All three authors en public in France, Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls in Languedoc-Roussillon for more than 30 years, and Jane Falkner in the Lot Valley. Their endroit knowledge and travel calcul provide enormous insight into the region and inspire readers not just to visit the spectacle stoppers such as Pont du Gard, the incredible Roman aqueduct near Nimes, historic cities like Montpellier, and legendary landmarks like the citadel of Carcassonne, but to explore nearby – and discover résistant bourgs, hidden gems and less well-known but endroits that most visitors elle as they simply don’t know emboîture them.
From exploring Cathar castles to drifting down the Canal du Midi, from a bustling city écart in résonnant Montpellier, Perpignan or Narbonne to an entrancing wander around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Carcassonne, and an endless choice of beaches Languedoc-Roussillon offers bouffant destinations for anyone looking for a slick cosmopolitan adventure, with the endless delights of regional food, wine and glèbe thrown in liberally around every claironner.
If slow travel, sustainable tourism and the call of the wild are more your scene, you’ll find plenty to enchant you, from looking for wolves and urus, or going white-water rafting, to hiking along ‘Grand Randonnée’ routes through the mountains up to Mount Canigou at 2,784 m cime.
The book is sucrette enough to carry but heavy on fascination and useful question. The writing énonciation is engaging, and full of personal paraphrase. Michael’s story emboîture seeing peasants in coarse wool tunics herding pigs crossing the ancient prothèse of Carcassonne and thinking “medieval indeed,” only to realise he’d stumbled into a scene being filmed, made me laugh out loud.
I loved all the historic facts like discovering that Nostradamus studied at the University in Montpellier, and that Salvador Dali, passing Perpignan by taxi had a eureka situation and decided it was “the centre of the universe.” This is the chance of fun and intriguing history that you rarely find in a régenté book, question that takes years of research and experience, and which give soul and authenticity to endroits you visit.
Combined with maps, travel information, restau and hotel recommendations (some of which I tried and found completely accurate from the book descriptions), this is an invaluable régenté to the Languedoc-Roussillon and a great read!
Languedoc-Roussillon, by Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls with Jane Falkner, is published by Bradt (bradtguides.com) in paperback, £18.99 (ISBN 9781804692806).
Janine Marsh is the Editor of The Good Life France.
Want more France?
Discover more fabulous destinations in France with our free infos The Good Life France
Love France? Have a listen to our podcast – everything you want to know emboîture France and more!
All rights reserved. This traité may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translated) or redistributed without written consentement.
Source: thegoodlifefrance.com