Living in Languedoc - the real South of France

They say that living in France is like going back 20 years in time - and that's doubly true of Languedoc. Still unspoilt by over-development (like Spain has been to the south) or by the bling! bling! of nouveau-millionaire excess (like the Côte d'Azur to the north) Languedoc still is France's best kept secret.

Dramatic landscapes, intense weather, the tradtional conservatism of the local villages and towns, a history of rebellion, that uniquely French passion for wine and all things culinary, and recent 'boom-town' growth and development, make Languedoc an endlessly exciting place to live.

Why did they come? What keeps them here? And what advice do they have for you? 9 Languedoc residents bare and share all...

With all of that in mind, the 'Living in Languedoc' section of the website has been created to give those of you thinking of moving to Languedoc a sense of what life might be like if you were to take the plunge. And also to give those of you who do live here the resources you need to make living in Languedoc that bit more exciting.

For example, our Restaurant Review Section now boasts 181 restaurant reviews, written by people who live here about the best restaurants in the region. So there's no longer any excuse for putting up with the same old 'salad de chèvre chaud' fare at your local cafe when there are so many great restaurants a stone's throw away.

Our Languedoc Forum is a great way to get answers to any problem you might be facing - be it on the latest laws on swimming pool surrounds, or whether anyone can recommend a good tennis club. It's also a good way to meet new people.

Our Yellow Pages - the Languedoc Directory - lists all sorts of local businesses, to help get your new house renovated, find french lessons, or get legal advice.

Similarly, our Le Village section represents a lively community of local artists, clubs & organisations and local businesses. Browsing through their 'mini-sites' is like walking down the main street of a village, peering through the windows at much of what the local Languedoc expatriate community has to offer.

We've also tried to include a number of articles and links to websites and blogs - to give you other sources of Languedoc-related information. If there's anything you feel we should add to this section of the website, or if you'd like to give us any other sort of feedback, just click here.