News from Caussi.com

A Stroll in Pezenas

By Justin Postlethwaite

Editor, FrenchEntrée  (Susan: this is one of our favorite websites about France so I was thrilled to find this ode to Pezenas--don't miss the Saturday morning market.  Take the back road from Faugeres to Pezenas for a lovely tour through the hills and the vineyards toward the coast.)

Let’s start in the best place imaginable – a sun-kissed lunch table in the Languedoc. I’m perched on an unremarkable restaurant terrace in the centre of Pézenas, a staggeringly pretty small town with Molière connections (more of this later), and set before me is a giant mound of perfectly dressed duck salad. Beside it sits a welcoming cold beer and 10 yards away the hubbub of Saturday morning dissipates under the 1pm sun as the weekly market winds down.

The latter day wanderer seeking intrigue, stimulation and beauty at every turn should head to Pézenas, a town of quintessential rustic comeliness where it’s enjoyable to become fully lost in its mazy sidestreets. Cast your map aside as I did and the rewards for eyes-wide, lazy strolling are rich. Around this corner is bustling Place Gambetta, the town’s picture-perfect social hub framed by cafés and restaurants. Down that narrow, bunting-lined street (Rue Conti) is a row of artisan craft shops and a horsemeat butcher (topical!) while up that small lane where a cat snoozes in the sun is a hôtel particulier with ornate staircases and a courtyard of Moroccan riad proportions. These private mansions opening out on to magnificent courtyards and gardens form the town’s splendidly preserved cluster of 15th-18th century buildings. Less a step back-in time, more a giant stride.

Those for whom the randomness of flânerie is too much could seek guidance at the magnificently housed tourist office, set in a 17th-century private mansion, the Hôtel du Peyrat. The building also presents Scenovision Molière, a 3D show that recounts the writer’s life and works. He rocked up with his theatre company, L’Illustre Théâtre, in 1650, and put on plays for the General States of Languedoc (the governor of Languedoc was his patron for a while), before returning twice more in 1653 and 1656. It’s believed that time spent in Pézenas shaped Moliére’s work considerably – and local authorities are keen to embrace the fact as a tourist pull. Keep an eye out for a square, statue, café and more dedicated to the man born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. There are also plenty of Molière-inspired live events staged in the town, as well as the Mirondela dels Arts that kicks off the summer season.

Pézenas is a wonderfully vibrant place, with a busy Saturday market, craft evenings on Wednesdays and Fridays in the summer, as well as wine growers’ soirée Les Estivales du Vin on Friday evenings. There is a major crafts scene in play here. The town proudly displays its coveted Town of Arts and Crafts label and you can’t walk 20 yards without chancing upon another artist in residence, a stained glass maker, potter, jeweller or a wood worker chiselling his latest creation. There are artisan biscuit makers, sweet shops piled high with packets of boiled berlingot sweets and small bakers selling the noted local delicacy, the petit pâté de Pézenas, a sweet-savoury lamb parcel that’s perfect for a lunchime snack. All of these great ouvriers present souvenir ideas, as does a nose around one of the town’s 50 or so antique dealers.

I might not be quite what flânerie fan Baudelaire characterized as a “gentleman stroller of city streets”, but I know what I like when it comes to France’s illustrious towns of art and history. Head to Pézenas and you will too. Being told to “get lost” will never sound so appealing.

For more information please visit www.pezenas-tourisme.fr

In Montpellier, cypresses grow as high as ....

From the New York Times: FEB. 26, 2015

By EMILY BRENNAN

In Montpellier, cypresses grow as high as the bell tower of Eglise Ste.-Thérèse. Whelks, caught that morning from the nearby Mediterranean Sea, are sold by the dozen with a side of aioli at the covered market Halles Castellane. The Musée Fabre, a national museum that houses works by the likes of Delacroix and Courbet in a grand 18th-century chateau, manages to feel inviting, not intimidating. Even its visitors, sipping their espresso at the cafe Insensé on the front lawn, look more like leisured houseguests than the sort of wearied tourists you see at the Louvre. Montpellier, France’s eighth-largest city, is blessed with a Mediterranean sun and a beautiful, walkable historic center, a tourist destination in its own right….

.On our way back to Montpellier after a night in the countryside, I began to see its originality. It lay not in the center’s 19th-century architecture, stunning though it may be, particularly the Place de la Comédie and the ornate Italianate opera house there. Nor was it in its vibrant cafe culture, though seemingly every back alley is lined with dimly lighted cafes teeming with young people (among my favorites now are the pub Le Rebuffy, Au P’tit Quart d’Heure, and the Comptoir de L’Arc). What makes Montpellier remarkable is the way nature unexpectedly asserts itself amid all of the stone and concrete.

 It seemed as if our short country visit was making me see, more vividly, the highway divider with a hedge of pink bay bushes. Or the parking lot with two statuesque cypresses at its entrance. Or the single olive tree at the center of a roundabout. More interesting than the city’s plane-tree-lined plazas were people’s gardens, overgrown with lemon trees, palm trees and grapevines. Better still was the Jardin des Plantes, one of the oldest botanical gardens in France and a magnificent trove of Mediterranean flora. 

The night before we returned to New York, I sat on my grandmother-in-law’s balcony admiring the Eglise St.-Roch and, in the distance, the illuminated towers of Cathédrale St.-Pierre, proud that I now knew their names. Looking out over the Spanish-tiled houses, as I finished the last of the pastis, I thought, “I wish we had more time here.”

If You Go Montpellier

At the covered market Halles Castellane (Rue de la Loge; 33-4-67-66-29-92) you can buy everything from fresh fruit to cheese to prepared food. Load your plate, grab a table on the terrace and order coffee, wine or pastis from the roving waiter. The market is open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., except Sundays, when it closes at 1:30 p.m.

The Musée Fabre (39 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle; open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; admission, 6 euros, about $6.70 at $1.13 to the euro) has an impressive collection of 17th- to 19th-century European paintings, particularly of Montpellier-born artists like Frédéric Bazille and Auguste-Barthélemy Glaize.

Along the bustling, tree-lined Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle are many lovely cafes and restaurants, including an outpost of the bistro Chez Boris (17 Boulevard Sarrail; chezboris.com), which offers a dizzying number of beef cuts.

The Jardin des Plantes de Montpellier (Boulevard Henri IV;  which boasts 2,000 plant species, is open Tuesday through Sunday; free.

September in Caussi - 2014

Hi Susan,

We got home from Barcelona on Monday evening after a very long day. We all enjoyed our stay at Caussi. It was a different experience for us since we usually plant ourselves in a large city or take a wild tour around the country. This time we took it easy and enjoyed the house, visited several of the spots that you suggested and generally relaxed.

One weekday, my daughter and I went to Serignan Plage and then to Valras Plage for lunch but arrived just as the restaurants were closing. Too bad! The Menus looked very good, particularly for fish. This beach is a good destination on September weekdays since it is relatively quiet. We did get our shorefront meal a couple of days later at Meze on a beautiful day.

We stayed near Collioure for a few days after leaving Caussi. I would recommend Collioure as a day trip to those who do not mind a comparatively long day on the road.

Our stay at Caussi was a welcome time of tranquility sandwiched between a hectic beginning and a hectic end of our vacation in Europe.

Pete & Jeanne

Utterly Transformative Experience - A visit in July 2014

Note from Susan:  I asked Jim, a New York professor who has twice spent three weeks at our house, whether he would post comments about his stay on our VRBO page. I was honored to read what's below and have copied here to our Caussi site.

 

It may well be that the constellation of experiences one can have from a visit to this village and a stay at this home has wrecked me for other vacations, but I'm the better for it. 

 

In what follows, I will gush to the point that you may suspect me of being a plant. I'm not: This is my second time renting here.  From the utter congeniality of its owners to the wonderful possibilities of staying in this location, I cannot recommend this place more highly. 

 

Within a short distance--that is, a drive of 20-40 minutes at most and sometimes less--you can be swimming on a Mediterranean beach of extraordinary beauty, diving into a pool of fresh water and leaning against a waterfall, eating at a Michelin-star restaurant, hiking in the mountains, marketing in one of many villages or towns in the area, or visiting any of a number of very good winemakers. 

 

Then there's taking off from the village for a 2-hour trip, which would be enough time to visit the art and Roman ruins of Arles as well as the extraordinary birds of the wildlife refuge of the Camargue; Girona in Spain (or Barcelona only an hour more).  All of this is to say that the location and possibilities are extraordinary and fit many ages. 

 

The house itself is a winning combination of amenities and a rustic charm, and suitable for families or couples or individuals of many ages.  You can cook sumptuously in it and relax in it with ease.  Whether it is the view of the Mediterranean towns from the roof deck at night or from the front bedroom, there is a peacefulness to the place, an utter quiet that is restorative. 

 

The owners are honorable and reliable, too. I feel deep affection for this place, which occurred almost instantly but has built over two visits taking place in two different summers, each for multiple weeks.  To my mind, that speaks to one of those rare times when my impulses have not proven themselves wrong.  I've only deepened in satisfaction for this village and this home.

A True Home - from the Nadler family

Note from Susan:

Yaniv and Yael Nadler, along with their daughters Lili and Ada, live in Paris where Yaniv is an architect.  The family has been spending August in Caussiniouojouls for the last eight years (and sometimes New Year's as well).  They've become family friends and Caussi's biggest fans. 

Here's a recommendation that Yaniv posted to our page on VRBO in the fall of 2014:

 

 

Yet again we had a great summer in Caussi. Lili is now 8 years old which means this is our 8th visit.

We wanted to say a few warm words about how the house makes us feel that we are visiting a friends house instead of any ordinary characterless  gite. The house is generous In light, in its scenery, in its effortless style, in its kitchen spices and utensils!  In its bed linen! and more.

It is such an optimistic welcoming house and each time when we sit on the terrace and see the Pyrenees mountains on the south or the fire works on the beach at night (40km away!) it fills us with joy. Beautiful.

For us the house sits on the right spot between mountain and sea. We love to go to the beach at Portiragne but also to Lake Vailhan or for river swimming at Roquebrun. We saw a great exposition of Rosson Crow this year at Serignan and of course we went to the MIAM at Sete. Yael took this year couple more horse riding lessons and has become a real cowgirl :-) even Ada started to take Poney lessons. On the last weekend there was a concert at the Chateau (flute & Harp) and this year we discovered another new great market at Lamalou-les bains (on tuesday). We already miss it till next summer.

The annual Caussi village fete - end of August

Susan,

 Many thanks for a great holiday – we’re missing your charming house already, and you have more Caussi fans in Wales !

 All worked well with Clare and Gilbert (such a nice fella), and your extensive notes proved an ideal foundation.

We were lucky to arrive on the weekend of the Fete De Caussi (I believe the last weekend in August each year), when the village, neighbouring villagers and people of Caussi origins gather for three nights of partying, each night tailored to a slightly different age group. We were made to feel very welcome and played a full singing and dancing part in festivities.

 Other highlights, apart from the delights of your terrace, were Pezenas, particularly the all day Saturday market, and a lovely little restaurant in the old town called Le Poisson Verre. The village of Olargues, beyong Lamalou Les Bains was also a gem, with a great little gift shop (new crafts and antiques) in the centre, and a laid back, and free folk museum telling a really interesting regional story (check out the chestnut crushing shoes!)

 With two teenagers in the family, Roquebrun was ideal for swimming, messing about in your inflatables, and kayaking, and Aqualand, on the Cap D’Agde was expensive (25 euros for adults) but actually good value for middle aged daredevils!!

 And an update on swimming pools - the municipal in Lamalou is really good (and inexpensive), with a grass picnic area.

 And of course, there’s the wine. We tried most of the Faugeres, and didn’t discover a dud, and Vieux Cantal cheese, and a sheep’s milk blue from Malzieu were perfect accompaniments on the terrace.

 We’d love to repeat the experience at some time in the future, thanks again.

Tim

Sete - Fishing Port Near Caussi

In our experience, Sete, an old fashioned colorful harbor town laced with canals with lots of great seafood restaurants lining the docks  either enchants or appalls—we suspect it depends on the time of year and the crowds.  Described as “gritty, salty, workaday,” Sete is France’s biggest Mediterranean port (after Marseilles). We enjoyed our lunch there on a spring weekend.  Visit the Musee Paul Valery (open daily ex Tuesday, 10 to 12, 2 to 6)  It’s also worth going to the top of the Mont. St. Clair as there is a beautiful picnic area and great views of the coast.

Here's what the Nell Haley wrote about Sete after her family's recent visit:

Just a little story: on our last Sunday, we had decided to go explore Sete. From the moment we entered Sete, we knew we'd not get any further that day, we loved the town and the "scene" (as I call it) so much that we wanted to immerse ourselves in it (a port town always presents us midwesterners an exotic quality which maybe New Yorkers wouldn't feel) for the entire day. Just before coming home we went up to the cemetery, since the Green Guide had mentioned Paul Valery's being buried there and wondered what it looked like. Well, we'd forgotten it was Toussaint, and we landed in the middle of an amazing grouping of people--some there as curious tourists, some as families come to tend family graves. It was very moving, and a very appropriate toussaint activity, totally unplanned.

 

 

Best Kids Activities in Languedoc

Here are the nominations (including zoos, a dinosaur museum, swimming, water parks, and more from the popular sites Go Languedoc and Creme de Languedoc.  Would love to hear your suggestions!

 
 

The Canal du Midi - Pride of Beziers

One of the region’s two remarkable UNESCO ‘World Heritage Sites’ the Canal du Midi drifts lazily through Languedoc on its spectacular route from the city of Toulouse to the bustling coastal port of Sete. Uniquely beautiful, with tow-paths famously lined and shaded by 300-year-old plane trees it meanders gently between the pretty, terracotta-topped, canal-side villages.

Inspirational in both concept and construction, the 240 kilometre-long canal connects with the River Garonne to link the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean: thereby avoiding the lengthy and one-time perilous, pirate-plagued sea journey around the hostile Spanish coastline.

Although the advantages of such a route had been contemplated for at least 150 years before its inception (even Leonardo Da Vinci had pondered the possibilities), it was in the mid-seventeenth century that the multitude of technical challenges and obstacles were finally overcome. In 1666 Pierre-Paul Riquet of Beziers persuaded King Louis XIV to commission the project: and so, work commenced. The costs were projected at 3,360 livres.

The construction of the canal was unquestionably an epic and ingenious achievement, incorporating remarkable feats of civil engineering - including 103 locks - and utilising over 12000 labourers. The canal officially opened in 1681: sadly the event was preceded by the unfortunate demise of Monsieur Riquet, who died in 1680. The entrepreneur was massively in debt to the tune of 2m livres, most of which he had invested in the completion of his wondrous waterway. The final cost now totalled some 15m livres! His family inherited his interests in the project: they must have been delighted - investments were never recovered and debts remained for a further 100 years before they were finally paid off.

A sports lovers Caussi stay - May 2009

Dear Susan,

Needless to say we have had a wonderful time in your perfect house in Caussi! We are leaving tomorrow morning so I wanted to drop you a note.

We really appreciated your friend who wrote the descriptions of the bike rides--we did most of them, or variations, although it may have taken us a bit longer as we stretched them out to take up much of the day rather than doing them before breakfast!

Phil of Melo Velos met us at your house when we arrived  and was just putting the front wheels on the bikes are we came up the lane. and he will pick them up tonight at 7 so that we had them today.

We also loved kayaking on the Orb, and in fact after a short trip one day went again for a longer trip a second time. We also loved the hike from Moureze with the view of the Lac du Salagou.

Another great outing was biking from Valras Plage to the L'Oppidium (Roman ruins, see photo below left) an then arriving in Colombiers just in time for an amazing lunch at the Chateau--would recommend it.

We also fell into the camp that rather liked Sete: a delicious meal--real food for real french people. Tonight we are going to La Forge for dinner (rode by on our bikes but it was closed that day!).

Cooking at home, shopping in Laurens (low key, but great strawberries and everything else) and Pezenas (a much bigger deal, but very wonderful), selecting from all the available varieties of delicious cheese, drinking the fresh wonderful Langued'oc red wine have been high points. All in all a wonderful time and there were many things we would have liked to do but had no time for!

Everything in the house is easy to use and has worked perfectly. The deck needless to say is perfect--hard to imagine anything nicer than sitting up there and sipping wine, eating cheese and watching the sun move slowly across the vineyards.....

all the best, and many thanks for sharing your wonderful house,

Kathy

Narbonne - beautiful market, canals, old city

Found this wonderful description of Narbonne:  France on Your Own - Narbonne  It's a  city of great charm, based around the canals, a real Les Halles market, wonderful walking.

Visitor Comments - Swimming, Weather, Tour de France, Chateau de Grezan

July 2007: We took a quick side-trip to Pezenes les Mines and thought it was a beautiful village to stroll and explore. And, if your guests happen to be around when the Tour de France passes by—WOW—do not miss!!!

We loved the beach at Roquebrun; we went there on three hot days and sat in the shade and took dips in the water, with the magnificent view across the way—just lovely. (Our trip to the Mediterranean was not a success; our 11-year-old was very upset by all the naked women! Or at least he was upset being in their presence while his parents were sharing a beach blanket with him. We left after 20 minutes!)

Loved the local markets; we bought fresh fish and vegetables at the one in Laurens and then stopped at the boulangerie there and had an amazing dinner that night. Actually, our very favorite thing was cooking at the house and eating on the rooftop terrace in the evening. We did it every night—didn’t even eat out once

We happened to go to Carcassone on the one day when the temperature was 41 (100+) and aside from there being no shade anywhere, the crowds and honky-tonk souvenir shops took a lot away from the experience. Or maybe it was just the heat. The introductory film was pretty interesting, though.

We were much more impressed by the castle we found outside Laurens called Chateau de Grezan (www.grezan.com) There's a restaurant and hotel there. We were very impressed to see such a huge walled edifice completely intact in the middle of nowhere.

Aside from our day at Carcassone, the temperature was very comfortable—perfect, actually—breezy and sunny. And your beautiful house always stayed cool no matter what.

Don't miss Pezenas

Pezenas was the seat of local Government during the 16th-17th Centuries, and is today one of the prettiest towns to visit near Caussi. The medieval architecture is so distinctive that many French films are set in Pezenas. We go to the Saturday market, the antique shops (much of the furniture in our house came from forays to the antiquaires of Pezenas), the restaurants, and to have ice cream in the cafes on the square.  The best way to get to Pezenas from Caussi is from Faugeres via the beautiful scenic back road that takes you past some must-visit vineyards and old castles and fortifications.

Nestled between the Mediterranean sea and the Haut Languedoc (the hills on which Caussinioujouls is perched), Pezenas is a town rich with the sort of ambience that Languedoc is famous for. its wines and specialty foods are numerous, such as "Les Petits Pates" (a sort of warm mince pie) and "Berlingots" (a unique type of boiled sweet that everyone should try).

Not to mention the almost inexhaustible range of olives, honey and of course wines. Reds, Roses and whites from the slopes of the the new wineries of the region can be found at wine shops throughout the town.

The old town is rich with Artisans all still practicing their individual crafts, with skills such as leatherwork, jewelery making, glass blowing, metal work, painting and sculpture that have been passed down from generation to generation. They set up shop in small workshops during the summer months, offering visitors the chance to take home a truly unique gift or memento of the area. During the winter months all the 'E' Shops in the old town close so the artisans can busy themselves painting, sculpting and building ready for the summer months ahead.

The arts and crafts theme continues away from the old town, with family runs shops such as "2en1" in Rue Conti. Specialising in high quality material for patchwork (a favoured local pastime) along with candles, candle holders and other table decorations and gifts, "2en1" is a friendly place to visit and an ideal stop in the search for a little something to remind you of your visit to Pezenas.

Pezenas is also well known for it's antique shops, with over thirty shops lining  the main route through the town.

Pezenas is a town that has always been popular with actors, singers and all manner of performing artists. It was this love of the arts that attracted the famous French playwright, Moliere to Pezenas back in the mid 1600's. Moliere felt a real bond with the town and regularly performed in the "Hotel d'Alfonce" (17th century) in Rue Conti, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful buildings in Pezenas and one of the most sought after by history loving visitors. The Hotel is open to visitors from June to September.

As well as arts and crafts and antiques, don't miss the weekly market, in the centre of town on Saturday mornings. A wonderful selection of locally produced food and wine, as well as a huge selection of flowers and clothing.

 

Pezenes-les Mines

Friends who stayed in Caussi raved about the charms of nearby village Pezenes-les-Mines.  "We thought it was a beautiful village to stroll and explore."  Pezenes-les-Mines is a walled village -- a great example of the oldest villages in Languedoc, those that survived the Cathar and Crusader marches through the plains..

Walk to the top of Mt Caroux

One fall day in 2007, we headed by car to Lamalou-les-Bains and then up the mountain to the hamlet of DOUCH, beneath the summit of Le Caroux.  Douch is a perfect village where time seems really to have stood still. Half-a-dozen rough stone houses, inhabited by a handful of elderly residents, cluster tightly together for protection against the elements..  In the meadows below nestles a picturesque church with an ancient cemetery full of graves like iron cots.
From Douch follow the path south of the village to the popular, easy 2.5 miles ascent of Le Caroux (1040m), where you’ll find extraordinary views from the summit along the mountain ridge, south to Beziers, the Mediterranean sea and even the Pyrenees, on a clear day.  We could see the mountain goats scampering up and down over the rocks below.
Walking back through the fallen fall leaves was exquisite—and we stopped in the charming inn at Douch for tea before claiming our car in the parking lot. 
Driving back to Caussi, we chose the route through Rosis, where the road levels out into  a small mountain valley, whose slopes are brilliant yellow with broom in June, and then the village of Combes.  From Combes,  the D180 winds through cherry orchards to Le Pourjol 

The Auberges de Combes (tel 04.67.95.66.55.) offers a splendid meal in an exquisite gorgeous mountain setting (Closed Sunday evening and all day Monday).  Although we’ve driven by many times, we haven’t stopped for a meal yet.  The very first Caussi renters, the Hackman family of Kansas City, raved about their lunch at the Auberges de Combes so we recommend it.

The glorious, soaring bridge at Millau

We were astonished by the beauty of the Norman Foster bridge at Millau, less than an hour from Caussi.  Don't miss this easy trip (and stop for Roquefort cheese at the village of Roquefort en route).

Here are bits from the New York Times article on the Millau bridge:

A DELICATE butterfly of concrete and steel, the viaduct of Millau soars across the sky as if eager to proclaim that no bridge on earth is taller. Yet its arrogant daring can surely be forgiven. It took a feat of engineering and a leap of the imagination to span the rough, rugged Tarn Valley less than an hour from Caussi.
The result is breathtaking.
The gently curving structure dominating the skyline is best appreciated from a distance. When it comes into view, its appearance is always a surprise. The curved white suspension cables of the bridge blend so easily with a blue sky that when the sun is just right, the cables magically disappear, one after the other.
But from almost any angle, the Millau bridge radiates energy. On the approach by car on the A75 from Montpellier, for example, the bridge suddenly sneaks up from around a curve. On the drive along the winding road to the cheese-making town of Roquefort, it abruptly hovers overhead.
The bridge is more than 50 feet higher than the Eiffel Tower (1,125 feet from the bottom of the gorge to the top of the pylon atop the tallest pillar), with a sweep of one and a half miles.
Its architect, the British lord Norman Foster, used light, ultramodern materials to give drivers crossing the bridge the feeling of flying over the valley. He insisted that the roads used to haul materials and equipment during the three-year construction be covered over so the bridge would be surrounded by unspoiled terrain.
Since it opened in December 2004, the bridge has begun to rid the sleepy region of its reputation as a way to somewhere else. The market on Wednesday and Friday at the central square is a local affair, where vinegars and violet garlic in bunches are sold at bargain prices. In ancient times, Millau was the site of some of the largest mass-production pottery factories in the Roman Empire, replacing Arezzo when Italian pottery became too costly to make. The Museum of Millau, in an 18th-century mansion, has a vast collection illustrating just how ubiquitous the pottery was: the stamps of 600 pottery makers have been found on the pieces here.
For visitors interested in Millau's ancient history, Graufesenque just outside Millau is the Gallic-Roman archaeological site of an ancient pottery factory. Only a tiny fraction has been excavated; most of the remains are under the land owned by the neighborhood farmers. The site is enveloped in the scent of wild rosemary. Visitors are invited to picnic under the shade of cherry and walnut trees, where they may have a view of the paragliders who take off from a nearby mountain.
Alain Vernet, the archaeologist who has been working here for 35 years, will show you where the slaves who worked in the factory were housed, as well as the location of the ovens, baths, kitchens, living quarters and a temple area. He can explain how up to 40,000 pieces could be fired in the 1,000-degree oven at the same time and how Millau once produced pottery for the entire imperial Roman army. To demonstrate how plentiful and easy to find pottery shards are, he has collected thousands of them in a pile encircled by a green wire fence.
The Millau Office de Tourisme, 1, place du Beffroi, (33-5) 65.60.02.42, www.ot-millau.fr, can provide information on hotels and tourist sites in the region. Tours of the bridge are offered for $12.
The Viaduc Espace Info, (33-5) 65.58.80.65, three miles on the D992 from Millau, is between bridge pillars P4 and P5. The toll across the bridge is $7.90 in summer; $6 the rest of the year. For information, visit www.leviaducdemillau.com.

Swimming

We're a big swimming family.  Wherever we go, we look for places to swim.  When we are in Caussi in the summer, we usually swim every day. 

A great place to swim for kids and grownups alike is in the Orb River at the town of Roquebrun. There's a beach for picnics, a place to rent a kayak or a canoe, and a great restaurant in Roquebrun itself.

Our favorite beach on the Mediterranean is Serignan Plage (about 20 minutes from our house). (Picture below). We often go there in the late afternoon on hot summer days.   It's easy to park right behind the dunes and, if you want comfort, you can pay 10 euros to lie on a shaded chaise longue...or, as we usually do, just take some beach towels and an umbrella from the house.

The town of Serignan is an old beach town with funky cafes and old architecture.  It's nothing like the crowded ticky tacky of Agde with its boardwalks and condos.

In March the water wasn't warm enough to swim outdoors. Our daughter was training for her New York swim team finals so we tracked down the Beziers town pool...a beautiful indoor facility with locker rooms, cafe, that served her needs perfectly.