The most beautiful towns and villages of Languedoc Roussillon, South France
|
 Some of the towns and villages of Languedoc Roussillon, South France, are amongst the most stunning in France. Many are fortified or 'circulade', and go back over a thousand year. Our picks of the very best include Uzes, Pezenas, St Guilhem-le-Desert, Roquebrun, Collioure, Bages, Meze, La Garde Guerin, Lagrasse, Minerve, Olargues, Sommieres, Sainte Enimie and Villefranche de Confluent. |
| |
 |
|
| Uzès |
  Stunningly charming Languedoc town dating back to Roman times. The architecture is beautiful, and its elegant squares are the perfect place for lunch or coffee. In Uzès you'll find Le Duché, an impressive castle belonging to a ducal family of old. An hour-long guided tour takes you through the building, its courtyard and garden, a keep and, of course, the famous 'Tour Bermonde' tower - from which there are superb views of the surrounding countryside. |
| Pézenas |
  We love Pézenas - and think it will become Languedoc's version of Aix-en-Provence. Somehow, it feels much more sophisticated than other towns of similar size in Languedoc (bar Uzès) - with its nice restaurants, cafés and many arts and crafts shops and galleries. The architecture is grand - thanks to the town having been the seat of Languedoc's parliament - and if you get a chance - visit the Hôtel Lacoste - with it's gorgeous vaulted courtyard. |
| St Guilhem-le-Desert |
  A charmingly restored village of cobbled streets, wedged at the bottom of a dramatic ravine. Beautiful, dramatic and very atmospheric. In the centre sits the abbey founded by Charlemagne's counselor Guile who returned in 800 from Rome to Languedoc with three pieces of the cross. It is now an UNESCO World Heritage site - and perfectly restored. The town can be very touristy in summer. |
| Roquebrun |
  The village itself is rather ordinary - but what makes Roquebrun so exquisite is its location, climbing up the banks of Languedoc's beautiful river orb, with mountains rising behind it, and a lovely stone bridge crossing just where the river becomes a gently stepping weir where people swim in summer. Sit on the balcony of 'Le Petit Nice' café - sipping a coffee. Or rent a canoe and paddle under the bridge... |
| Collioure |
  After miles of flat, straight coastline, you get to Languedoc's Pyrénées, where the coast begins to undulate and rise steeply from the ocean. It's here, just a few kilometres from Spain, that you find Collioure. It feels more like an Italian seaside town, with its impressive fortifications rising from the bay, and its pretty pastel houses. It's also an oasis of sophistication, with chichi cafés and restaurants catering to Languedoc's wealthier residents - many of whom have apartments here. |
| Bages |
  Set on a hill overlooking one of Languedoc's many etangs (lagoons) - Bages is a small, pretty village with cobbled streets and a couple of nice cafés. To experience it at its best, book a table at the Portanel restaurant by the window - and sit watching the flamingoes and seagulls flying by while supping on excellent seafood. |
| Mèze |
  A sweet fishing village that plays host to 101 seafood restaurants that line the port. It gets very busy and 'buzzy' in summer, especially in the evenings, where there is an outdoor market of crafts and, if you're lucky, a jazz band. Mèze is smaller and more intimate than Languedoc's other big holiday centres such as Sète - and thankfully, lacks their huge concrete apartment blocks. The seafood is very good (thanks to the stiff competition) and the shellfish are said to be excellent. |
| La Garde Guerin |
  Pretty mediaeval village, perched 1000m up with mountains and valleys surrounding it. In the middle ages, it sat on an important road leading to Rome and the Holy Land - and was guarded by a company of knights. Behind the village walls, you'll find 31 fortified houses, where the knights lived when guarding the pass. |
| Lagrasse |
  A smart Languedoc village with cobbled streets and some beautiful houses. It sits on a river, with the famous and very beautiful Abbey of Lagrasse on the opposite bank. A great place to visit on your way to the cathar castles further south. |
| Minerve |
  Minerve is a stunning place - charming cobbled streets and stone houses perched high on a thin sliver of land with river running on both sides. It is accessible only by a high bridge. It was the site of a famous siege in the mediaeval age, with Cathars valiantly defending the town, and Catholics catapulting rocks across the ravine. |
| Mirepoix |
  A beautiful town square, (just outside Languedoc) ringed by tudoresque wood-beamed houses, painted in pastels makes Mirepoix one of the most beautiful towns in the region. Make sure to visit the gorgeous, 14th-century Maison des Consuls, in the centre of the town. |
| Olargues |
  A very pretty little village, high up in the Black Mountains, which boasts a graceful 'Pond du Diable' bridge. The scenery around is stunning, with steep pine-covered mountains and spectacular views across Languedoc. The 11th-century fortress is no longer there - but its clock-tower remains, at the top of the village. |
| Sommières |
  A relatively sophisticated Languedoc town, not far from Montpellier and Nîmes, Sommières sits on a river, crossed by an imposing Roman bridge. Wandering around the town, you'll find beautiful houses and lots of good shops and nice cafés. A famous 17th century clock is worth a quick visit (in the Tour de l'Horloge). |
| Sainte Enimie |
  A charming huddle of sandstone houses, rising from the river Tarn in Languedoc and penned in by the the cliffs of the Causses. The bridge is very beautiful too, and the Chapel St Madeleine is part of the remains of an ancient Benedictine monastery. |
| Villefranche-de-Confluent |
  Half-way up Languedoc's Pyrénées, Villefranche is a fortified village - with huge, thick, maze-like fortifications surrounding the entire town. In its time, it has belonged to both the Spanish and the French, being so close to the border. And was used as a prison at one point. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
