AUVERGNE AND LANGUEDOC HOTELS

AUVERGNE AND LANGUEDOC – WHY GO?

NUDGING PROVENCE on one side and the Pyrenees on the other, Languedoc has all the charms of southern France with less of the crowds. You won't find the bling and ostentatioun of the Riviera and Côte d'Azur hotspots here – or the prices.

Must-sees include the city of Carcassonne, with its walled medieval Cité – all astonishingly intact – choc-full of bars and cafes to enjoy the southern sunshine. Dynamic Montpelier, one of France's big university towns, also has a fascinating old town studded with little squares and criss-crossed with alleyways.

Languedoc is also home to the Camargue – France's version of the Wild West –  where you can watch French ranchers herding and branding bulls cowboy style. Bull fights also make exciting spectator sport – and no, they don't kill the bulls here.

Further north, the dramatic Auvergne boasts a unique line of extinct volcanic peaks, and lakes and forests tailor-made for the outdoor life. There's also a profusion of volcanic springs – meaning plenty of thermal spas for health-conscious days out. Twisting mountain roads with herds of roaming sheep are a common sight in this relatively little known region.