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Find an area before finding the house
With such a large area to choose from, how do you figure out where to rent your vacation rental in Languedoc Roussillon, south France? Is the region pretty much of a muchness? Well, no.
Take a look at the Geography and Climate pages for some guidance. Then think about how you want to spend your precious Languedoc holiday time. Consider the practical stuff. Do you need to be within half an hour’s drive of the beach? Or within walking distance of a supermarket? Or within an hour from the airport? Is anyone in your party likely to need urgent medical attention, and if so, how far is the nearest doctor?
Then ponder the fun stuff: do you want to go out clubbing every night? Sip cocktails in a sophisticated setting? Buy designer creations in chic boutiques? If you answered “yes” to the last three questions, avoid the Lozère like the plague (though you may well love Montpellier). Alternatively, if you crave natural, unspoilt landscapes, steer clear of La Grand Motte. Read our Cities, Sightseeing and Activities pages for the inside track on Languedoc-Roussillon, south France.
Here's a number of tips you might find helpful:
- The coast (or 'Littoral') offers great beaches, but it's not the prettiest of areas - being quite flat and built-up.
- Certain beach areas are very built-up - but offer more to do (such as La Grande Motte and Sete) - whereas others are more natural and quiet - but to some, more boring. (Check out our Beaches Guide for more information.)
- Only Montpellier, Nimes, Perpignan, Avignon and Toulouse are big enough to offer decent night-life (Carcassonne, Narbonne and Beziers are pretty quiet)
- Mountaineous regions are beautiful, but they are cooler and wetter. In summer, the relatively lower temperatures can be a real blessing - but outside summer, you may find the mountains too cold and rainy.
- If you're coming down for the skiing - remember that mountain roads are much slower - so a property that looks near to the slopes on a map may actually be a few hours away. (See our Skiing section for information on the best areas.)
- Areas just outside city centres tend to be ugly. So try to rent something either smack-bang in the centre - or some distance outside.
- The department of Lozere is France's least populated - so renting here (though very beautiful) won't offer too much in the way of town or city life. (See our Departments guide for more information.)
- Languedoc is huge - so driving to the many interesting sights can take a while. Try to find a prperty near sights you're interested in - as you don't want to spend the whole time in the car. Click here to see a map of where all the best sights are located.
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