Collioure - Jewel of the Cote Vermeille

If you're planning a holiday in Languedoc during 2017, it is well worth including a day trip to beautiful Collioure on your itinerary. With so much to see and do in this region, it's impossible to fit everything in, but Collioure is a pretty special place.



Enjoy the spectacular coastal scenery, and thriving village atmosphere. It's a 90 minute drive from Pézenas, and well worth the drive, to see the beautiful blue seas of the Cóte Vermeille, close to the Spanish border.



Soak up the distinct Catalan flavour of the area - it developed a reputation as an artist's haven during the 19th and 20th centuries - Matisse, Picasso and Dali amongst others, all visited and/or lived here.You can see the artistic influence in the colours of the village houses, and a proliferation of artists' studios nearby.



To get there from Pezenas, take the A9 autoroute heading South for Spain. It's a 90 minute journey you will find worth the effort.







http://www.languedocliving.com/spectacular-collioure-life-926.html

Languedoc Wines - by resident expert Rosemary George

As we head into the Vendange (wine harvest), it's timely to consider some of the latest wines on offer. Rosemary George is a longtime fan of Languedoc wines, and has been travelling to the area for many years. Her blog Taste Languedoc regularly recommends some of the best wines in the region - and many are very reasonably priced.

Here's her take on Languedoc wines:

Why the Languedoc? Quite simply, it is without doubt the most exciting and innovative wine region of France. Everything is possible; the appellations may lay down ground rules, but the parallel vins de pays allow for unlimited experimentation, creating a host of new and exciting wines. Over the last twenty years or so this vast vineyard, which stretches from the Spanish border round to the delta of the Rhone has undergone a dramatic transformation, so that the wines have improved out of all recognition.

Pézenas is perfectly positioned as a base to explore the many vineyards. Here's why she chose the area:

... in 2004 we bought a house within easy reach of the towns of Pézenas and Clermont l’Hérault, which gives me a wonderful base for visiting the local wine growers. Our village does not have a particular reputation for its wine, but many of the nearby villages do. We are in very easy reach of Faugères, St. Chinian, some of the highlights of the Coteaux du Languedoc and the new area of Pézenas, as well as the Vin de Pays des Côtes de Thongue, which is one of the more innovative of the numerous vins de pays of the region. 

So if you've planned a trip to Languedoc that will include wine tasting, it's worth checking out her blog for recommendations of lesser known vineyards that make excellent, and reasonably priced wines. You will be spoiled for choice!

Tour de France 2014

This year's TDF has its widely announced start in the UK, spending the first 3 days making it way to London and then onwards to Eastern France, into the Alps, and across to the Pyrennees. Unusually, there are only two stages in the South - one into Nimes, and then after a rest day, on July21st, starting out from Carcassonne.

Here is the summary of the 2014 route through Languedoc.

The stage departing from Carcassonne will be visually spectacular, with plenty of shots of that amazing castle, and then rolling out into the stunning scenic countryside before they head up into the Pyrennees. Expect to see field after field of sunflowers swaying in the summer breeze. So if you can't make it to Languedoc this summer, take consolation that this may well be a stage best enjoyed from home.

Pézenas en Languedoc

Here's a relatively new website focusing on the wines of the "terroir" surrounding Pézenas and many of the local producers, it also has some great information on accommodation and restaurant choices in and around Pézenas town.


http://www.pezenasenlanguedoc.com/en


The actual area referred to as Coteaux de Languedoc - Pézenas is shown on the map below:-

If you are interested in visiting or contacting vineyards, you will find many listed here, as well as links to their website.

http://www.pezenasenlanguedoc.com/en/the-producers/list-of-producers

Another great website showing wine routes and suggested tours can be found at:




http://www.languedoc-wines.com/english/destination_route.asp

with links to particular appellations such as Faugeres.


The Faugere website lists some walks that incorporate the best sights of the region.

http://www.faugeres.com/anglais/randonnee.htm

Tour de France 2013 - Languedoc

Tour de France 2013 sees a return of the Tour through Languedoc, during the early stages 6,7 and 8.

It is quite likely that the race will pass through Pézenas again during Stage 7 on July 5 — Montpellier > Albi – 205 km, (as it did back in 2011), so the town will make a great base for your holiday, if you are a cycling fan. The dates are 4-6th July, so there will be a surge of accommodation being booked to cater for the holidaymakers who want to enjoy the spectacle.

Thanks to the excellent site Cycling Languedoc for the information. If you are looking to plan a cycling holiday in the region, you will benefit greatly from this website.

http://cyclinglanguedoc.com/practicalinfo/the-tour-de-france-in-languedoc

Tour de France 2013

The 100th Tour de France begins on 29th June, 2013, taking the riders, on a 3,360-km route that will remain exclusively within France's borders. Starting on the island of Corsica, the Tour will then travel from Nice through Provence to to Marseille, and on to Montpellier for Stage 5, and for Stage 6, they will depart Montpellier passing through the stunning Haut Languedoc on their way to the stage finish at Albi. This will provide a wonderful opportunity for those of you holidaying in Languedoc in early July, to see what may prove to be the "cleanest" Tour in years.
Unsurprisingly, the highlight stage looks to be in the Alps on July 18th when the l'Alpe d'Huez will be climbed twice!

Wine + Pézenas = a match made in heaven

This is the Bar á Vin on Cours Jean Jaures in Pézenas - it's a 10 minute walk from our villa, at the edge of the old town heart of Pézenas, and a perfect excuse to stop and enjoy the street atmosphere of this wonderful medieval area. With a beautiful house white or red, costing only €3 a generous glass, to draw you in, this wine bar also serves food, tapas-style, in the evenings, and has an extensive wine list featuring many of the region's best. 

If you are interested in visiting some vineyards, there are many hundreds to choose from in the area - we can recommend a trip to Domaine Montrose on the road to Tourbes, less than 2 miles from the villa; it's a wonderful working domaine, and their wines are much admired and prized. Their reds are excellent, look out for the wonderful Merlot - though I've often heard their Rosé is award-winning. 

It's a vineyard of 85 hectares, with the objective of creating great wines from the south.

According to their website, in order to achieve this, they have adopted environmentally friendly agricultural practices, which allow a "better expression of the terroir". Red grapes and rosés are planted on "Villafranchian gravel" (small pebbles) and basalt, with scarce water reserves and deep roots for obtaining concentrated and balanced wines. The rosés are harvested early to retain freshness and fruit. The white varieties are planted on clay and limestone marl to promote smoothness and elegance. Some parcels of Chardonnay are planted on the basalt to contribute to the minerality of the wine.

Grapes varieties used at the Domaine are:-

Reds: Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Mourvedre, Carignan.

Whites: Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, rolles (Vermentino), muscat petits grains.

During the harvest, whites and rosés are picked at night to preserve their full flavor and prevent oxidation of musts by the sun. White and red are stored in refrigerated bins, via temperature-controlled tanks until bottling local storage and kept at low temperature to avoid altering the wine.

Here's the link to their website http://www.domaine-montrose.com/

Spring time in Pézenas - think Poppies

Continuing past the Coteau, 100m up the hill, you come to the Pezenas water tower. (It's visible from the outstkirts of town, and really helps to guide you to the Coteau!) On our third visit to Pézenas in May 2009, one evening, we turned right out of the domaine and walked up to the water tower, 3 year old daughter in tow. We were simply stunned and speechless as we looked down the hill onto a field of poppies as far as the eye could see. Our reaction was a combination of sheer surprise and visual overload. A real sense of awe at the natural beauty of the area, creative inspiration perhaps? Pézenas, renowned creative, arty town, beloved by craftsmen, artists and writers - now I understand it all a little better.

Languedoc Beaches and Resorts

Even though I am partial to lounging poolside, kids will usually demand a day out and the beach tends to be an easy and enjoyable option. Exploring the beaches of the region, the "best" beach depends on your needs and taste.

Cap d'Agde - the large resort at the coast 20 minutes from Pézenas- is a trendy summer destination. It has a choice of 11 beaches, some wilder and quieter, others packed with beach bodies and restaurants on the promenade!

On the left of the map is our personal favourite - La Tamarissiere - a small, shallow family beach surrounded by pine forest. It's simple and it's beautiful.

Further up the coast are the flashier beaches of Rochelongue, the smart area of Grau d'Agde with restaurants, cafe bars, etc., and the essential Aqualand (and Capitaine Jacko for the younger kids). It all really depends on what you are looking for, but one thing is for sure - it's all there in Cap d'Agde.

There's a great "Virtual Visit" section on the Cap d'Agde Tourism website where I found this map - be sure to take a look as it gives you a good idea of which area will meet you needs.

http://www.en.capdagde.com/

Cycling in Languedoc = Cycling Heaven

"Going to Languedoc without your bike is like going to a golf club without your clubs." (Armstrong, 2005). Well no actually, that's just me and my opinion... Having over 20 years' experience cycling the length of France twice and on into Italy, this region has all you could ask for. Within 30 kms of Pezenas you can have mountains, climbs or coastal flat roads, and in between there are a maze of fantastic villages between the vast vineyards of the Languedoc. I have had some truly glorious spins here.
It's no wonder that 'le Tour' passes within striking distance every year. See the clip below of the Tour spinning through on the very scenic road to Roujan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUzdA5xkpbs

As you would expect the French cyclists are abundant in this area, the sight of whom will leave you hankering for your bike!
There are several cycling clubs in the area - notably Pezenas VCLL, and the very pro Montagnac AC. In fact, most the towns have a club or group who are usually welcoming to a fellow velo'ist and will show you through the labyrinth of minor backroads and villages on their Sunday morning spins. All ages and abilities are involved but don't be misled by appearances - some of the older chaps can easily humiliate someone 20 years younger; their life long passion for cycling has seen them easily maintain their fantastic condition...:)