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 getting to the sea and turning left to Provence. This lack of attention means that the Languedoc is France's last undiscovered Mediterranean secret. Now Rupert Wright introduces you to the region's winemakers, oyster farmers, canal people and celebrated inhabitants, living and dead, including Montpellier's dynamic Mayor, Georges Freche, and local matador Juan Bautista. You will learn about the Languedoc's troubled and fascinating history, visit bullfights and boar hunts, and hear about the writers and artists that have lived and travelled in this intriguing land.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #110173 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Review
"All you ever wanted to know about the Languedoc, this book is a cultural, historical and contemporary tour de force. - Caria McKay, Daily Mail". Languedoc is what Provence was until about 70 years ago: the British ideal of the south of France. Rupert Wright's Notes from the Languedoc evokes it so perfectly that the British do not need to leave Britain. - Frank Johnson, Daily Telegraph"

Frank Johnson, Daily Telegraph
Rupert Wright’s Notes from the Languedoc evokes it so perfectly that the British do not need to leave Britain.

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.