LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON INFORMATION
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON Topography
The region of Languedoc-Roussillon encompasses the southern French départements of Aude, Gard, Hérault, Lozère and Pyrénées-Orientales. The region is roughly the same as the former province of Languedoc, plus the former province of Roussillon [which is now roughly the département of Pyrénées-Orientales]. Montpellier is the region’s capital. The region is bounded by the region of Auvergne, to the north, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, to the east, the Mediterran to the southeast, Spain to the south, and the region of Midi-Pyrénées to the west.
The Massif Central marks the northwestern borders of the départements of Gard, Hérault, and Aude. It also extends into the département of Lozère. The plain of Languedoc faces the Mediterranean. The plain of Roussillon is to the southwest. It is separated from the plain of Languedoc by the Corbières mountains. The Pyrénées mountains are to the south. A Mediterranean climate prevails along the coast and a mountain climate is found in Lozère and the Pyrénées.
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON Climate
Climate is rather hot for France. Languedoc is significantly hotter than Bordeaux, and shares similarities with the Rhône Valley. It is also more regularly sunny. There is less variation year on year than in other French regions, although vintage is still relevant: for example, it still holds true that, say, 2003 was freakishly hot and this affected the wines, just as this is the case for Bordeaux.
This region enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot and dry summers, and warm falls and springs. Winters are cool but sunny, and almost never reach freezing temperatures. Precipitations are among the lowest in France, and the ever-present "cers", a local name for the wind from inland, helps dry vines and prevent diseases. In a few words, it is an ideal winegrowing climate.
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON Demography
At January 1st 2006, the number of inhabitants of Languedoc-Roussillon was estimated at 2 520 000 inhabitants, is more or less 4% of the population of the Metropolitan France. The demographic growth rate of the area is highest of France. It is above all due to migratory balance (+ 1,24% per annum since 1999), the natural balance being very weak (+ 0,12% annually).
LANGUEDOC-ROUSILLON Geography
The region is made up of the following historical provinces:
68.7% of Languedoc-Roussillon was formerly part the province of Languedoc: the departments of Hérault, Gard, Aude, the extreme south and extreme east of Lozère, and the extreme north of Pyrénées-Orientales. The former province of Languedoc also extends over the Midi-Pyrénées region, including the old capital of Languedoc Toulouse.
17.9% of Languedoc-Roussillon was formerly the province of Gévaudan: Lozère department. A small part of the former Gévaudan lies inside the current Auvergne region. Gévaudan is often considered to be a sub-province inside the province of Languedoc, in which case Languedoc would account for 86.6% of Languedoc-Roussillon.
13.4% of Languedoc-Roussillon, located in the southernmost part of the region, is a collection of five historical Catalan pays: Roussillon, Vallespir, Conflent, Capcir, and Cerdagne, all of which are in turn included -east to west- in the Pyrénées-Orientales département. These pays were part of the Ancient Regime province of Roussillon, owning its name to the largest and most populous of the five pays, Roussillon. "Province of Roussillon and adjacent lands of Cerdagne" was indeed the name that was officially used after the area became French in 1659, based on the historical division of the five pays between the county of Roussillon (Roussillon and Vallespir) and the county of Cerdagne (Cerdagne, Capcir, and Conflent).
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON Main cities
Adge, Aigues-Mortes, Carcassonne, Le Cap d'Adge, Montpellier, Nîmes, Perpignan, Pezenas, Uzes.
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON Wine
The Languedoc-Roussillon region is dominated by 740,300 acres (2,996 km2) of vineyards, three times the combined area of the vineyards in Bordeaux. The region has been an important winemaking centre for centuries. Grapevines are said to have existed in the South of France since the Pliocene period - before the existence of Homo sapiens. The first vineyards of Gaul developed around two towns: Béziers and Narbonne. The Mediterranean climate and plentiful land with soil ranging from rocky sand to thick clay was very suitable for the production of wine, and it is estimated that one in ten bottles of the world's wine was produced in this region during the 20th century (Robinson 1999:395). Despite this enormous quantity, the area's significance was often overlooked by scholarly publications and commercial journals, largely because very little of the wine being produced was classified under an appellation contrôlée until the 1980s (Joseph 2005:190).
Several entrepreneurs like Robert Skalli and James Herrick drastically changed the face of the region, planting more commercially viable grape varieties and pushing for new AOC classifications. While the AOC system has origins in the 15th century, the Languedoc-Roussillon has some appellations like the Cabardes which have only existed by law since 1999 (Joseph 2005:190).
The region is the largest contributor to the European Union's glut (dominance of supply over demand) of wine known as the wine lake.
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON HOLIDAY RENTALS in Region of FRANCE
MORE THAN 10.000 B&B in all France
MORE THAN 10.000 Gîtes in all France
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