Maison d'Aramis in Autignac , Hérault

CD Player, DVD Player, Satellite or Cable TV, Stereo, Telephone, TV, Video Library, Video Recorder. 2 Mountain bikes for hire.

Coffee Maker, Dish Washer, Freezer, Fridge, Grill, Hob, Microwave, Oven, Toaster, Washing Machine, Freezer.

Outdoor activities - Bird Watching, Climbing, Cycling, Fishing, Night Life, Sailing, Walking, Water Sports

With its long, sandy beaches, rugged mountain peaks and medieval hill top villages the Languedoc-Roussillon boasts one of France's most diverse landscapes. Officially the sunniest region in the country, it is also France's wine growing capital and probably the largest wine growing area in the world. Bordered by the Spanish Pyrenees, the lavender fields of Provence and the rocky Massif Central to the north, the area is noted for its relaxed pace of life. In recent years many resorts have been developed, offering clean sandy beaches, excellent swimming with leisure and shopping facilities. These include La Grande Motte,Capd'Agde, Argeles, Valras Plage and many others. There is a great feeling of space and the beaches do not get as crowded as you would expect given the climate,sea, and development. Some towns and villages such as Sete, Agde, Palavas and Port-Vendres, still retain their traditional fishing industry and their harbours and streets still reflect this along with the delicous seafood fresh from the nets. Towards the Spanish border the picturesque fishing village of Collioure inspired many famous artists who developed the Fauvist style. Heading north east from the Pyrenees you enter the land of the Cathar castles. (See the link on our useful information page) These are mainly to the south of Carcassone a restored medieval town. Futher north and inland from the Mediterranean coast, the hills and mountains offer wild countryside, with lush green valleys and the chance of white water rafting and canoeing on the rivers. The region has its own language, Occitan (from which Languedoc gets its name - literally 'Langue d'Oc', language of Occitan) and Catalan is spoken in many towns close to the Spanish border. The city of Nimes, with its perfectly preserved Roman arena is the best example of a Roman city outside Italy. A few kilometres away the Pont du Gard - a spectacular Roman aqueduct spanning the River Gardan.Further west is the university town of Montpellier one of the France's most thriving and dynamic cities.Its huge pedestrianised centre is filled with cafes and an ideal place to sit and watch the world go by. A labyrinth of winding back streets, filled with boutiques and restaurants, form the city's historic centre. A few miles east lies the peculiar beauty of the Camargues - a vast low lying area of 37 salt water lakes On these marshy lagoons, flocks of pink flamingos are a common site, as are the white horses and black bulls which used to roam wild on this flat watery landscape. Just north of the Camargues is the town of Arles, famous for its association with the artist Van Gogh. The vast vineyards in land from the coast produce an abundance of excellent if under-rated wines such as Corbieres, Minervois, and Cotes du Roussillon. For nature lovers, the dense green peaks of the Cevennes National Park is a hill walkers paradise. Its pine and chest-nut tree covered slopes, dry stone terraces, isolated hamlets, and wealth of animal and bird life, can all be discovered from its 300 looped footpaths. The local goats' cheese, 'pelardons' is second to none. To the west, the emerald waters of the Tarn Gorge are among the best in Europe for watersports attracting hordes of canoeists and fans of kayaking and white water rafting to the town of Millau each summer. Nearby is the town of Albi famous as the home of the artist Toulouse Lautrek, whose paintings and sketches of Paris's nightlife took the impressionist art world by storm in the late 1800's. Riding a slow barge along the Canal du Midi, a 200km waterway linking the Mediterannean with Toulouse, is one of the highlights of any visit to the Midi-Pyrenees. If its street parties you're after the city of Perpignan is one of the best places to bop till you drop. Just as much Spanish as French, it is the third largest Catalan city after Barcelona and Lleida in Spain. Autignac is 20mins by road from the nearest town Beziers. The village has a bar, baker, butcher, post office, and local shop. Autignac is one of seven communes that make up the Faugere wine appellation. Nearby are the towns of Bedarieux, nestling in the foothills of the Cevennes, and Roquebrun with its Eastern Meditereannean climate on the River Orb.The endless variety of possible activities or visits make this a great region for anyone to visit.