Product Description

It is easy to get to the Languedoc. Follow the Rhone south through France, then once you hit the Mediterranean coast, turn right. The mystery is that for generations people have been turning left in the direction of Provence and Italy. This lack of a sense of direction means that the Languedoc is France's last undiscovered Mediterranean secret.
In a compelling travel book, Rupert Wright introduces you to the region's winemakers, oyster farmers, canal people and celebrated inhabitants, both living and dead, including Montpellier's dynamic mayor, Georges Freche, local matador Juan Bautista, and Simon de Montfort, crusader and killer of Cathars.
You will learn about the Languedoc's troubled and fascinating history, visit bullfights and boar hunts, and hear about the writers and artists that lived and travelled in this intriguing land.
The book also contains 30 sketches by Peter Glynn-Smith.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1010929 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-12
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 213 pages

Wine International, July 2004
Languedoc comes to life in this affectionate yet un-rose-tinted collection of letters, written originally for the author's grandmother.

French News, May 1, 2004
Wright is an enthusiastic and cultivated guide: he is knowledgeable about the art, literature and history of the region.

Sunday Times
"France has been the subject of countless 'living abroad' books...the best of the more recent releases."

Customer Reviews

Notes from the Languedoc
This book gives a really excellent account of what life in the modern day Midi is like.
I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants to find out more about the region than the sort of snapshot that the Rough Guides etc provide.
I've been visiting the region for over twenty five years(my wife is French)but I still learnt a lot from reading this amusing,well-written and wise description of an area of France I know and love.

All you ever wanted to know about the Languedoc.
"Notes from the Languedoc" by Rupert Wright, now in its second edition, combines the history and culture of this increasingly popular part of France and its peoples with descriptions of the landscape, together with the escapades of the Wright family as they settle into life in the area, the whole enlivened by Rupert's ever present sense of humour. His interest in the local wine and food forms a backdrop to almost every chapter. I defy anyone not to return to it again and again to drink in the sights, flavours, and colours of this fascinating area.

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A truly lovely read
I picked up Notes from the Languedoc because it is about the region I live in. I expected the usual drivel about plumbers and strange French eating habits. I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. This is a really lovely book; it is well written, interesting and has an addictively gentle atmosphere. The author clearly knows his subject and is able to share his knowledge in an accessible and entertaining way. I think this could become a classic. I would recommend it to anyone who likes good books, not just those with an interest in France. Is Rupert Wright the new Bruce Chatwin? I look forward to his next book enormously.