LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON
Are you thinking of moving to the Languedoc-Roussillon region? We hope that the following information will be of help to you but please also use the links where further details can be found.
Where is the Languedoc-Roussillon region?
Situated in the far south of France it has a long Mediterranean coastline, borders with Spain and Andorra in the Pyrénées, go westwards and you will find yourself in the Midi- Pyrénées region, northwards in Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes and travel east into Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur. There are 5 departments: Aude (11), Gard (30), Herault (34), Lozère (48) and Pyrénées-Orientales (66) , population approx. 2,500,000. The capital is Montpellier, a great city with a wonderful mixture of historic and modern buildings. Nostradamus was once a student at its 13th century university with its excellent medical department . It used to be a place where live was relaxed and taken easy but all that changed in the sixties with the arrival of many immigrants. Montpellier rose to the challenge and is now an affluent and progressive city, home to high tech industries.
What is there in the Languedoc-Roussillon region ?
Some parts of the countryside are unspoilt, a magnificent wilderness where rural life and old traditions are still observed. They form a contrast to the coastal plains, the wonderful beaches that attract many tourists. Villages like Collioure and Céret have lured painters (Matisse, Picasso etc.) with their special clear light. Then there is the strong Catalan influence in the south where Catalan is widely spoken.
There is plenty of evidence of the Romans having been here, the amphitheatre at Nîmes, numerous abbeys and the Pont du Gard all bear witness. The beautifully restored medieval city of Carcassonne, proud owner of Europe's largest fortress, a place on which Walt Disney based Sleeping Beauty's castle. The whole area is a delightful mixture of old and new.
With its Mediterranean culture and coastline, national parks (e.g. Cevennes and the marshy plain of the Petite Camargue), the mountains and forests, many castles and abbeys (e.g. Abbaye de St Martin), the Canal du Midi and rivers, vineyards that produce about half of France's table wine, surely there must be something here for everyone.
Along the coast you can enjoy all kinds of watersports but further inland you will not get bored either. Why not go hiking, cycling, fishing, mountain climbing or biking, play golf or in winter this is a good place to go skiing. When you are tired and want to relax jump into a health spa. For those of you who love walking you can follow the pilgrim routes right across the region to Santiago de Compostela. It is a region full of festivals, fetes or ferias and all manner of concerts. Yet, if you are looking for a more relaxed pace of life, if it is peace and tranquillity you are after, the Languedoc-Roussillon region may just be the place for you.
Climate of Languedoc-Roussillon:
This region has an excellent Mediterranean climate which means long hot summers ( 30C or higher is no exception) and mild winters. You can expect rain in spring and autumn, (thunder) storms in summer and that Mistral wind rears its head in this region too. The warm early spring in French Catalonia ( Pyrénées )
Property in the Languedoc-Roussillon region:
This is a popular region with foreign buyers and property prices in cities like Montpellier and Carcassonne have risen sharply in the last 5 years or so. However, you may well be able to find something a bit less expensive in the villages. Because of its lovely climate house prices in the south of France are high but in this region you are more likely to find something affordable.
Food and wine in Languedoc-Roussillon :
All the orchards and the rich pasturelands welcome the early spring and provide the region – and the rest of France – with delicious fruit (incl. peaches & cherries) and vegetables. No wonder you will find many dishes including these but meat and seafood are also part of the cuisine. The well known dish cassoulet, charcuterie, patés, barbecued lamb or game you will find it all here together with lots of herbs, garlic, wild mushrooms, chestnuts etc. The cakes and tarts and the Roquefort cheese must be mentioned too. The Languedoc-Roussillon region claims to be Europe's largest wine producing area so it could take some time if you want to taste them all.
Expatsradio's chef Heather Hurley, who lives and runs a restaurant in Languedoc-Roussillon , (Villefranche-de-Conflent), has already given us many superb recipes using local produce and ideas on which wines to try.
Getting to the Languedoc-Roussillon region:
Airports:
There is no shortage of airports in this region :
Low cost airlines fly from the UK to Montpellier (Ryanair but also British Airways), Nîmes (Ryanair), Carcassonne (Ryanair), Perpignan (Ryanair,Flybe,bmi baby) and Toulouse ((British Airways, easyjet, bmi, Jet2) in the Midi Pyrénées. As always, beware of the low cost airlines, we do not know how long the service will last.
Road network:
There is a good road network and the roads are well maintained. It takes roughly 12.5 hrs to travel from Calais to Montpellier.
Railway network:
The region is served by the TGV high speed train which stops at Nimes, Montpellier and Perpignan. It only takes about 4 hrs to travel from Paris to Montpellier.
For local expat links visit: www.audeflyer.com
