THE BEZIERS FERIA

• In August

• 20 minutes from the campsite by car

The Béziers Feria, which is held in August, is the largest summer event in the Languedoc-Roussillon region with almost one million people flocking to it every year.

At the heart of the Feria are the arenas and their celebrated bull fights. And when they are finished, the city centre comes alive with the main festival around its bodegas (bars) and casitas (cafés) with a host of events and a renowned Equestrian Village, to the accompaniment of a multitude of street bands. And until dawn Béziers thrills to the rhythm of Sevillana flamenco dances.

THE CANAL DU MIDI

• A trip that goes with the flow

• Charming stopping places

The classification by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on 7th December 1996 restored the soul of one of the oldest canals still in use, now entirely dedicated to tourism. It was built between 1667 and 1681 in under the reign of Louis XIV, was named the Royal Canal until the French Revolution, and covers a distance of 240 km. With a width ranging between 20 and 24 metres and an average depth of 2 metres, it has 69 locks and 350 engineering works along its length which help with navigation. It is extended for a further 193 km to the Atlantic Ocean by the Latéral à la Garonne Canal. It is State owned and 350 employees of the Voies Navigables de France (French Inland Waterways Authority) work all year round to guarantee a tranquil and safe environment for users of the Canal du Midi.

 

AGDE

• The black pearl and its ramparts

• Beaches as far as the eye can see.

discovering the history of the town of Agde and its ramparts. With its Greek origins and turbulent medieval period, Agde offers much of historical interest to explore in the town centre, the oldest part of which dates back to 5 BC. Set off to discover the architecture fashioned out of anthracite-coloured volcanic stone, the narrow back streets and the 16th and 17th century houses and private mansions.

The ramparts. Bearing witness to 2,600 years of history, the foundations of the ramparts in Agde date back to the 6th and 4th centuries BC, which makes them amongst the oldest in France. Almost hidden half way up you can glimpse the ancient 4 wave crest fixed on the ramparts during the wars of religion.

La glacière, the cradle of the town. This district, which was originally surrounded by ramparts, harbours remains from Greek and medieval times. Its name comes from the underground ice house which was used in times gone by to preserve winter ice for the summer and was formerly the district where the town notables lived.  Today it still bears the mark of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.
You can download the audio guided walk (mp3 file)

The Maison Consulaire. This is entirely built of volcanic stone in the Italian Renaissance style, and can be found on the edge of the town, at the crossroads of the lively and commercial streets, rues Jean Roger, Louis Bages and Honoré Mutatet.
It is steeped in history and was built in 1651 and extended in the second half of the 18th century. Today, it is a three storey building with three façades and a distinctive market hall with arcades running through which was used for fairs and markets. Inside a monumental staircase leads to the marriage room (formerly the consul’s room) decorated in 1939 by Spanish artists taking refuge in Agde. It was formerly the Town Hall and currently is home to the Maison du cœur de ville.
 

VINEYARDS

• There are many wine estates to visit

• A rich history and wide range of grape varieties

The Land of Great Appellation Wines

Names which have a ring to them, that summon up images of hillsides scorched by the sun, river beds and dry stone wall terraces, which are redolent of sea spray and the scents of the wild garrigue scrubland.  Man has dug over and mastered this generous slice of nature, creating landscapes to be admired and beautiful wines to enjoy.
Wines that are shaped by the prevailing winds, wines delicious in character which reflect the region and are redolent of the Languedoc.

A Land Marked by Momentous Events

The Languedoc of today was shaped by the flamboyant and revolutionary events of its past. Greeks, Romans, Benedictines and Cathars have all left their mark, building the Languedocian Civilisation brick by brick.

A unique and aromatic land

There is grandeur in this Languedoc fashioned by history and its great men, by the light, the wind, and the Mediterranean. Here, you will find ruins of chateaux, cathedrals, rocky promontories and even sea foam juxtaposed against the sky. Here, roads wander to far horizons, the land unfolds ending in eternity, and words bear powerful witness to the spirit of rebellion. Word bearing powerful witness to the spirit of rebellion in the Occitan language.  The identity and originality of the Languedoc region comes from its grandeur, a grandeur which finds total expression in its great wines.
The land of the Languedoc, a land that is deliciously aromatic …. The aromas of saffron, the perfume of the bay trees, the scent of anise plants, the accent of thyme and the fragrance of the juniper tree are repeated from vineyard to vineyard  throughout the wine estates of the Languedoc.

A range of wines with a Languedocian accent

Reds, Whites, Rosés and sparkling wine, the AOC wines of the Languedoc come in all colours, and that sparkles! A range which depicts the landscapes of the Languedoc region and which underlines its unique character.

 

CARCASSONNE

• A fortified town

• Many sites to visit

• History of Cathar country

The town of Carcassonne, on the right bank of the Aude River, was awarded World Heritage Classification by UNESCO in 1997. It is the high point for tourists visiting the town with more than 4 million visitors every year including almost 500,000 visits to the Chateau Comtal and its ramparts. It is the second most visited tourist site in France after Mont-Saint-Michel.

This mediaeval collection of buildings is unique in Europe both for its size and its state of preservation. The fortified city is surrounded by two rows of ramparts and has a chateau, the Chateau Comtal and the SaintNazaire Basilica.

The fortified city of Carcassonne and the pont Vieu crossing the Aude River.

The Chateau Comtal

The Chateau Comtal in the fortified city of Carcassonne

Located in the centre of the fortified city of Carcassonne, the Chateau Comtal is a fortress which used to be home to the Viscounts of Carcassonne. Some of its foundations lie over a 1st century Roman domus. It was a site which soon became a place of power. The new Chateau Comtal was built at the beginning of the 12th century and today a part of the tower still remains. It underwent numerous alterations over the centuries in particular in 1229, when, after falling into Royal hands, it became the headquarters of the Seneschal of France. From 1240 to 1250, the outer walls were built as fortifications. This enclosure is made up of a curtain wall, round towers, entrance towers, the barbican and a moat.

The chateau is open to visitors all year round and gives access to the city ramparts. It also houses a Stone Museum and a permanent exhibition on the restoration of the fortified city in the 19th century.

The Saint-Nazaire Basilica is a church of Roman origin dating back to the 11th century. It was originally a simple church blessed and consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1096. There used to be a Carolingian Cathedral on the same site, of which no trace remains today. The crypt also dates back to the time that the new cathedral was built by the Trencavel family, despite its state of deterioration which indicates the contrary. The original windows of the basilica are now in the Saint-Chapelle church in Paris.