and more than 1500m in the Massif Central, topped by Mont Lozère (1699m) and Mont Aigoual (1565m).

Whether you’re looking for a sunshine ski resort, snowshoe resort, snowboarding area or just a peaceful mountain village, you’ll find it in Languedoc-Roussillon.

Foods of Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon, renowned for the diversity of its agricultural produce, boasts a delicious and authentic cuisine.

Based on olive oil, garlic and basil, this cuisine is typically flavoured with herbs of the Provencal “garrigue” (scrubland) such as thyme, rosemary, bay and savory.

Cheeses, wines, honey and fruit complement the rural and coastal specialities.

Sampling the cuisine of Languedoc-Roussillon is still one of the best ways to really discover the region.

Wine and wine labels of the region
The vineyards of Languedoc-Roussillon are some of the oldest and largest in the world, and produce some of the most renowned French wines.

Enthusiastic growers cultivate the vine across the region. The wine making districts extend from the right bank of the Rhône as far as the foothills of the Pyrenees, stretching out over the plains, or sloping up to the scrubland and the hills.

The wines of Languedoc-Roussillon have a very rich aftertaste. They complement the local food perfectly, providing a contrast to the simple cuisine based on olive oil, vegetables, fish and bread.

Useful information:

Tourism office in Languedoc-Roussillon:
www.francetourism.com

Gites in Languedoc-Roussillon
www.cottages4you
www.1000gites.com

Hotels in Languedoc-Roussillon
www.hotelclub.com

Car rental
www.hertz.co.uk

Maps of Languedoc-Roussillon:
www.ign.fr
www.maps.google.fr

The-languedoc-page.com
a comprehensive guide to visiting and living in Languedoc, France

Travel from the UK
By air: Ryanair flies to Carcassonne, Montpellier, Nîmes and Perpignan from London Stansted. British Airways gand GB Airways fly to Montpellier from Gatwick.
www.ryanair.com
www.britishairways.com

By rail: TGV services operate between Paris Gare de Lyon and both Nîmes and Montpellier. Motorail services run from Calais to Narbonne.
www.sncf.fr

Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property in Languedoc Roussillon. We have a large network of partners in Languedoc Roussillon. All of them are registered French estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: villa, farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle or chateau, we will do our best to find a property in Languedoc Roussillon matching your requirements. To find out more about our properties for sale in Languedoc do not hesitate to contact us.