Customer Reviews

The Rough Guide to Languedoc and Roussillon 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'd visited this region in 2000, and want to return there soon to live in retirement. This guide is more useful than the ones I had in 2000. It does a great job of showing the tourist where the interesting stops are, and is also rather good more generally in discussing the "good life" in this area of France. I've yet to buy a Rough Guide that disappoints.

I'm in the process of planning a trip to the Languedoc and I've been reading several guides to the region. This is not a terrible guide, but it's the one I liked the least.

This book would be good if you already know exactly where you want to go and what you want to do. For example, there is plenty of specific information on things like opening hours and places to stay. It's very well researched. But if you're earlier in the planning stages than that, it doesn't really do it. The chapters leap about from place to place and it gets confusing trying to work out where they are in relation to one another. Moreover, nowhere sounds particularly enticing! (Apart from Montpellier: clearly a favorite of the author). Several towns that are singled out as highlights in other guidebooks rate only passing mentions here.

To me, part of the enjoyment of a holiday is reading and thinking in advance about where to go and what to see. After reading this book, I half-felt like I'd be better off going somewhere else. It just doesn't make Languedoc and Roussillon sound very appealing. Sort of the equivalent of a recipe book with no appetite appeal.

Post script: Having now returned from visiting the region, I would urge you not to miss Collioure which is a charming little town by the sea, not too far from Perpignan. My profile photo was taken in Albi, which is also a very nice spot.

I'll be leaving for the south of France in a week, so I've poured through this book doing all of my research and homework before leaving.
I think it gave a fairly comprehensive view of the region. I liked the way it was arranged into different areas and just enough info about various villages.