Lou  Recantou   &   l'Ancien Pressoir

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Lou Recantou:         the cottage         guestbook comments
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Books


Travel info:

Michelin Red Guide, France:   hotels, restaurants and town maps

The Green Guide to France, from Michelin:   good book for organizing a trip, with lots of maps, photos and a star system for choosing highlights

Eyewitness Travel Guide, France, from Dorling Kindersley:   beautifully illustrated and easy-to-use guide covering all of France.

The Rough Guide to Languedoc & Roussillon:   opiniated, with lots of practical information

Languedoc-Roussillon, from Cadogan Guides:   detailed and well-written; lots of background information.

The Green Guide to Languedoc Roussillon and the Tarn Gorges, from Michelin:   good book for organizing a trip, with lots of maps, photos and symbols.

Languedoc and South-west France; Signpost guides from Thomas Cook:   especially good for planning excursions by car.

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Food:

Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials, by Laura Werlin:   "An Insider's Guide to Buying and Serving Cheese" with everything you could possibly want to know about cheese, sumptuous photos and 50 recipes.

French Cheeses, from Dorling Kindersley:   good photos and descriptions of more than 350 cheeses from every region of France.

The French Market, by Joanne Harris (author of Chocolat), from Doubleday, 2005:   markets and recipes in Gascony


History and misc. non-fiction:

The Perfect Heresy, by Stephen O'Shea, Canadian writer and historian:   the best book we've read on the story of the Cathars.

Amor vs Roma, on CD. Presented on CBC Radio's Ideas in 2003, Amor vs Roma is a great way of listening to the story of the Cathars.
Available from various sources, including Amazon.ca

Chasing the Heretics, by Rion Klawinski, American travel writer:   entertaining account of author's travels throughout the Languedoc in pursuit of the Cathar story.

Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong (why we love France but not the French), by Canadian writers Jean-Benoît Nadeau and Julie Barlow, from Harper Collins, 2003:   hugely helpful in explaining France and the French to the rest of us.

The Discovery of France, by British writer Graham Robb, from WW Norton (Oct 2007):   Winner of the 2008 Ondaatje Prize for the best book "evoking the spirit of a place". Travelling thousands of kilometres by bicycle, Robb discovered how disparate the cultures and languages of France were until little more than 100 years ago. A fascinating read, it offers new insights into the development of France as a country, including the role played by the bicycle.

And God Created the French, by Canadian writer Louis-Bernard Robitaille, from Robert Davies Publishing, 1995:   Robitaille drew on his experience as Paris correspondent for Montreal's La Presse to write a "deftly amusing portrait of contemporary France".

Savoir Flair, by Polly Platt, from Culture Crossings, 2000:   Platt, an American who has lived in Paris for many years, focuses on avoiding the minefields of French etiquette. Very useful, though less applicable in "La France Profonde", where people are much more relaxed.

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Outdoor:

The Collins Bird Guide, by Lars Svensson, from Harper Collins, 2004:
recommended to us as the best bird guide for Europe.

A series of guides to bicycling in France, published by Australian cyclist and francophile Tim Marsh; one with lots of details on planning a trip throughout the country, one for the Atlantic Pyrenees and several training and planning guides for sportif cyclists.
http://www.tourdefrancetips.com/

Cycling in France, from Ulysses; our edition (1997) has no routes for this area, but perhaps a later edition has added routes.


Personal accounts (our favourites):

Hot Sun, Cool Shadow, by Angela Murrills, from Raincoast Books, 2004.
Murrills is a Canadian food writer who, with her husband Peter Matthews, has a house southwest of here. Nicely written, non-egotistic, several lovely recipes.

An Englishman in the Midi, by John P. Harris, from BBC Books, 1991.
A thin volume by a BBC broadcaster about life in his Languedoc village. One of my favourites.

A White House in Gascony, by Rex Grizell, from Victor Gollancz Books, 1992.
This is the book that inspired us (well, me, at least) and made us realize there was a way we could afford to live in southern France.


Fiction set in France:

The Good Men, by Charmaine Craig, from The Berkley Publishing Group, 2002.
Craig was a student in medieval literature at Harvard when she came across 14th century French Inquisition records, inspiring her to write this novel. From one reviewer: "I have never read so powerful an account, fictive or historical, of the Cathar rebels against the Roman Catholic Church. Craig's vision encompasses an entire culture, which was forever destroyed."

Signs of the Heart: Love and Death in Languedoc, by Christopher Hope, from Picador, 2000.
Hope's delightful book is set in nearby Caunes-Minervois (which he calls Kissac) and is full of eccentric characters and local colour. Highly recommended, especially if you're planning to come to this area. See one reader's online review of the book, by typing in "Signs of the Heart" and clicking on Hope's book.

Labyrinth, by Kate Mosse, from McArthur & Company, 2006.
Let me warn you that this is NOT great writing; it's full of clichés and banalities but, having said that, I would recommend Mosse's book to anyone interested in this part of France or its history. She has carefully researched her subject, the Cathars in the 13th century, and the book is very readable - a true page-turner.

Hôtel Pastis, by Peter Mayle, from Vintage Books, 1993.
Mayle, the author of A Year in Provence, is less known for his fiction. This isn't great literature, but it IS fun, especially for bicycle enthusiasts. It's about a group of out-of-shape thieves who train as lycra-clad cyclists to pull off a bank heist.

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Sources for books and maps:

On line (for viewing only):

Michelin:   http://www.viamichelin.com
Click on ''Maps'' at the top of the page.

Google Maps, with detailed directions, distance and time.

To purchase:

Novacks Travel Bookstore in London, Ontario, carries Michelin maps of France, as well as guide books, with tables and chairs for comfortable browsing. Novacks also sells a wide range of travel accessories.

Words Worth Books in Waterloo, Ontario; you can order online.

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Self-catering accommodation - Vacation homes in France

Paris: Simply Spoken   (http://www.simplyspoken.com)
Tim and I have stayed twice in Canadians Pamela and Robert's homey and comfortable studio apartment for two in Montparnasse, surrounded by restaurants and bistros and handy to the Paris Métro.

Loire Valley: Simply Spoken   (http://www.simplyspoken.com)
Pamela and Robert also have a lovely little recently renovated, mid-18th century house for rent in an area well worth visiting near Saumur in the Loire Valley; we very much enjoyed our stay there in April 2009.

VRBO   (Vacation Rentals by Owners)   http://www.vrbo.com/
We decided to advertise on this site after being told by friends and guests that it's one of the best, if not THE best, of the vacation rental sites on the Internet. VRBO lists rentals in many other countries as well.

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Bed & breakfast accommodation in the area

Maison Eloi Merle   (http://www.eloimerle.com)
Frédéric and Bénédicte are a warm and friendly bilingual French couple with bed & breakfast accommodation as well as 5 gîtes in the centre of Olonzac (all services within less than a 5-minute walk).

Villa Limonade   (http://www.villalimonade.com)
New and very attractively renovated and decorated bed & breakfast in Olonzac, offering evening meals and wine tours.



Oupia and Languedoc:

http://wilf.ca/gallery.asp?GalleryID=lour
A few of Wilf Noordermeer's superb photographs of the area around Oupia

http://www.minervois-tourisme.fr)
Official site for tourist information in the Minervois:   OTIM (l'Office de Tourisme Intercommunal le Minervois). Activities, cultural events, festivals, shopping, boutiques, wine producers and restaurants.

http://www.le-guide.com/minerve.html
This page is specifically on Minerve; their home page for Languedoc-Roussillon is: http://www.le-guide.com/languedoc/index.html)

The Minervois   (http://theminervois.com/)
Lots of information on the area, including markets, wine, Canal du Midi and much more, also in English.

http://minervois-villages.ifrance.com/liste_villages.htm
This is a French website with lists of attractions and photographs of several Minervois villages - and an annoying pop-up ad.

http://www.mairie-olonzac.fr/site
Official site for the village of Olonzac, the commercial centre for the Minervois. Information on businesses and a rather dry history of the village. Tip: Use Google translation to get a very approximate version in English.

http://www.languedoc-france.info
A good site, in English, packed with all sorts of information about things to see and do in the Languedoc-Roussillon. This is the site you'll go to if you click on the Languedoc logo at the bottom of our web pages.

http://languedoc.angloinfo.com/
A very popular site for the Languedoc-Roussillon region, covering just about everything you could want to know.

http://www.daytripsinsouthernfrance.com
A website in English with information on things to see and do and where to eat in the Languedoc-Roussillon, by Alison Tinsley and Chris Fields, who live in Caunes-Minervois and Costa Rica. (And, if you're planning a trip to Costa Rica, click on Books and Maps to see the book they've written on accommodations there.)

http://www.audetourisme.com/en/index.php
An especially attractive site in English with information on what to see and do in the Aude, including Carcassonne, Narbonne, the Canal du Midi and the Château de Peyrepertuse.

http://www.herault-tourisme.com/index-1-2.html
Travel information on our own department, l'Hérault.

http://www.languedoc-roussillon.eu.com/index.html
Maintained by an English couple who have lived in Languedoc since 1985

http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/
Packed with all sorts of information, including just about every market in the Languedoc.

http://www.languedocliving.com/
Includes some information on regional events

http://www.linternaute.com/savoir/grands-chantiers/viaduc-de-millau/1.shtml
Photos of the Millau Viaduct, about an hour and a half from here by car and worth the drive!

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Toulouse:

http://www.uk.toulouse-tourisme.com/accueil/index_en.php
In English; several useful links



Montpellier:

http://www.ot-montpellier.fr/en/   In English
http://us.montpellier.fr/   In English



Narbonne:

http://www.narbonne-tourisme.com/en   In English
http://www.tourisme.fr/office-de-tourisme/narbonne.htm   In French only



Carcassonne:


http://www.carcassonne.org/carcassonne_EN.nsf/vuetitre/docpgeIntroVisiter   In English

http://www.carcassonneinfo.com   Bilingual site


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Restaurants:

http://www.daytripsinsouthernfrance.com/food.htm
Brief reviews of several restaurants in the area by a couple who live part-time in Caunes-Minervois

http://www.linternaute.com/restaurant   in French only

http://www.cuisine-francaise.com/recherche-resto.htm   very good site, but in French only

Le Relais du Chantovent, in Minerve:
http://www.relaischantovent-minerve.fr/pageSalleRestaurant.htm
The Chantovent serves lovely meals in an attractive restaurant on the edge of a limestone gorge. The service is efficient and friendly and the outdoor terrace is a great place to be on summer evenings.


Les Troubadours, also in Minerve.
A friendly restaurant at the edge of the gorge in Minerve, serving its own wine. Sunlit terrace in winter, shaded in summer. Vaulted stone ceilings indoors. Click on  "Notre village" for photos of Minerve and the immediate area.


Hôtel/Restaurant d'Alibert, in Caunes-Minervois:
http://www.hoteldalibert.com/restaurant2.html
One of our favourite restaurants, in a Renaissance building and courtyard in a village with several 17th century buildings and a medieval abbey. One of the entrées, the seafood rouille, is very garlicky and incredibly good. As a main dish, try the osso bucco; for dessert, the tarte au citron or the Pyramide au chocolat. The owner, Frédéric, is a delightful eccentric and quite fond of Canadians. Closed Sunday evening, all day Monday, Tuesday at noon and, in winter, from the beginning of October until late March.


En Bonne Compagnie on the Canal du Midi at Homps:
http://in-good-company.com/
An English-owned restaurant, much enjoyed by our guests. New, creative menu each season.   Closed all day Sunday, Monday lunchtime and from mid-October until Easter.


Restaurant la Cave in La Caunette:
A new restaurant, run by three young sisters. They don't yet have their own website, but you can find information and a couple of photos at this address:
http://www.le-guide.com/restaurants/restaurant-la-cave.html

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Garden tours:

Hidden Gardens Hidden France is a company specializing in garden tours in the Languedoc region. Recommended by the Lonely Planet guide to Languedoc Roussillon, the tours are led by Gill Pound, a local horticulturist, who has a nursery in Caunes-Minervois specializing in drought-resistant plants. You can stay in Lou Recantou or l'Ancien Pressoir for the duration of the tours; contact info@hiddengardensfrance.com for further details on tour cost.


Other activities in the area:

Horseback riding:   http://www.pontdecalmel.com
A beautiful spot on the edge of the Montagne Noire, about 15 km. north of Oupia. This is a professional equestrian centre where riders of all levels can take lessons, go on long or short treks and/or stay in one of their 10 self-catering accommodation units. Site in French or Dutch only.

A small tourist train running between Collioure/Port-Vendres and St Cyprien:
http://www.petit-train-touristique.com/

Le Train Jaune:  
A dramatic train ride through the Pyrenees. For train times, see Horaires or go directly to the schedule.


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Cycling - useful information and touring accounts:

Bicycle rentals nearby: http://www.mellowvelos.com
Phil Donnison runs Mellow Velos in Paraza, a village on the Canal du Midi. He rents different types of very good quality bicycles that he delivers and picks up at no extra cost. He also provides helmets, maps, water bottles and suggested bike routes.

Tips for following the Tour de France: http://www.tourdefrancetips.com/
Tim Marsh, in Melbourne, Australia, is a keen cyclist and avid follower of the Tour de France. He does a free newsletter with lots of tips for watching and following the Tour de France as well as publishing several books for touring and sportive cyclists (see above).

Travelling with a bicycle: http://www.bikeaccess.net/
George Farnsworth's interactive website is a great source of information for those who want to bring their own bicycles, as airlines increase fares and impose more and more restrictions on carrying bikes.

Bikely: http://www.bikely.com/
A new site with bike routes in several countries, and looking for participation from readers. I've begun to add a few of ours.

Warm showers list: http://www.warmshowers.org/
This website lists people throughout the world who are willing to host touring cyclists for a night, providing at least a place to pitch a tent and a hot shower.

English-French dictionary of bicycle terms: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/eng-fren.html
For French to English, click on "French" when you get to the site.

Mike Bedard: http://www.mikebikes.org/
Mike and Carol Bedard are Canadians who have been cycling all over France almost every year since 1984 and Mike's website is full of details and excellent photographs of their trips.

Jan Boonstra: http://user.chollian.net/~boonstra/index.htm
Jan is a Dutch-born cyclist who lives and works in South Korea and has cycled in 31 countries. He has a great website with his travel stories, where he lives and, most useful for me, an amazing collection of bicycle clip art.

Michael Fiebach: http://cyclepass.com/index_s.htm
Mike lives in Colorado and has explored most of the western and southwestern U.S., western Canada and southern Europe, Austria and Germany.


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Bike shops:

Cycles Mari in Saint Chinian, about a half hour's drive from Oupia:
http://www.cycles-mari.com/
An excellent bike shop with very good stock and the best prices around. New and secondhand bicycles as well as rental bikes available. The owner is pleasant and helpful, but always busy, so plan to be patient if you go.

Fun Sports Cycles in Carcassonne, about 45 minutes west of Oupia by car:
http://www.funsportscycles.com/infos.php
Large and newly refurbished bicycle and sports shop with very large display area and broad selection of bikes and equipment and of men's and women's cycling clothing, with a woman cyclist to help. Staff is friendly and helpful. The shop is in the same shopping mall as the hypermarket Géant Casino, at the eastern edge of Carcassonne.

Gold Country Cyclery: http://www.tandems-recumbents.com
Rick Steele's bike store in Sacramento, California, specializing in tandem and recumbent bicycles. Rick takes great care to be sure that the bike is sized properly for you. (While staying in Lou Recantou, he solved a problem I'd had with neck pain and headaches for years.)

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Bicycle touring:

http://www.canbicuba.com/index.php?p=Home
CanBiCuba runs Spring & Fall sportif bike tours in Cuba; it's a great place to cycle (Tim & I have done three tours there).


Walking:

Long distance walking paths throughout France:   Grandes Randonnées
Books, maps, general information:   http://www.francewalkingtours.com

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Renting or leasing a car:

Avis car rentals in France   (http://www.avis.co.uk/CarHire/Europe/France)
used and recommended by guests in 2009.

EuropCar, also called AutoEurope in Narbonne

Budget car rentals in France


Nature URLs, including birding sites:

Aiguamolls (the site is in Spanish only) is a natural reserve in northeastern Spain, with a stork-breeding programme and a wide variety of habitats. Especially worthwhile during migration. A reasonable daytrip from Oupia.

http://www.magikbirds.com
Superb photos of birds by British birder and photographer, Dick Newell.

http://wilf.ca/gallery.asp
Wilf Noordermeer has travelled throughout the world, photographing natural sites and their flora and fauna.

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Weather sites:

The best and most detailed local weather forecast we've found yet is at:
http://www.yr.no/place/France/Languedoc-Roussillon/Oupia~2988994/
- and it's in English.

For other weather forecasts, go to:



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Food and wine:

Market days in the Languedoc:
http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/tourism/languedoc-tourism-markets.htm
Food markets listed by day as well as by town. Brocante markets (antiques, etc.) listed also.

Le Jardin de la Clairette:   http://www.lejardindelaclairette.com
Nathalie and Alain Escamez have our favourite stall at the Olonzac market. They also welcome customers at their farm in Roubia, close to the Canal du Midi, with a 15% discount Wednesday afternoons. Have a look at their attractive, colourful website for more information on what's available to grace your table.

Vin en Vacances: Vineyard Tours in the Languedoc-Roussillon
By wine teacher, Wendy Gedney, based in Caunes-Minervois
Website: www.vinenvacances.com
Tripadvisor reviews
Tel: +33 (0)4 68 76 27 57         Mobile: +33 (0)6 42 33 34 09

French Food and Cook:   http://www.ffcook.com
"The authentic French Cuisine site: French recipes and advice on French cooking presented by a Frenchwoman, Cécile."

French-English Food Dictionary A-K:
http://www.beyond.fr/food/french-english-food-dictionary-1.html
General food and gastronomy terms for the south of France. See top of their page for L-Z.

English-French Food Dictionary A-K:
http://www.beyond.fr/food/english-french-food-dictionary-1.html
General food and gastronomy terms for the south of France. See top of their page for L-Z

Epicurious:   http://www.epicurious.com
"The World's Greatest Recipe Collection"

Dela Online:   http://www.deliaonline.com
Delia Smith's recipes.

101 Cookbooks recipes:   http://www.101cookbooks.com

David Rosengarten's food tips:   http://www.davidrosengarten.com

Languedoc wine:   http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/languedoc/languedoc-wine.ht


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Cooking classes

Jennifer Greco, who lives in a nearby village, will give cooking classes in your accommodation. For an idea of the sort of thing she can prepare, go to
Jennifer's sample menu
To contact Jennifer before your visit, e-mail her at:   louloufrance@gmail.com

3-day weekend classes are held in Lastours, about 45 minutes from Oupia, by a group called French House Party. In the latter half of 2011, they will also be running 1-day "Chef Encounter" courses on some Wednesdays. For detailed information, go to:
http://www.frenchhouseparty.eu.
Enquiries can be sent to Moira Martingale at:   enquiries@frenchhouseparty.co.uk

Odile Lévêque gives cooking classes and can prepare meals in the kitchen at your accommodations. It appears that she may not speak English. Her website (still under construction):   http://www.beth-salem.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=561&Itemid=56



Travel:

The Philosophical Traveller offers a wide range of travel topics, with photographs, videos and audio interviews about travel and the philosophy of travel. Archived programmes can be heard at any time online at   http://www.philosophicaltraveller.ca/

One of them is an article about us and our area at:
http://robefish.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/once-upon-a-gite-in-languedoc/

Another is about Montpellier and is titled, Paris without the Pressure:
http://robefish.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/montpellier-france-paris-without-the-pressure/


SNCF, France's rail travel company:
http://www.sncf.fr/indexe.htm   Partially in English.


Detailed information on getting the TGV at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris:
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Access-maps-car-parks/Paris-CDG/Access/public-transport/cdg-train.htm
as well as at http://www.parisairportguide.com/cdg/.


Guests from London Ontario who flew with IcelandAir said that the price and the service were both very good. They took advantage of the stop in Iceland for a two-day visit. The airline's Canadian website is at   http://www.icelandair.ca/#.


Air France: http://www.airfrance.com


RyanAir:   http://www.ryanair.com


General travel information for France:  
http://www.bonjourlafrance.net/


World Travel guide: http://www.worldtravelguide.net
Guide to airports, cities, weather, etc. etc.


Not related to France, but perhaps of interest to many of our guests:
Red Sun Safaris: http://wwww.redsunsafaris.com
Safari trips to southern Africa, led by Leslie Udwin, an experienced guide with a strong sense of social responsibility


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Blogs about France:

On the Via Domitia, by Michael Redhill, winner of the prestigious 2007 Toronto Book Award and longlisted for the 2007 Man Booker Prize for his novel, Consolation. He and his family lived for a couple of years in nearby Narbonne:     http://ontheviadomitia.blogspot.com

Chez Loulou: one woman's view of life in a village close to ours in the Minervois, with the focus on food:     http://chezlouloufrance.blogspot.com/


Properties for sale

Our good friend Martine Escourrou has returned to selling property in Minervois-Corbières. She's also a qualified builder and knows whether a building is sound and whether it's feasible and reasonable to make structural changes.
You can contact her at:
martine.escourrou@yahoo.fr
or on her mobile phone:   06 68 81 82 24 (in France)
      from North America: 001 336 68 81 82 24       from the U.K.: 00 336 68 81 82 24
Her agency's website address:   http://www.agence-les-oliviers.com/


A friend of ours is selling her little stone house in the nearby village of Cesseras.
Details here




Miscellaneous services:

Here's a good site for converting between metric and non-metric measures:
http://www.onlineconversion.com/

My source for flags: http://www.graphicmaps.com/clipart.htm


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