Villa Du Midi is set in a beautiful Languedoc working wine village in the Hérault department of southern France, around 30km west of Béziers.
Stroll down the lane into the heart of the village, within 300m, and there’s a little grocery store, a good butchers that is open in the morning as well as a Tabac bar and pharmacy. Visit the beautiful village church and there is even a little museum. On a Tuesday and Friday morning head to the little market in the square selling seasonal fruit, vegetables, fish and paella! On a Friday evening look out for the pizza van in the village square and in August there is usually a Fête de Village with amazing firework displays.
The area is rich in fossils - indeed, the village made the news when a nearly complete 70-million year old dinosaur skeleton was discovered in the nearby forest (in fact it was the neighbour's son who found it when walking his dog!).
The nearest restaurant is around a 15-minute stroll away along a lane which isn’t usually busy with cars – it’s handy to have a torch for the way back if dark (you’ll find one in the summer kitchen downstairs). Otherwise there’s a good auberge around a 10-minute drive away and further restaurants in and around local villages including Capestang (10km), also home to a large supermarket.
Explore the countryside surrounding the village with its vineyards – wine-tastings can be arranged at Villa Du Midi or you can be picked up and taken for a wine tour of nearby Languedoc vineyards and wineries. This area is steeped in wine history – the wine revolt started nearby leading to the creation of the ‘Appellation Controleé' label. The flag the wine-makers carried all the way to Paris is in the village museum. This really is the perfect location for getting to know the many excellent yet relatively unknown Languedoc wines.
There are some lovely walks through the pinewoods of Sériège and horse-riding opportunities either a ten-minute drive away or along the coast at Gruissan Plage. Kayaking and canoeing is also extremely popular in this region – Roquebrun is an idyllic spot on the Orb river, as is Cessenon-sur-Orb (also great for fishing and summer swimming), both within half an hour.
The Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is just a short drive away – hire bikes and cycle along the tow path as the canal winds its way through the Languedoc countryside, passing close to Hérault and Aude wine villages such as Argeliers and Capestang, then onwards to Oppidum D'Enserune, the Malpas tunnel and Béziers with its famous nine locks.
The vibrant town of Béziers is another great day out - if staying in August then you may be fortunate enough to enjoy the town’s Feria with street festivities and fireworks alongside traditional Spanish bull-fighting.
The Canal du Midi also goes through Narbonne (22km), a small city with a picturesque medieval quarter, magnificent cathedral and bustling indoor market. Beyond the city, admire the beautiful architecture of Abbaye de Fontfroide which often hosts classical concerts on summer evenings – a magical experience.
If you wish to spend a day by the Mediterranean, Gruissan is a charming former fishing village with a modern marina, nearby saltpans and a large beach. The coastline around here is a paradise for windsurf enthusiasts and there are many brilliant mountain biking routes.
Of course, this part of southern France is also named as ‘Cathar Country’ with its historic castles scattered across Languedoc-Roussillon and beyond for an adventurous day out – famous castles include Château de Lastours, Château de Peyrepertuse, Château de Quéribus and Montségur. If visiting Minerve, a former Cathar stronghold, look out for idyllic rock pools and swimming spots in the summer.
The Region
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of those areas of France where you can feel like you’re totally cut off from the rest of the country. Commercial tourism has been very slow to capitalise on the region, meaning you can still enjoy a slice of authentic French rural life at its finest. A mixture of landscapes also makes it a great place to visit, with a good stretch of coastline offering a totally different experience to more bucolic interiors. Whatever you’re looking for, our range of villas and chateaux in Languedoc means you can get exactly the kind of holiday you want with accommodation that’s perfectly tailored to you, your friends and your family.
