Festivals

Summer brings the height of the festivals, or fêtes, with every possible theme imaginable, though usually centred around food or wine, a historical event, the arts or simply the traditions that still flourish in this part of France. Some of the annual village fêtes have been evolving since medieval times. Most offer food to eat, entertainment for the whole family, and displays of local produce and handicrafts.

The annual Mimosa Festival, featuring hundreds of trees covered in masses of tiny yellow pompoms, is held on the second Sunday of February every year in Roquebrun, one of the prettiest villages in the area. It attracts so many visitors that minibuses ferry people between their car and the village snuggled into the side of a high hill above the river Orb.

Heritage

As in all of France, history has left an abundance of treasures in the Languedoc-Roussillon, with small chapels and churches and medieval abbeys like Saint Martin de Canigou (photo at left) and Fontfroide (photo below) dotting the countryside, often tucked into out-of-the-way corners. Most towns and villages are dominated by their stone churches. Some of the churches and abbeys host concerts in the latter part of July.

The religious upheavals of the Cathars in the 12th and 13th centuries left ruined castles perched on rocky peaks, villages, like Minerve, that still remember their dramatic past and, most famous and impressive of them all, Carcassonne, the largest walled medieval town in Europe - only a 35km./22mi. drive from here.

Throughout the month of July every year, the Festival de la Cité, with major musical and theatrical presentations, is held in Carcassonne.

Although there are no great art galleries close by, within a 1½ hour drive is the town of Céret, a popular home for artists in the early part of the century. Its Musée d'Art Moderne houses works by Picasso and other contemporary artists. Many of the same artists also lived in Collioure, on the Mediterranean not far north of the Spanish border.

Individual artists and artisans have studios throughout the area around Oupia.

There are many museums focussing on history, archaeology, dinosaurs, wine, bells, hats, flora and fauna, honey-making and folklore.

If you've visited the Dolmen des Fades (also called the Dolmen des Fées) between Cesseras and Siran, you'll have realized that there was an established civilization living in this area more than 5000 years ago. While I was searching for more information, I came across Dolmens Lost and Found, an amazingly complete and detailed website with masses of information, photographs, maps, old documents and videos. It's by Richard, a Brit who lives full-time in the Corbières and I highly recommend his site if you're interested in the mysterious and monumental legacy of these ancient people.

---

Grands sites de France

Here's a good website, showing the 37 places in France classified Grands sites. Many of them are within reasonable driving distance of us and some of them, like the Anse de Paulilles, an undeveloped bay of great natural beauty between Collioure and Banyuls-sur-Mer, we had barely heard of. The website is in French, with a brief English translation.

---

Or

"doing the sieste (which is a national sport in south of france...)" - an unedited, e-mailed contribution from our amie Martine, after she'd had a look at this page. She's right - almost everything closes down between noon and two pm, for lunch and a nap. It's a great tradition, especially on a hot summer day. Close the shutters to keep the sun out - Lou Recantou's thick stone walls will keep the house cool.

---

Montpellier

Montpellier, famous since medieval times for its medical school, is a lovely and elegant city, rich in history and in the arts, with museums, monuments, markets and grand parks, although it's not a large city. Many of the old buildings are constructed of yellow sandstone, giving the impression of brightness in the old centre of the city, even on grey days.

• lots of squares, large and small
• outdoor cafés in almost every square
• sit and watch the parade of people walking and cycling by
• lovely parks for wandering or relaxing
• newer areas dynamic, with daring, highly contemporary architecture
• Explore the city by rented bicycle:
  • Location Esplanade et Triangle Bas
  • Place de la Comédie
  • Telephone:   04 67 92 92 67.

For more information on Montpellier

• Office de Tourisme on the Place de la Comédie
• write: l'Office de Tourisme, 30, Allée Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, 34000 Montpellier
• telephone the Office de Tourisme at (0)4 67 60 60 60
  (from Canada or the USA: 011 334 6760 6060)
• fax the Office de Tourisme at (0)4 67 60 60 61
  (from Canada or the USA: 011 334 6760 6061)
• Website for Montpellier   (http://www.ot-montpellier.fr)
• Website for this department, the Hérault   (http://www.herault-en-languedoc.com)
• in-depth article by travel journalist Bob Fisher: Montpellier - Paris without the Pressure   (http://www.travelosophy.ca/articles/?op=6&suid=227)

Accommodation

Hôtel Verdun-Colisée:

• modest but comfortable
• near train and bus station
• no parking
• Address:   33 rue de Verdun, 34000 Montpellier
• Telephone (0)4 67 58 42 63; Fax (0)4 67 58 98 27

Hôtel du Parc:

• two-star hotel
• small, quiet, attractive and friendly
• just north of the centre
• not as central as the Hôtel Verdun-Colisée
• some parking, if reserved far enough in advance
• breakfast very good and quite generous
• Address:   8, rue Achille-Bège, between Rue du FBG Boutonnet and Rue Lakanal
• Website:   http://www.hotelduparc-montpellier.com

Aéroport Hôtel:

• bills itself as le seul hôtel sur l'Aéroport: the only hotel at the airport
• 3-star hotel
• free shuttle service
• a 10-minute walk from the airport
• good restaurant
• Website:   http://www.r-hotel34.com

Return to top of page

---

Toulouse

Called "la ville rose" because of the colour of its many brick buildings, Toulouse is France's fourth largest city.

• rich in history
• known internationally for its aerospace industry
• pleasant city to explore
• surprisingly friendly for its size
• has a superb indoor/outdoor Sunday market, the Marché Victor Hugo
• excellent museums and parks
• Reserve ahead to visit the Airbus factory just to the west of the city to watch Airbuses being assembled.

For more information:   l'Office de Tourisme, Donjon du Capitole, Toulouse 31000
Telephone:   (0)5 61 21 92 32
Website:   http://www.uk.toulouse-tourisme.com/accueil/index_en.php

Return to top of page

---

Books & maps

Among the many guidebooks and maps to consult:

• the Michelin Green Guide: Pyrenees, Languedoc, Tarn Gorges
• Cadogan Guide: The South of France
• Insider's Mediterranean France
• Thomas Cook: Languedoc and South-west France
• Hôtels & Restos de France, published by Rough Guides
• Michelin maps to cover almost all possible day excursions from Oupia:
  • #526 (Midi-Pyrénées), 1 cm to 2 km
  • #527 (Languedoc-Roussillon), 1 cm to 2 km

Return to top of page