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Connoisseurs of South
France, considerate the western part of it as the only true and genuine South
France; In the eastern part with the Cote d’Azur and Provence, the last mountain
village is fallen a prey to artists or other rich people, but Languedoc
Roussillon remained a region with wild, harsh and often difficult to get to,
beauties.
In the remote parts of de Cevennes, Corbieres or the Pyrenees, the country
traditions which are deeply rooted in French soil, shows us the “France Profonde”
(Deep France). The landscaped here are so stretched out thta beye cannot see the
end. In the inner country, even in high season you can mingle with the
population. The slow everyday life doesn’t attract that many tourists, just
amateurs. But the beaches are an enormous attraction. I must admit that during
summer when the companies ands offices give their holidays to their employees,
the beaches in Languedoc are like hell. Terrible!! And not to advise! But
outside these places, the lagunas and other beaches remain relatively calm.
The concentration of tourists in a few spots has its advantages: when the same
in Costa Brava and Cote d’Azur happens, the coast disappears under the concrete.
Not in Languedoc or so rarely.
Next to nature beauty, well distinguished between the contrast of sea and
mountain, there is a diversity of cultures. Spanish temper in Roussillon,
Mediterranean care-free in the harbors of the Golfed u Lion and protestant
severity in the Cevennes. That's how the Midi always seems to have another face.
In the course of Ages, the name Languedoc had different meanings: A middle age
man thought about the “langue d’oc” the “oc “ being the language spoken in south
of France. The borders of the old province Languedoc were a bit larger than the
ones today. The region Languedoc Roussillon today comprehends the departments
Pyrenees Orientals, Roussillon, Aude, Herault, Gard and Lozčre. The coast of
Languedoc has beautiful sand beaches. Direct thereafter the lie the briny lakes,
in fact pieces cut off from the sea by the alluvium of sand banks. The flat
country behind that has the important cities en have great vineyards fields so
far eye can reach.
Near Nimes and Montpellier lie the “garrigues”, a wild and partly bold area,
partly covered with hills eaten by underwood and scrub. The hinterland is part
of the Massif Central. |
