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France is organized into Regions>Departments> Cities/towns/villages. For example, Gard is a department of the Languedoc-Roussillon Region. Uzes is a town in the Gard department. Herault is also a department of the the Languedoc-Roussillon region. I thought it was a good idea to organize GoingEuro.com Southern France along the same lines. For example you will find information on Uzes by clicking on the link for the Department of Gard or if you want information on Montpellier you would click on the link for the Department of Herault and so on. This site is an ongoing project, so I will be adding additional places from time to time. When I add a new place I will put a “New-added on such and such date” beside the entry. If I update a page I will put “Updated on such and such date” to let you know to check that particular page for additional information. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to send me an email.
Thank you for stopping by. Have a safe and enjoyable trip! Be sure to check out the Travel/Guide Books for a list of recommended guide books to take on your trip.
My directions and travel suggestions are aimed at those who are going to the Mas Esperandieu.
There is a TVG station at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport. The trip to Avignon takes approximates 2 1/2 hours. For more information about the TVG or purchase tickets click on the link. The site has an English version. When you are purchasing your ticket you have the option of a unreserved seat or for an extra charge to reserve a seat. I have noticed on several occasions the train can get crowded. On two occasions someone was actually in my seat, so I find it’s worth it to spend the extra money and reserve a seat. Hunting around for a unoccupied seat time can be difficult and time consuming not too mention trying to keep track of your luggage. It’s better to be assured a pleasant uninterrupted trip.
The car rental agencies are right outside of the Avignon-TVG station. I like using Avis France. For more information click on the link. The website is in French and English.
The other option if you do not want to fly into Paris and take the train down is to fly into Montpellier or Marseille. Unless you can get a really good deal on a flight into Paris it’s probably cheaper to book your ticket to a city in southern France when factoring in both the cost of the airline ticket and train ticket and you tend to arrive sooner. I love taking the train, but I do seem to get in later than I would have had I opted to fly into Montpellier or even Marseille, which is a little farther a way. Something to consider. Also I found flying into Marseille is cheaper than flying into Montpellier. Of course with airlines you never know what you are going to pay so it’s a good idea to compare prices for flying into both cities. I prefer Montpellier because it is closer to the Mas. But every now and then I do like to spend a day or two in Marseille enjoying the scenery and bouillabaisse. One thing to note when flying from the US you fly into Paris and from there catch a connecting flight to Marseille or Montpellier. I believe the only French city you can fly directly into from the US is Nice.
From the UK several airlines fly directly into Nimes, which about half hour from the Mas.
On several trips I wanted to try a restaurant/bar mentioned in a guide book in places like Nimes or Aix-en-Provence, but the maps in the guides for these places did not name all the streets or did not have a street index making it difficult to find the place. Sometimes I got so frustrated I just gave up. So now before leaving on the trip I will go to www.mapquest.com and plot out the route either from my hotel or from a main point such as the town square to the restaurant. I will print out the route including a map and bring it with me.
If you are planning on doing any walking or hiking you should pick up a TopoGuide. There are a number of books in the series that cover different parts of France. For example there is one for Gard (ISBN 978-2-7514-0081-0) that features 53 different walks/hikes in the area. The guides are in French, but a basic knowledge of French is all you really need because their are detailed maps and symbols. Available at bookshops and tourist offices in France and in London at Stanfords Travel Bookshop. If you are in the US Stanfords will ship the book to you, but it might be cheaper to wait and pick up a copy in France. However, I do think it is useful to have the book in hand while planning the trip.
Other websites that cover the South France:
ProvenceBeyond - travel information in English.
Office of Tourism for France - Searchable events calendar and listing of towns in France along with links to local tourism websites.
France for Families - Under Regions>Markets in Languedoc-Rousillion there is a list of the markets by the day of week. There is also a section on wine tasting under Food+Wine.
Languedoc Home Page - The site has sections on buying property in France and living in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
House Rentals:
Beautifully restored mas (French for farm house). Located in the department Gard in the Languedoc-Roussillon region . For more information including photos go to www.mas-esperandieu.com.
Specialty Tour Operators:
GoBarging - Offers luxury barge cruises along the waterways of France. The regions covered are Provence, South of France, Burgundy, Liore, Alsace Lorraine & Beaujolais. Some cruises spefically focus on wine, art and golf.
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