Languedoc-Roussillon
France
- Countryside
- Med-side mountains and mediaeval marvels
- Country life
- Brocante browsing, aqueduct admiring
Sprawling from the chestnut-dotted Cévennes Mountains to a flamingo-flanked Mediterranean Coast, by way of magnificent ancient cities and rolling winelands, this region has reason to puff out its chest when declaring its geographical and metropolitan offerings.
Not only does Languedoc-Roussillon boast breathtaking sun-soaked landscapes and world-class eating and drinking, but each slice of this Provence-complementing province has its own distinct flavour. Soak up the vineyards of the Uzège, ogle the awe-inspiring Pont du Gard and take in superb Roman relics in Nîmes. Then spice up your time away by dipping into a calendar of cultural treasures old and new in Uzès and Montpellier.
Pictured: Jardins Secrets
Boutique hotels in Languedoc-Roussillon
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and boutique hotels in Languedoc-Roussillon. There are more Smith hotels nearby in Provence and Vaucluse.
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Getting there
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
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Worth getting out of bed for
The best Languedoc-Roussillon has to offer, from picturesque picnic points to the best tourist tick-boxes…
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Eating, drinking & dancing
We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Languedoc-Roussillon. All you have to do is make sure you've packed your favourite threads…
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Smith Maps
Here is the map of Languedoc-Roussillon; each Mr & Mrs Smith hotel is marked by a flag; click it for more details.
moreLocal knowledge
- Taxis
- You’re unlikely to need a cab in the smaller cities, since the streets were made for strolling; in Montpellier there’s a shiny tramway linking the station, Place de la Comédie and the Eighties-built new town, Antigone. If you do want one, it’s not possible to flag taxis down; you’ll need to call them and, if it’s a late-night-returning-to-the-sticks scenario, book in advance through your hotel.
- Tipping culture
- A 15 per cent service charge is included in French restaurant and café bills by law; it is also usual to round up the bill or leave a few euros. Tip taxis 10 per cent.
- Siesta and Fiesta
- Most shops open from 09h–12h and 15h–19h and are closed on Sunday. Banks open from 09h–12h then 13h30–17h30. People usually go out to eat around 20h. Lunch service often ends at 13h30. There are no nightclubs – it’s a sleepy area.
- Packing tips
- Cobble-friendly sandals rather than stilettos; proper sunglasses; foldaway extra bag for all the cool old Pastis bottles, glassware and mid-century lamps you’ll find in the brocantes.
- Recommended reads
- The poems of Sète-born Paul Valéry, sometime surrealist and namesake of Montpellier’s university of arts and literature. The Incomplete Husband by Ben Faccini.
- Cuisine
- Look out for bourride de Sète, a local seafood speciality. Cassoulet is the regional dish of the Languedoc-Roussillon. The area is also well known for three foods: a zingy goat's cheese called Pélardon; garlic – which is grown in abundance here; and olive oil. Expect a combination of them in most restaurants, if not most dishes. All of these are best purchased from a local market (usually on Wednesday mornings and all day on Saturdays), or from speciality deli and grocer's Les Terroirs à Uzès, at 5 Place aux Herbes, in Uzès. Wash down with the region's plentiful supply of Rhône Valley reds and rosemary-tinged white wines.
- Currency
- Euro (€).
- Dialing codes
- Country code for France: 33. Languedoc-Roussillon: (0)4.
- Do go/don't go
- High season (July, August and early September) is the busiest tourist period, but it’s more buzzy than crowded. Late September is quieter, but there’s still some action to be had.