� Lonely Planet Publications
252
Directory
charged are Ź 0.20 to Ź 1.50 per person higher
CONTENTS
than posted rates.
Accommodation 252
Business Hours 254
Camping & Caravan Parks
Children 254
The region has camp sites galore, most open
Climate Charts 255
April to October. Larger sites on the coast
Customs Regulations 255
tag visitors (with a rubber wristband, per-
Dangers & Annoyances 255
manent for the duration of your stay) to en-
Discount Cards 256
sure only camp-site guests use the pool and
Embassies & Consulates 256
other facilities.
Food 257
Stars reflect facilities and amenities.
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 257
Separate tariffs exist for people, tents or cara-
Holidays 257
vans, and vehicles, though most places tout
Insurance 257
forfaits (fixed-price deals) for two people with
Internet Access 257
tent and car.
Legal Matters 257
Camping ą la ferme (camping on the farm)
Local Government 258
is coordinated by G�tes de France (p254).
Maps 258
Many farmers and winemakers belong to
Money 258
France Passion (www.france-passion.com), a network
Post 259
of farms and wineries happy to host cara-
Shopping 259
vans, camping cars and mobile homes on their
Solo Travellers 259
land for free; to take advantage of their hos-
Telephone 259
pitality, all you need is an annual card (Ź 28),
Time 260
sold online.
Tourist Information 260
Wild camping (camping sauvage) is illegal.
Travellers with Disabilities 260
Visas 261
Chambres & Maisons d H�tes
Women Travellers 261
The best way to sleep, eat, dream Languedoc-
Roussillon! A chambre d h�te is a B&B, the
ACCOMMODATION
most stylish of which are marketed as maison
Budget options in this guide cost Ź 40 to Ź 60 a
d h�te. A feast of a breakfast is included in the
night for a double room in a hotel with private
price, and many serve a delicious dinner of
shower and toilet; midrange covers the Ź 60
several courses around a shared table (table
to Ź 90 price range; and the top end is Ź 90 to
d h�te) for Ź 20 to Ź 30, including aperitif and
Ź 150. With the exception of chambre d h�te
wine. Many are in historic chateaux, elegant
and maison d h�te accommodation, rates
h�tels particuliers (mansions), old stone mas
in this guide don t include breakfast unless
(farmhouses) or  in the case of along the
stated otherwise. Budget/midrange/top-end
Canal du Midi  aboard canal barges.
hotels charge about Ź 5/8/12 for it.
Tourist offices can tell you which hotels
BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
have vacancies, but can t reserve rooms.
Many midrange hotels only accept reserva- For more accommodation reviews and rec-
tions accompanied by a credit-card number,
ommendations by Lonely Planet authors,
and many budget joints demand payment
check out the online booking service at
upon arrival.
www.lonelyplanet.com. You ll find the true,
Local authorities impose a taxe de s�jour
insider low-down on the best places to stay.
(tourist tax) on each visitor in their jurisdic- Reviews are thorough and independent.
tion, usually only enforced in the high sea- Best of all, you can book online.
son (Easter to September). At this time prices
DIRECTORY
THUMB TAB
lonelyplanet.com DIREC TORY " " Accommodation 253
PRACTICALITIES
Use the metric system for weights and measures.

Buy or watch videos on the PAL system.

Plugs have two round pins, so bring an international adaptor; the electric current is 220V, 50Hz.

Gen up on national news with leading French dailies Le Monde (www.lemonde.fr), Le Figaro

(www.lefigaro.fr) and Lib�ration (www.liberation.fr), which posts the Toulouse-specific online
edition Lib�Toulouse (www.libetoulouse.fr). Regional and local news, views and cultural events
fill the pages of broadsheets Midi Libre (www.midilibre.com) and L Ind�pendant (www.linde
pendant.com).
English-language glossy travel and lifestyle magazine Sud de France, published quarterly by

the Languedoc-Roussillon tourism board, is a good read, as is the intelligently written, amus-
ingly named Blablablah (www.blablablah.org). News, views, culture and classifieds fill Langue-
doc Sun (www.languedocsun.com), a free pocket-sized monthly easy to find. In Roussillon
look out for P-O Life (www.anglophone-direct.com), with info-packed website.
On the road, tune in to French-language Radio France Info (105.5MHz) and multilanguage

RFI (738kHz) for news; and NRJ (pronounced  energy ; www.nrj.fr in French), Skyrock (www
.skyrock.fm in French) and Nostalgie (www.nostalgie.fr in French) for music.
See p35 for blogs.

For ecological B&Bs in protected green Maisons d H�tes de Charme Sud-Ouest (www
areas (p57), go direct to the national parks .maisons-hotes-charme.com) Incredible B&B properties
and nature reserves. The Parc Naturel R�- with bags of charm.
gional de la Narbonnaise en M�diterran�e Samedi Midi (www.samedimidi.com) Another French
has its own  Nature & Heritage accom- publisher that puts out thematic B&B guides to France s
modation label, which it gives to properties most charming B&Bs and reviews many online.
committed to water and energy conserva-
tion and environmental protection, encour- Hostels
aging guests to discover the surrounding There are hostels in Carcassonne, Quillan,
natural heritage in an eco-friendly fashion. Toulouse, Montpellier, SŁte, N�mes and
Dozens of B&Bs are listed in this guide, and Perpignan. Expect to pay Ź 13.80 to Ź 16.50
tourist offices keep lists of them. Alternatively, for a dormitory bed, breakfast and sheets
you can contact self-catering specialists G�tes (bug-susceptible sleeping bags are banned),
de France or Cl�Vacances (p254), or try: or Ź 10.30 to Ź 12.10 excluding breakfast.
Au Chateau (www.au-chateau.com) Upmarket B&Bs in Breakfast/dinner costs Ź 3.60/9.80. Not all
chateaux. hostels have kitchen facilities, and some only
Bienvenue � la Ferme (www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme open seasonally (March to November). Few
.com) Affordable B&B and self-catering accommodation on accept telephone reservations.
local farms, including fruit, wine, dairy and so on. Affiliates of the F�d�ration Unie des Auberges de
Chambres d H�tes H�rault (www.chambres-d-hotes Jeunesse (FUAJ; www.fuaj.org) and the Ligue Fran�aise
-herault.com) B&Bs in the Montpellier area. pour les Auberges de Jeunesse (LFAJ; www.auberges-de
Chez l Habitant (www.chez-l-habitant.com) Solid site -jeunesse.com) require an HI card (p256).
for budget and midrange B&Bs.
Fleurs de Soleil (www.fleursdesoleil.fr) Quality label Hotels
awarded to predominantly family-run chambres d h�tes; Hotels have one to four stars. Rooms with
national guide online. bathtubs cost more than rooms with showers,
Guides de Charme (www.guidesdecharme.com) Print and beds often tout neck-cricking, hot dog
and online guidebook covering maisons d h�tes de shaped bolsters; regular pillows (oreillers) are
charme  and we mean bags of charm  by French often hidden in a cupboard.
publisher Editions Payot et Rivages. Single rooms often don t exist as such; rather,
Likhom (www.likhom.com) Another inspired resource for doubles are flogged as singles. Most hotels close
creative B&Bs and self-catering accommodation. for two weeks in January or February for their
D I R E C T O R Y
254 DIREC TORY " " Business Hours lonelyplanet.com
cong� annuel (annual closure). Ski-resort hotels rented. Bookings for both can be made on-
in Roussillon open for the winter ski season line or through a regional office; addresses are
and in July and August for walkers. listed on the websites. G�tes de France runs a
Budget hotels charge the same rates year- last-minute telephone hotline, Allo Chambres
round, but midrange and top-end places have d H�tes (%08 91 16 22 22), which tracks vacancies
low-season (October to May) and high-season for the coming night.
(June to September) rates. Reliable midrange
hotels are those affiliated with Logis de France BUSINESS HOURS
(www.logisdefrance.com). For top-end, consider The boulangerie (bakery) is about all that is
Ch�teaux & Hotels de France (www.chateauxhotels.com) open on Sunday in this essentially rural re-
and Relais & Ch�teaux (www.relaischateaux.fr). gion where tradition remains firmly intact.
Other days of the week, most shops (includ-
ing bakeries) close for a long lunch between
Refuges & G�tes d �tapes
2pm and 4pm.
Rife in mountainous areas and national parks,
Some hotels, museums and accommoda-
g�tes d �tapes with basic dorms tend to be in
tion options only open P�ques ą la Toussaint 
villages popular with walkers; refuges (moun-
Easter to All Saints Day (1 November),
tain shelters) are in isolated wilderness, usu-
meaning from March or April to sometime
ally only accessible on foot. Both are basic and
in October or November.
equipped with bunks, mattresses and blankets,
Standard hours for commercial banks,
but no sheets. Some can accommodate walkers
post offices, shops and restaurants are listed
with donkeys or those on horseback. Nightly
on the Quick Reference page on the inside
rates for a dorm bed start at Ź 10 per person.
front cover; hours that differ are spelt out
Cooked meals are occasionally available.
in listings.
National-park offices have lists of refuges
and g�tes d �tapes in their areas, and the Comit�
CHILDREN
R�gional de la F�d�ration Fran�aise Randonn�e
Most car-rental firms hire children s car
P�destre (Map p101; %04 67 82 16 73; www.ffrp-lr.com;
seats for around Ź 30 per rental; the concept
1025 av Henri Becquerel, F-34000 Montpellier) can point
of organising a car seat in a taxi remains an
you in the right direction.
alien one.
Many hotels provide cots (free) or an extra
Rental Accommodation
bed (Ź 15 to Ź 40), but families travelling with
Be it hanging in a hammock between clifftops,
younger children will find chambre d h�te ac-
dropping off beneath snowcapped Pyrenean
commodation much more suitable. Pick one
peaks or rising with the sun at the foot of
that serves dinner too, allowing you to dine
Catalonia s most sacred mountain, there is no
in peace while the kids sleep upstairs with a
better way to revel in the extraordinary peace
baby monitor (bring your own).
and tranquillity of this predominantly rural
region than by renting a villa, mas or medieval
maison de village in a hilltop village.
TOP PICKS: ONLINE RENTAL
Tourist offices have lists of self-catering
RESOURCES
studios, apartments and villas to rent on a
Handy links for tracking down that dream
short- (one week) or long-term (several
holiday property, most with a strong go-
months) basis. Many superb g�tes ruraux
slow, think-green philosophy:
(self-catering properties)  think century-
www.aweekor2inlanguedoc.com

old mas in an olive grove, or converted farm
stables surrounded by a menagerie of farm-
www.creme-de-languedoc.com

yard animals  are represented by two um-
www.i-escape.com

brella organisations: Cl�Vacances (www.clevacances
www.languedoc-holiday-rentals.com

.com) and G�tes de France (http://pagesperso-orange
.fr/gites-de-france-languedoc).
www.purefrance.com

Amenities range from basic bathroom fa-
www.responsibletravel.com

cilities and a simple kitchenette (with oven,
www.slowtrav.com

hotplates and fridge) to a bathroom, fully
equipped kitchen, washing machine, TV,
www.southfrancevillas.com

telephone, garden and pool. Linen can be
DIRECTORY
lonelyplanet.com DIREC TORY " " Climate Char ts 255
Cobbled streets, ultranarrow pavements the value of Ź 175 (Ź 90 for those under 15).
in old towns and bumper-to-bumper parked Anything over the limit must be declared and
cars make strolling with a pushchair some- paid for; see www.douane.gouv.fr.
thing of an obstacle course. Supermarkets
and pharmacies sell disposable nappies and
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
high-factor sun-protection creams. Tourist
Beaches
offices maintain lists of babysitters and
Larger beaches have a poste de secours (safety
crŁches (nurseries).
post) in summer, staffed by lifeguards. Note
Be it visiting a talcum-powder quarry
the colour of the flag flying before diving
(p205), tracking dinosaur footprints (p146),
in: green means safe to swim; yellow means
watching canal boats navigate locks over lunch
bathing is risky; red means that swimming
at the Moulin de TrŁbes (p184) or simply
is forbidden; and purple means the water
mucking around on the sand with a bucket
is polluted.
and spade (p59), Languedoc-Roussillon has
a riot of things to see, do and experience with
Extreme Weather
kids. See p22 for specific ideas.
During the balmy days of June and the steamy
days of July and August, it is hard to believe
CLIMATE CHARTS
that the region can be freezing cold when the
Tramontana aside (p58), the region enjoys
Tramontana tears through town.
a temperate climate with mild winters. For
Thunderstorms in the mountains can be
climatic considerations, see p17.
sudden and violent. Check the weather re-
port before embarking on a long walk; even
Average
MONTPELLIER 4m (16ft)
Max/Min
then, be prepared for a sudden change in
�C �F Temp/Humidity % in Rainfall mm
the weather. Storms are common in August
30 86 100 6 150
and September.
20 68 66 4 100
Forest Fires
Forest fires are common in July and August
10 50 33 2 50
when the sun is hot and the land is dry. Such
fires spread incredibly quickly  between
0 32 0 0 0
20m and 30m per minute. Between 1 July
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D
and the second Sunday in September, forest
authorities close high-risk areas. Never walk
Average
PERPIGNAN 47m (157ft)
Max/Min in a closed zone. Tourist offices can tell you
�C �F Temp/Humidity % in Rainfall mm
if a walking path is closed. If you come across
30 86 100 6 150
a fire, call the fire brigade (%18).
Forests are criss-crossed with road tracks
20 68 66 4 100 enabling fire crews to penetrate quickly. These
roads, signposted DFCI (d�fense forestiŁre con-
tre l incendie), are closed to private vehicles,
10 50 33 2 50
but you can follow them on foot.
Lighting a campfire is forbidden. Barbecues,
0 32 0 0 0
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D
even in private gardens, are forbidden in many
areas in July and August.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Goods brought in and exported within the EU Poisonous Mushrooms
incur no additional taxes, provided duty has Wild-mushroom picking is a national pas-
been paid somewhere within the EU and the time. Pick but don t eat until it has been posi-
goods are for personal consumption. Duty- tively identified as safe by a pharmacist. Most
free shopping no longer exists within the EU; pharmacies in the region offer a mushroom-
you have to be leaving Europe. identification service.
Coming from non-EU countries, duty-free
adult allowances are 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, Smoking
1L of spirits, 2L of wine, 50mL of perfume, Smoking is illegal in all public spaces, includ-
250mL eau de toilette and other goods up to ing restaurants, caf�s and bars.
D I R E C T O R Y
256 DIREC TORY " " Discount Cards lonelyplanet.com
CENT SAVERS
Pass inter-sites: R�seau Culturel/Terre Catalan (www.reseauculturel.fr) Free annual pass (a little

yellow book in fact), valid for one or two adults, which entitles its holder/s to reduced admis-
sion to 44 cultural sites from the second visit on.
Passeport des Sites du Pays Cathare (Ź 3; www.payscathare.org) Get your own admission fee for

Ź 1 less and one child aged 6 to 15 in for free at 19 Cathar castles, abbeys and museums in
Languedoc-Roussillon with this Cathar country passport.
Tourist Pass  Pays Catalan by Bus Prove you re a tourist and pick up a free public-transport

pass valid for eight days in the Pyr�n�es Orientales d�partement; available at any Roussillon
tourist office.
Ville Pass ion (www.villepassion.fr in French) Two nights hotel accommodation for the price for

Friday- or Saturday-night arrivals in selected hotels in Carcassonne.
Consulate (%02-9268 2400; Level 26, St Martin s Tower,
DISCOUNT CARDS
31 Market St, Sydney, NSW 2000)
Billets Jumel�s
Many museums sell billets jumel�s (combi- Belgium Brussels (%02-548 8711; www.ambafrance
nation tickets) covering admission to more -be.org; 65 rue Ducale, Brussels 1000); Brussels Consulate
(%02-548 88 11; www.consulfrance-bruxelles.org; 42
than one sight and offering a considerable
blvd du R�gent, Brussels 1000)
saving. Some cities have museum passes that
Canada Ottawa (%613-789 1795; www.ambafrance
cut sightseeing costs further.
-ca.org; 42 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1M 2C9); Toronto
Consulate (%416-847 1900; www.consulfrance-toronto
Camping Card International
.org; 2 Bloor St E, Suite 2200, Toronto M4W 1A8)
This card (www.campingcardinternational.com) is a form
of ID used instead of a passport when check- Germany Berlin (%030-590 03 90 00; www.botschaft
ing into a camping ground and includes third- -frankreich.de; Pariser Platz 5, Berlin 10117, public entry at
Wilhelmstrasse 69); Munich Consulate (%089-419 4110;
party liability insurance. As a result, many
Heimeranstrasse 31, 3rd fl, Munich 80339)
grounds offer a 5% to 20% discount if you sign
in with one. CCIs are issued by automobile as- Ireland (%01-277 5000; www.ambafrance-ie.org;
sociations, camping federations and occasion- 36 Ailesbury Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4)
Italy (%06-686 011; www.ambafrance-it.org; Piazza
ally on the spot at camping grounds.
Farnese 67, 00186 Rome)
Netherlands The Hague (%070-312 5800; www.amba
Hostel Card
france-nl.org; Smidsplein 1, 2514 BT Den Haag);
You need an annual Hostelling International
Amsterdam Consulate (%020-530 6969; www.consul
(HI) card to stay at official youth hostels,
france-amsterdam.org; Vijzelgracht 2, 1017 HR Amsterdam)
although some let you in with a one-night
New Zealand (%04-384 2555; www.ambafrance-nz
stamp (Ź 3.10). HI cards costing Ź 11/16 for
.org; 13th fl, Rural Bank Bldg, 34-42 Manners St, PO Box
those under/over 26 are sold at HI-affiliated
11-343, Wellington)
hostels and national Youth Hostelling Associations
South Africa (%012-425 1600; www.ambafrance-rsa
(YHA; www.iyhf.org).
.org; 250 Melk St, New Muckleneuk, 0181 Pretoria)
Spain Madrid (%91-423 8900; www.ambafrance-es.org;
Seniors Card
Calle de Salustiano Olozaga 9, 28001 Madrid); Barcelona
People over 60 or 65 are entitled to discounts on
Consulate (%93-270 3000; www.consulfrance-barcelone
public transport, museum admission fees and
.org; Ronda Universitat 22, 08007 Barcelona)
so on. For details on train travel, see p265.
Switzerland (%031-359 2111; www.ambafrance
EMBASSIES & CONSULATES -ch.org; Schosshaldenstrasse 46, 3006 Bern)
French Embassies & Consulates UK London Embassy (%020-7073 1000; www
France s diplomatic and consular representa- .ambafrance-uk.org; 58 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7JT);
tives abroad are listed on the website www London Consulate (%020-7073 1200; www.consulfrance
.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en. -londres.org; 21 Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2EN); London
Australia Canberra (%02-6216 0100; www.ambafrance Visa Section (%020-7073 1250; 6A Cromwell Pl, London
-au.org; 6 Perth Ave, Yarralumla, ACT 2600); Sydney SW7 2EW)
DIRECTORY
lonelyplanet.com DIREC TORY " " Food 257
USA Washington (%202-944 6000; www.ambafrance
WHAT THE COMPUTER ICON MEANS
-us.org; 4101 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington, DC 20007);
New York Consulate (%212-606 3600; www.consulfrance
Only accommodation that provides an ac-
-newyork.org; 934 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10021)
tual computer for guests to use to access
the internet is flagged with a computer icon
FOOD
(
i) in this guide; those that offer wi-fi, but
For regional gastronomy, see p42.
no computer, are not.
In our Eating listings, we indicate the price
of a menu (two- or three-course meal at a set
Assumption Day (L Assomption) 15 August
price); ordering � la carte is more expensive.
All Saints Day (La Toussaint) 1 November
Budget restaurants serve simple, unadven-
Remembrance Day (L onze Novembre) 11 November 
turous meals for Ź 10 or so. Midrange places
celebrates the WWI armistice
cook up seasonal specialities accompanied
Christmas (No�l) 25 December
by bags of atmosphere, with menus costing
Ź 15 to Ź 30 (cheaper at lunchtime). More for-
INSURANCE
mal service, creative cuisine, an unusual and
See p269 for health insurance and p267 for
stylish decor, and menus costing anything
car insurance.
upwards of Ź 30 are distinguishing features of
Getting travel insurance to cover theft, loss
top-end eating spots.
and medical problems is recommended. Some
policies specifically exclude dangerous ac-
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS
tivities such as motorcycling, skiing and even
Being the relatively rural area Languedoc-
trekking, so read the fine print. Check that the
Roussillon is, the gay and lesbian scene is
policy covers ambulances or an emergency
low-key. Most clubs and events of note are in
flight home.
Montpellier, where leading gay organisation
Worldwide travel insurance is available at
Lesbian & Gay Pride (Map p101; %04 67 57 36 83; www
www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services.
.montpelliergay.com; 9 rue de la Friperie; h2-6pm Mon-Fri)
hosts a bevy of cultural events year-round,
INTERNET ACCESS
climaxing with the Gay & Lesbian Pride
Airports and some train stations in the region
street march each year in June. Inland, gay
have wireless access, as do many hotels and
Loz�riens meet and mingle with the Association
caf�s in larger towns. But head into the hills
Loz�rienne Gays & Lesbiennes (%06 75 24 14 40;
or remote valleys of Roussillon and it is practi-
www.algl.net; 15 place Charles de Gaulle), inside the bar
cally impossible to hook up. The same goes
Le K f� in Mende.
for internet caf�s (listed under Information in
regional chapters), where surfing costs about
HOLIDAYS
Ź 4 per hour: easy to find in towns and cities,
French Public Holidays
nonexistent in rural areas.
Museums and shops (but not cinemas, restau-
To access dial-up ISPs with your laptop,
rants or bakeries) and most businesses shut
you ll need a telephone plug adaptor, available
on the following jours f�ri�s (public holidays).
at large supermarkets. For useful websites,
When one falls on a Thursday, many make a
see p19.
pont (bridge, ie with the weekend), meaning
they take Friday off too.
LEGAL MATTERS
New Year s Day (Jour de l An) 1 January
Drugs & Alcohol
Easter Sunday & Monday (P�ques & lundi de P�ques)
French law does not distinguish between
Late March or April
 hard and  soft drugs. The penalty for any
May Day (Fęte du Travail) 1 May
personal use of stup�fiants (including canna-
Victoire 1945 8 May  celebrates the Allied victory in
bis, amphetamines, ecstasy, heroin etc) can be
Europe that ended WWII
a one-year jail sentence and a Ź 3750 fine, but
Ascension Thursday (L Ascension) May  celebrated on
depending on the circumstances it might be
the 40th day after Easter
anything from a stern word to a compulsory
Pentecost/Whit Sunday & Whit Monday (Pentec�te
rehab program.
& lundi de Pentec�te) Mid-May to mid-June  celebrated
Importing, possessing, selling or buying
on the seventh Sunday after Easter
drugs can get you up to 10 years prison and
Bastille Day/National Day (Fęte Nationale) 14 July
D I R E C T O R Y
258 DIREC TORY " " Local Government lonelyplanet.com
Each has a pr�fet (prefect), based in a pr�fec-
LEGAL AGE
ture (prefecture), who represents the national
government, and an elected conseil g�n�ral
Driving: 18

(general council). There is a pr�fecture in
Buying alcohol: 16

Carcassonne (11), N�mes (30), Montpellier
(34), Mende (48) and Perpignan (66).
Majority: 18

Sexual consent (for everyone): 15

MAPS
Considered a minor under anti child

Quality regional maps are widely available
pornography and anti child prostitution
outside France. Michelin (www.viamichelin.com) and
laws: 18 and under
IGN (www.ign.fr in French) have online boutiques
where you can purchase maps. Michelin s
Voting: 18

orange-jacketed regional map Languedoc-
Roussillon No 526 covers the area included
a fine of up to Ź 500,000. Police have been
in this guide at a scale of 1:300,000.
known to search chartered coaches, cars and
Within the region you can find city maps at
train passengers for drugs just because they re
maisons de la presse (newsagencies), papeter-
coming from Amsterdam.
ies (stationery shops), tourist offices, travel
Being drunk (ivresse) in public is punish-
bookshops and many mainstream bookshops.
able by a Ź 150 fine.
K�mmerly + Frey, with its orange-jacketed
Blay-Foldex Plans-Guides series, and �ditions
Police Grafocarte, with its blue-jacketed Plan Guide
French police have wide powers of search Bleu & Orange, are the main city-map pub-
and seizure and can ask you to prove your lishers. A city map typically costs around
identity at any time. Foreigners must be Ź 4. The free street plans (maps) distributed
able to prove their legal status in France (ie by tourist offices range from the superb to
produce a passport, visa, residency permit) the useless.
without delay. For cycling maps see p63.
Verbally (and of course physically) abus-
ing a police officer can lead to a hefty fine, MONEY
and even imprisonment. You may refuse to The euro (Ź ) is the only legal tender in France.
sign a police statement, and you have the right One euro is divided into 100 cents, also called
to ask for a copy. People who are arrested are centimes in France. Coins come in one, two,
considered innocent until proven guilty, but five, 10, 20 and 50 cents and Ź 1 and Ź 2; the
can be held in custody until trial. latter has a brass centre and silvery edges and
The threat of terrorism makes French po- the Ź 1 has the reverse (silvery centre, brass
lice very strict about security. Do not leave edges). Euro banknotes, adorned with ficti-
baggage unattended, especially at airports or tious bridges (which bear a striking resem-
train stations: suspicious objects may be sum- blance to the Pont du Gard) are issued in
marily blown up. denominations of Ź 5, Ź 10, Ź 20, Ź 50, Ź 100,
Ź 200 and the often-unwelcome Ź 500.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT Exchange rates are given on the inside front
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of 22 French cover of this book. For information on costs
r�gions (administrative regions). It has an see p17.
elected conseil r�gional (regional council)
based in Montpellier. ATMs
The administrative region is split into five ATMs (points d argent) provide the easiest
d�partements (departments): Aude (11), Gard means of getting cash. Most spit out euro
(30), H�rault (34), LozŁre (48) and Pyr�n�es banknotes at a superior exchange rate through
Orientales (66). This guide also includes gateway Visa or MasterCard, and there are plenty in
to the region Toulouse, sandwiched between the region linked to the international Cirrus
the departments of AriŁge (09) and Tarn (81), in and Maestro networks. If you remember
the neighbouring Midi-Pyr�n�es r�gion. your PIN code as a string of letters, trans-
D�partements are known by their two-digit late it into numbers; French keypads don t
code (listed above), included in postcodes. show letters.
DIRECTORY
lonelyplanet.com DIREC TORY " " Post 259
SHOPPING LIST
When in the region I must, I must, I must buy&
A hand-thrown cassole to cook up a cassoulet in back home, from Poterie NOT FrŁres near

Castelnaudary (p186)
A photograph of Cathar country from G�rard Sioen s Carcassonne gallery (p183)

Baby-soft gloves fresh from Millau s Causse Gantier (p165) and L Atelier du Gantier (p168)

Secondhand and antique books from Le Someil s old-world Librairie Ancienne (p122)

Gallery art (and anchovies) from Collioure (p221)

Cork sculptures and almond oil from the Maison de l Amande, Massif des AlbŁres (p226)

A ceramic pot fired in a solar-powered oven in Mont Louis (p233) or your choice of a zillion

pots in St-Quentin-la-Poterie (p90)
Goose or duck foie gras, confit de canard and cassoulet in a glass jar from Castelnaudary s

Maison Escourrou (p186)
Truffles (p90)

Sweet C�vennes chestnuts in every guise (p148)

P�zenas berlingots (suck  em on the plane home; p132)

In France, domestic letters up to 20g
Credit Cards
cost Ź 0.55. For international post, a post-
This is the cheapest way to pay for things and
card or letter/package under 20g/2kg costs
to get cash advances. Visa (Carte Bleue in
Ź 0.65/12.30 to zone 1 (EU, Switzerland,
France) is the most widely accepted, followed
Iceland, Norway) and Ź 0.85/14 to zone 2 (the
by MasterCard (Access or Eurocard). Amex
rest of the world). Worldwide express-mail
cards are not very useful except at upmarket
delivery, called Chronopost (%0810 821 821; www
establishments, but they do allow you to get
.fr.chronopost.com), costs a fortune and may not
cash at certain ATMs and at Amex offices.
be as rapid as advertised.
Call the relevant number below to report a
lost or stolen credit card.
SHOPPING
AmEx (%01 47 77 72 00)
In this raw natural land it is predictably edi-
Diners Club (%0810 314 159)
bles that seem to dominate most must-buy
MasterCard (%0800 901 387)
shopping lists.
Visa (Carte Bleue; %0800 901 179)
SOLO TRAVELLERS
Tipping
Male or female, travelling solo in the region
French law requires that restaurant, caf� and
poses few problems bar the fact that a sizeable
hotel bills include a service charge (usually
chunk of hotels don t have single rooms, or
10% to 15%), so a tip is neither necessary nor
charge the same price for a so-called  single as
expected, although most diners leave some-
a double. Dining alone in restaurants or sip-
thing for the server.
ping coffee in caf�s is quite common, although
lone women might well attract unwanted
POST
attention in busier spots on the coast.
Postal services are fast (next-day delivery for
most domestic letters), reliable and expensive. TELEPHONE
Post offices are signposted La Poste (www.laposte.fr French telephone numbers have 10 digits
in French). For a pretty postage stamp (un timbre) and need no area code; those starting with
rather than the uninspiring blue sticker (une the digits 06 are mobile-phone numbers.
vignette) that comes out of post office coin- To call anywhere in Languedoc-Roussillon
operated machines, go to a window marked from abroad, dial your country s interna-
toutes op�rations (all services). Tobacconists tional access code, followed by 33 (France s
and shops selling postcards sell stamps too. country code) and the 10-digit number,
D I R E C T O R Y
260 DIREC TORY " " Time lonelyplanet.com
dropping the initial 0. To call abroad from
TOURIST INFORMATION
the region, dial 00 (France s international
Every city and town and many villages
access code), followed by the country code,
have an office du tourisme which provides
area code (dropping the initial 0 if necessary)
maps and information on accommodation,
and local number.
sights, activities, transport and so on in the
For France Telecom s directory inquir- local area.
ies (service des renseignements), dial %118
Regional tourist information is handled
008 (Ź 1.18 per call from a fixed-line phone).
by the Comit� R�gionale du Tourisme Languedoc
For directory inquiries for numbers outside
Roussillon (%04 67 22 80 00; www.sunfrance.com; 201 av
France, dial %118 700 (Ź 2 or Ź 3). To make
de la Pompignane ) in Montpellier and its Maisons
a reverse-charges (collect) call (en PCV) or
de la R�gion (Carcassonne %04 68 11 17 35; 26 rue Antoine
a person-to-person call (avec pr�avis) from
Marty; N�mes %04 66 36 36 64; 3 place des ArŁnes; Mendes
France, dial 3123. For the USA and
%
%04 66 42 85 09; 98 blvd Th�ophile Roussel; Perpignan %04
Canada you can dial %0 800 990 011, and
68 34 32 34; 34 av du G�n�ral de Gaulle).
for Australia (Telstra) %0 800 990 061.
Each d�partement has its own comit� d�par-
For help in English with all France temental du tourisme (departmental tourist
Telecom s services, see www.francetelecom office):
.com or call %0800 364 775. Aude (%04 68 11 66 00; www.cg11.fr, www.audetour
isme.com; F-11855 Carcassonne) Cathar country.
Mobile Phones Gard (%04 66 36 96 30; www.tourismegard.com; 3 rue
French mobile-phone numbers have 10 digits Cit� Foulc, BP 122, F-30010 N�mes)
and begin with 06. H�rault (%04 67 67 71 77; www.herault-tourisme.com;
France uses GSM 900/1800, which is com- av des Moulins, F-34184 Montpellier)
patible with the rest of Europe and Australia LozŁre (%04 66 65 60 00; www.lozere-tourisme.com;
but not with the North American GSM 1900 14 blvd Henri Bourrillon, F-48000 Mende)
or the totally different system in Japan (though Pyr�n�es-Orientales (%04 68 34 90 07; www
some North Americans have tri-band phones .tourismedeterroir.fr; 19 av de Grande-Bretagne, BP 649,
that work here). F-66006 Perpignan)
It may be cheaper to buy your own French
SIM card  and locals you meet are much Outside France, there are four Maisons de
more likely to ring you if your number is la R�gion Languedoc-Roussillon, including
French. If you already have a compatible one in London (%020 7079 33 44; www.maisonde
phone, you can slip in a SIM card (Ź 20 laregionlanguedocroussillon.com; 6 Cavendish Sq, London
to Ź 30) and rev it up with prepaid credit, W1G 0PD).
though this is likely to run out fast as domes-
tic prepaid calls cost about Ź 0.50 a minute. TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES
Recharge cards are sold at most tabacs The region is not that user-friendly for handi-
and newsagents. cap�s (people with disabilities): kerb ramps
SIMs are available at outlets run by France s remain rare, older public facilities and budget
three mobile-phone companies, Bouygues hotels lack lifts, and the cobblestone streets
(%0810 630 100; www.bouyguestelecom.fr), France typical to hilltop villages are a nightmare to
Telecom s Orange (www.orange.fr in French) and SFR navigate in a fauteuil rouant (wheelchair).
(%0811 70 70 73; www.sfr.com). But all is not lost. Almost every hotel and
chambre d h�te that has opened in the last year
TIME has at least one room equipped for guests in
Local time is GMT/UTC plus one hour, ex- wheelchairs, and on the coast most beaches
cept during daylight-saving time (from the provide access to the sea in special sand bug-
last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in gies for wheelchair users.
October), when it is GMT/UTC plus two Michelin s Guide Rouge indicates hotels
hours. The UK and France are always one with lifts and facilities for people with disabili-
hour apart  when it s 6pm in London, ties; G�tes de France (see p254) provides a list
it s 7pm in Nice. New York is six hours of accommodation with disabled access.
behind Carcassonne. International airports offer assistance to
France uses the 24-hour clock and writes travellers with disabilities. TGV and regular
time like this: 15h30 (ie 3.30pm). trains are also accessible for passengers in
DIRECTORY
� Lonely Planet Publications
lonelyplanet.com DIREC TORY " " Visas 261
wheelchairs; call the SNCF Accessibilit� Service Tourist visas cannot be extended except
(%0 800 154 753) for information. in emergencies (such as medical problems).
When your visa expires you ll need to leave
VISAS and reapply from outside France.
For up-to-date visa requirements see www
.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en. WOMEN TRAVELLERS
EU nationals and citizens of Iceland, French men have clearly given little thought
Norway and Switzerland need only a passport to the concept of harcŁlement sexuel (sexual
or national identity card in order to enter harassment). Most still believe that staring
France and stay and/or work in the country. suavely at a passing woman is paying her a
However, nationals of the 12 countries that compliment. Women need not walk around
joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 are subject the region in fear, however. Suave stares are
to various limitations on living and working about as adventurous as most French men get,
in France. with women rarely being physically assaulted
Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, on the street or touched up in bars at night.
Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Unfortunately, it s not French men that
Singapore, the USA and many Latin American women travellers have to concern themselves
countries do not need visas to visit France as with. While women attract little unwanted
tourists for up to 90 days. attention in rural areas, on the coast it s a
Other people wishing to come to France different ball game. In the dizzying heat of
as tourists have to apply for a Schengen visa, high season, the coast is rampant with men
named after the agreements that abolished and women of all nationalities out on the pull.
passport controls between 22 EU mem- Apply the usual  woman traveller rules and
ber states (excluding the UK and Ireland), the chances are you ll emerge from the circus
plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and unscathed. Remain conscious of your sur-
Liechtenstein. It allows unlimited travel roundings, avoid going to bars and clubs alone
throughout the entire zone for a 90-day at night, be aware of potentially dangerous
period. Application should be made to the situations  deserted streets, lonely beaches,
consulate of the country you are entering dark corners of large train stations  and take
first, or that will be your main destination. care on night buses.
Among other things, you will need travel Topless sunbathing  less and less la mode
and repatriation insurance and be able (the fashion) on local beaches where it is very
to show that you have sufficient funds to much tops on these days  is not interpreted
support yourself. as deliberately provocative.
D I R E C T O R Y
� Lonely Planet Publications
262
Transport
THINGS CHANGE&
CONTENTS
The information in this chapter is particularly
Getting There & Away 262
vulnerable to change. Check directly with the
Entering the Region 262
transport provider or a travel agent to make
Air 262
sure you understand how a fare (and ticket
Land 264
you may buy) works, and be aware of the se-
Sea 265
curity requirements for international travel.
Getting Around 265
The details given in this chapter should be
Bicycle 265
regarded as pointers and are not a substitute
Boat 266
for your own careful, up-to-date research.
Bus 266
Car & Motorcycle 266
Train 268
Carcassonne (CCF; %04 68 71 96 46; www.carcassonne
.aeroport.fr)
Girona Barcelona (GRO; %972 186 600; www.girona
GETTING THERE & AWAY
-airport.net)
When planning your journey to France and Montpellier (MPL; %04 67 20 85 00; www.montpellier
onward to Languedoc-Roussillon consider .aeroport.fr)
booking flights, tours and rail tickets at www N�mes (FNI; %04 66 70 49 49; www.nimes-aeroport.fr)
.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services. Perpignan Rivesaltes (PGF; %04 68 52 60 70)
Toulouse (TLS; %08 25 38 00 00; www.toulouse.aero
ENTERING THE REGION port.fr)
European integration means you ll usually
cross fluidly between France and other EU AIRLINES FLYING TO/FROM THE REGION
countries without passing through customs Budget airlines:
or border checkpoints. Arrivals from non-EU Atlas Blue (8A; %0820 887 887; www.atlas-blue.com)
countries must show a passport (or identity Hub Marrakesh.
card for EU citizens) and clear customs. Those bmibaby (CWW; %08 90 71 00 81; www.bmibaby.com)
entering Roussillon by car from Portbou or Hub East Midlands.
the Col d Ares (Vall�e du Conflent) in neigh- Corsairfly (SS; %0820 042 042; www.corsairfly.com)
bouring Spain will have shown their passport, Hub Paris.
if necessary, when entering Spain. easyJet (U2; %08 99 65 00 11; www.easyjet.com) Hub
London Luton.
AIR Flybe (BE; %within UK 0871 700 0535, from outside UK
Airports & Airlines 4413 922 685 29; www.flybe.com) Hub Southampton.
Several airports serve Languedoc-Roussillon, Germanwings (4U; %08 26 10 98 88; www.german
but Toulouse is the only one served by major wings.com) Hub Cologne.
airlines; others are used by budget airlines Jet2.com (LS; %08 21 23 02 03; www.jet2.com) Hub
to/from the UK and continental Europe. Leeds Bradford.
For Roussillon, consider Girona Barcelona Jet4you (8J; %08 11 61 44 44; www.jet4you.com) Hub
in neighbouring Spain, an hour s train ride Casablanca.
or 85-minute coach ride to/from Perpignan New Axis Airways (9X; %0820 82 52 06; www.axis-air
with Frogbus (www.frogbus.com). For details on ways.com) Hub Paris.
travelling between other airports and city Ryanair (FR; %08 92 68 20 73; www.ryanair.com) Hub
centres, see the Getting Around sections in Dublin.
the relevant chapters. Sterling (NB; %01 55 69 55 71; www.sterling.com) Hub
Airports: Copenhagen.
B�ziers Agde (BZR: %04 67 80 99 09; www.beziers.aero Tap Portugal (TP; %0820 319 320; www.flytap.com)
port.fr) Hub Lisbon.
TRANSPORT
lonelyplanet.com GET TING THERE & AWAY " " Air 263
CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL
Climate change is a serious threat to the ecosystems that humans rely upon, and air travel is the
fastest-growing contributor to the problem. Lonely Planet regards travel, overall, as a global ben-
efit, but believes we all have a responsibility to limit our personal impact on global warming.
Flying & Climate Change
Pretty much every form of motorized travel generates CO2 (the main cause of human-induced
climate change) but planes are far and away the worst offenders, not just because of the sheer
distances they allow us to travel, but because they release greenhouse gases high into the at-
mosphere. The statistics are frightening: two people taking a return flight between Europe and
the US will contribute as much to climate change as an average household s gas and electricity
consumption over a whole year.
Carbon Offset Schemes
Climatecare.org and other websites use  carbon calculators that allow travellers to offset the
level of greenhouse gases they are responsible for with financial contributions to sustainable
travel schemes that reduce global warming  including projects in India, Honduras, Kazakhstan
and Uganda.
Lonely Planet, together with Rough Guides and other concerned partners in the travel industry,
supports the carbon offset scheme run by climatecare.org. Lonely Planet offsets all of its staff
and author travel.
For more information check out our website: www.lonelyplanet.com.
Transavia.com (HV; %08 92 05 88 88; www.transavia Royal Air Maroc (AT; %0820 821 821; www.royalair
.com) Hub Amsterdam. maroc.com) Hub Casablanca.
Twin Jet (T7; %08 92 70 77 37; www.twinjet.fr) Hub Tunis Air (TU; %0820 044 044; www.tunisair.com)
Marseille. Hub Tunis.
Others: Tickets
Aer Lingus (EI; %08 21 23 02 67; www.aerlingus.com) UK & IRELAND
Hub Dublin. Budget airlines usually offer the best deals.
Aigle Azur (ZL; %08 10 79 79 97; www.aigle-azur.fr) With the exception of Toulouse, Ryanair
Hub Paris. services all Languedoc-Roussillon s airports,
Air Algerie (AH; %01 42 60 30 62; www.airalgerie.dz) plus Girona in Spain (see opposite), from
Hub Algiers. London Luton, Stansted and several regional
Air France (AF; %0820 320 820; www.airfrance.com) airports; easyJet flies to/from Toulouse and
Hub Paris. Montpellier from London Gatwick, and to/
Airlinair (A5; %08 10 47 84 78; www.airlinair.com) from Toulouse from Bristol; bmibaby does
Hub Paris. Perpignan Manchester, Flybe Toulouse
Alitalia (AZ; %0820 315 315; www.alitalia.com) Hub Birmingham and Jet2.com Toulouse to/from
Rome. Belfast, Edinburgh and Leeds Bradford.
British Airways (BA; %0825 825 400; www.britishair Recommended travel agencies:
ways.com) Hub London Heathrow. Bridge the World (%0870 444 7474; www.b-t-w.co.uk)
CCM Airlines (XK; %04 95 29 05 09; www.ccm-airlines Flight Centre (%0870 890 8099; www.flightcentre.co.uk)
.com) Hub Ajaccio. Flightbookers (%0870 814 4001; www.ebookers.com)
Iberia (IB; %08 25 80 09 65; www.iberia.com) Hub North-South Travel (%01245 608 291; www.north
Madrid. southtravel.co.uk) Donates some profit to projects in the
KLM (KL; %0890 710 710; www.klm.com) Hub developing world.
Amsterdam. Quest Travel (%0870 442 3542; www.questtravel.com)
Lufthansa (LH; %0826 10 33 34; www.lufthansa.com) STA Travel (%0870 160 0599; www.statravel.co.uk) For
Hub Frankfurt. travellers under 26.
OLT (OL; %within Germany 01805 658 659; www.olt.de) Trailfinders (www.trailfinders.co.uk)
Hub Emden. Travel Bag (%0870 890 1456; www.travelbag.co.uk)
T R A N S P O R T
264 GET TING THERE & AWAY " " Land lonelyplanet.com
WITHIN FRANCE Victoria coach station via the Dover Calais
Much more responsible to take the train (right), channel crossing to Toulouse, Montpellier
but, should you have to, national carrier Air and other large cities, often with a change of
France operates flights from both Toulouse and coach in Lille or Lyon. Journey time is around
Montpellier to/from Paris and several French 22 hours and return fares hover at Ł110.
regional airports, and from Perpignan to/from Linebłs (www.linebus.com; N�mes %04 66 29 50 62;
Paris. EasyJet covers the Paris Toulouse routes Barcelona %932 65 07 00) links Montpellier/N�mes/
and Airlinair flies from B�ziers Agde to/from Toulouse with Barcelona (one way Ź 35/38/40)
Paris Orly and Bastia in Corsica. and other Spanish cities.
Recommended agencies:
Anyway (%0892 893 892; www.anyway.fr) Car & Motorcycle
Lastminute (%0892 705 000; www.lastminute.fr) For driving in France, see p266.
Nouvelles FrontiŁres (%0825 000 747; www High-speed shuttle trains operated by
.nouvelles-frontieres.fr) Eurotunnel (%in the UK 08705 35 35 35, in France 0810
OTU Voyages (www.otu.fr) Student and youth travel. 63 03 04; www.eurotunnel.com) whisk motorists from
Voyageurs du Monde (%01 40 15 11 15; www.vdm Folkestone through the Channel Tunnel to
.com) Coquelles, 5km southwest of Calais. Journey
time is 35 minutes, and 24-hour departures
AUSTRALIA are up to three an hour. Promotional fares
STA Travel (%1300 733 035; www.startravelc.om.au) slash standard high-season fares (Ł49 to Ł145
and Flight Centre (%133 133; www.flightcentre.com or Ź 69 to Ź 217 one way) for a car and passen-
.au) have offices throughout Australia. Online, gers considerably. Advance reservations (%in
see www.travel.com.au. the UK 01303 28 22 01) are obligatory for cyclists.
CANADA Train
Travel Cuts (%800-667-2887; www.travelcuts.com) is Rail services link France with virtually every
Canada s national student-travel agency. Online, country in Europe; Perpignan is on the south-
try www.expedia.ca and www.travelocity.ca. bound line to/from Barcelona (four hours). For
train travel within Languedoc-Roussillon, see
USA p268. Outside France, book tickets/get infor-
San Francisco is the ticket-consolidator capi- mation from Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com; %in
tal of America, although good deals can be the UK 0870 5848 848) and Railkey (www.railkey.com). In
found in Los Angeles, New York and other France the SNCF (%3635, from abroad 0892 35 35 35;
big cities. Recommended agencies: www.sncf.com) takes telephone and internet book-
American Express Travel (www.itn.net) ings but doesn t post tickets outside France.
Cheap Tickets (www.cheaptickets.com) For pan-European journeys, consider a
ebookers (www.ebookers.com) Eurail Pass (%in the US 1 888 667 9734; www.eurail.com)
Expedia (www.expedia.com) for non-European residents or a Euro Domino
Lowest Fare (www.lowestfare.com) or InterRail Pass (www.interrailnet.com) for European
Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) residents. All are valid on France s national
STA Travel (www.sta.com) For travellers under 26. SNCF train network and allow unlimited
Travelocity (www.travelocity.com) travel for varying periods of time.
For discounted train tickets and passes
LAND within France, see opposite.
Bus Digital train-travel planners:
Eurolines (%08 92 89 90 91; www.eurolines.com; Montpellier The Man in Seat 61 (www.seat61.com)
Rail Passenger (www.railpassenger.info)
%04 67 58 57 59; N�mes %04 66 29 49 02; Toulouse
Railteam (www.railteam.co.uk)
%05 61 26 40 04) links Toulouse, Montpellier,
N�mes and Perpignan with points all over TGV Europe (www.tgv-europe.com)
Western and central Europe, Scandinavia and
Morocco. A Eurolines Pass (www.eurolines-pass.eu; EUROSTAR
15-/30-day pass high season Ź 329/439) allows unlimited Journey time aboard the Eurostar (%in the UK
travel between 40 European cities. 08705 186 186, in France 0892 35 35 39; www.eurostar.com)
National Express (%08717 81 81 81; www.nationalex from London St Pancras International to
press.com/eurolines) runs services from London s Paris Gare du Nord is 2ź hours, from where
TRANSPORT
lonelyplanet.com GET TING AROUND " " Bicycle 265
TRAIN PASSES & DISCOUNT FARES WITHIN FRANCE
Look out for great deals available on www.sncf.com, including last-minute offers and Prem s
( early-bird deals ), available for advance online bookings.
Discounted fares and passes are available at SNCF train stations and SNCF offices in Montpellier,
N�mes and Toulouse (listed under Getting There & Away in the respective town and city sections
of this book). Children under four travel free of charge; those aged four to 11 travel half-price.
Reductions of 25% are available  subject to trains and conditions of reservation  to travellers
aged 12 to 25, seniors aged over 60, one to four adults travelling with a child aged four to 11,
two people taking a return journey together or anyone taking a return journey of at least 200km
and spending a Saturday night away.
Reductions of 25% to 50% are available with a Carte 12-25 (www.12-25-sncf.com; Ź 49), aimed at
travellers aged 12 to 25; the Carte Enfant Plus (www.enfantplus-sncf.com; Ź 70), for one to four adults
travelling with a child aged four to 11; and a Carte S�nior (www.senior-sncf.com; Ź 56), for those aged
over 60. A Carte Escapades (www.escapades-sncf.com; Ź 85), for those aged 26 to 59, guarantees a
25% saving on a return journey of at least 200km including a Saturday night away.
The France Railpass entitles non-residents of France to unlimited travel on SNCF trains for
a choice of three to nine days over a one-month period, with the option to add on an addi-
tional six days. In 2nd class a three-/five-/nine-day pass costs US$258/332/480. Equivalent France
Youthpasses, available to those under 26, are US$191/247/359.
a metro flit across the capital to Paris Gare
SEA
de Lyon proffers ample southbound rail con-
Ferry links with the region are scant, and for
nections to towns and cities in Languedoc-
UK motorists it s certainly a long old trek
Roussillon (see below). A standard 2nd-class
(read: an unenviable drive of 10 hours or so)
one-way/return ticket from London to Paris
from the Channel-linked ports in northern
costs Ł154.50/309 (Ź 232.50/435), but super-
France to Languedoc.
discount returns go for as little as Ł59.
From SŁte, the SNCM (%3260, 04 67 46 68 00;
www.sncm.fr) runs year-round ferries to Tangiers,
WITHIN FRANCE
Morocco.
French trains are run by the state-owned
SNCF (%3635; www.sncf.com), whose pride is the
world-renowned TGV (www.tgv.com), which
GETTING AROUND
speeds along at 320km/h (198mph). The
TGV Midi-M�diterran�e links Paris Gare
BICYCLE
de Lyon with Montpellier, and in 2010
Despite what feels like an overdose of hills and
super-speedy track will reach Perpignan.
cols (mountain passes), cycling is an inspired
Less fast but equally comfortable are T�oz
way to get around Languedoc-Roussillon 
(www.corailteoz.com) trains from Paris Gare
an area blessed with quiet back roads, rela-
d Austerlitz to/from Toulouse, Montpellier
tively light traffic and dozens of urban and
and Perpignan. For fares and journey details,
rural pistes cyclables (cycling paths); on the
see Getting There & Away sections in the
coast there are several, while pedalling along
regional chapters.
Canal du Midi towpaths is an unsurpassable
Train stations have at least one billeterie
Languedoc pleasure.
automatique (automatic ticket machine) that
By law your bicycle must have two func-
accepts cash and computer-chip credit cards.
tioning brakes, a bell, a red reflector on the
With a credit card, you can also buy tickets
back and yellow reflectors on the pedals. After
by phone or online (www.voyages-sncf.com
sunset and when visibility is poor, cyclists
in French); have them sent to you by post
must turn on a white light in front and a red
(only within France) or collect them from any
one in the rear.
SNCF ticket office.
Bicycles can be brought along for no
Before boarding trains time-stamp your
charge on all intraregional TER trains in
ticket in a composteur, a yellow post at the
Languedoc-Roussillon. For more on cycling,
entrance to the platform, or risk being fined.
see p63.
T R A N S P O R T
266 GET TING AROUND " " Boat lonelyplanet.com
Online rental agencies:
Bike Hire
Camargue Plaisance (%03 85 53 76 74; www
Hiring a town bike (VTC; v�los tout chemin)
.plaisance.camargue.fr)
or mountain bike (VTT; v�los tout terrains)
Canal Boat Holidays (www.canalboatholidays.com)
is easy: every town has at least one rental
Crown Blue Line (www.crownblueline.com; Castel-
outlet; see the Getting Around sections of
naudary %04 68 94 52 94; Port CassafiŁres %04 67 90 91
the larger towns for details. Rental charges
70; St-Gilles %04 66 87 22 66)
hover around Ź 15/60 per day/week and outlets
France Afloat (%03 86 81 67 87, in the UK 0870 0110
demand a deposit (a credit-card slip)  and
538; www.franceafloatcom)
sometimes ID as well  that you forfeit if the
H2olidays Barging in France (www.barginginfrance.com)
bike is damaged or stolen. Few rent safety
Locaboat Holidays (%03 86 91 72 72, in the UK
helmets; bring your own if you want to be
01279 505 097; www.locaboat.com)
certain of wearing one.
Minervois Cruisers (www.minervoiscruisers.com)
In true Parisian style, Montpellier, Toulouse
Rive de France (%04 67 37 14 60; www.rive-de
and Perpignan sport self-service bike-rental
-france.tm.fr)
systems with computerised pick-up and drop-
Worldwide River Cruise (www.worldwide-river
off sites all over town. In general, you have
-cruise.com)
to sign up either short term or long term,
providing credit-card details.
BUS
Buses are widely used for short-distance travel
BOAT
within d�partements, but services are infre-
For ferry services along the coast, see the
quent and slow. Route details are listed under
individual town and city sections.
Getting Around in regional chapters.
Updated bus schedules are online:
Canal Boat
Montpellier area (www.herault.fr/herault-transport)
Transportation and tranquillity are usually
Bus services throughout the H�rault d�partement.
mutually exclusive categories  but not if you
Roussillon (www.cg66.com) Complete schedules under
rent a houseboat and cruise along a section
the Routes Transport link.
of the Canal du Midi (p30), stopping on a
whim to pick up supplies, dine at a village
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
restaurant, visit a wine-producing chateau
Having your own wheels is vital to properly
by bicycle or navigate one of the many �c-
discover the region, with many nooks and
luses (locks). The Canal de la Robine that
crannies impossible to uncover by public
flares off south from the Canal du Midi near
transport. That said, parking in larger towns
Narbonne is also navigable, as are several
and cities can be a headache, and during holi-
canals in the Camargue.
day periods  particularly in July and August
Boats accommodate from two to 12 pas-
and over long weekends  coastal roads can
sengers and are outfitted with bedding and
get backed up with bouchons (traffic jams).
cooking facilities. Anyone over 18 can pilot a
There are four types of intercity roads:
riverboat, but first-time skippers are given a
Autoroutes Rapid-transit multilane motorways (high-
short instruction session so they qualify for a
ways) with tolls (p�ages). An example is the A8.
carte de plaisance (a temporary cruising per-
Routes Nationales (N, RN) National highways.
mit). The speed limit is 6km/h on canals and
Routes Communales (C, V) Minor rural roads.
8km/h on rivers.
Routes D�partementales (D) Local roads.
Dozens of boat-rental opportunities are
listed in the destination chapters of this guide;
Autoroutes in Languedoc-Roussillon are man-
see p242 , p136 and p188 . Popular ports to
aged by Autoroutes du Sud de la France (www.asf.fr),
get afloat on the Canal du Midi include
whose website allows you to plan your journey
Moissac west of Toulouse, Le Somail and
and check tolls, local weather, road conditions
Homps west of Narbonne, Le Capestang east
and so on. Surf www.autoroutes.fr for masses
of Narbonne, and Carnon near Montpellier.
more traffic-related information.
Count on a week for a Carcassonne Agde
return voyage and a fortnight for the classic
Bringing Your Own Vehicle
Carcassonne Castelnaudary return cruise 
Vehicles must display a sticker identifying their
3� to five hours sailing and navigating up
country of registration. A right-hand-drive
to 10 locks a day.
TRANSPORT
lonelyplanet.com GET TING AROUND " " Car & Motorcycle 267
Australia and Holiday Autos (%in the UK 0871 472
ROAD DISTANCES (KM)
5229; www.holidayautos.co.uk) in the UK. In this
book, car-rental addresses are listed under
large cities and towns. Major agencies:
ADA (%0825 169 169; www.ada.fr in French)
Avis (%0820 05 05 05; www.avis.com)
Carcassonne ---
Budget (%0825 00 35 64; www.budget.com, www
Montpellier 150 ---
.budget.fr in French)
N�mes 200 55 ---
Easycar (%in UK 0906-333 3333; www.easycar.com)
Europcar (%0825 358 358; www.europcar.com)
Perpignan 115 155 200 ---
Hertz (%01 39 38 38 38 in French; www.hertz.com)
Toulouse 95 240 290 205 ---
National-Citer (www.nationalcar.com, www.citer.fr in French)
Renault Rent (%0810 40 50 60; www.renault-rent
.com in French)
Sixt (%0820 00 74 98; www.sixt.fr in French)
Insurance
Third-party liability insurance is compul-
sory for all vehicles in France, including cars
from abroad. If you get into a minor accident
vehicle brought from the UK or Ireland has to with no injuries, the easiest way for drivers
have deflectors fitted to the headlights to avoid to sort things out with insurance companies
dazzling oncoming traffic. A reflective warning is to fill out a Constat Aimable d Accident
triangle and fluorescent waistcoat, to be used Automobile (European Accident Statement),
in the event of breakdown, must be carried in a standardised way of recording important
your car. Fit your car with winter (all-season) details about what happened. In rental cars
tyres if you re driving here in winter. it s in the packet of documents in the glove
In the UK, information on driving in compartment. If problems crop up, call the
France is available from the RAC (%0870 0106 police (%17).
382; www.rac.co.uk) and the AA (%0870 6000 371;
www.theaa.com). Road Conditions
If you re planning to drive along the coast on
Driving Licence & Documents Saturday in July or August, it can take hours
All drivers must carry an ID card or pass- to move a few kilometres. For traffic reports in
port, a driving licence, car-ownership pa- English, tune in to 107.7MHz FM, which gives
pers (carte grise) and proof of third-party updates every 30 minutes in summer.
liability insurance.
Road Rules
Fuel & Spare Parts Passengers front and back must wear seat belts.
Petrol stations generally close Saturday after- Children under 10kg must travel in backward-
noon and Sunday; 24-hour stations, gener- facing child seats; children weighing up to
ally at supermarkets on town fringes, require
automated payment by credit card with an
SPEED LIMITS
embedded PIN chip.
Essence (petrol or gasoline), also called Built-up areas (towns, villages etc) 

carburant (fuel), is priciest at stations on 50km/h
autoroutes, cheapest at supermarkets. In late
Motorways (autoroutes)  130km/h

2008 unleaded 95  look for the green pump 
(110km/h in the rain, 60km/h in icy
hovered at Ź 1.30 per litre.
conditions)
Dual carriageways  110km/h

Car Hire
(100km/h if it s raining)
Deals can be found on the internet with com-
panies like Auto Europe (%in USA 1-888-223-5555; Two-way national and local roads 
www.autoeurope.com) in the US, DriveAway Holidays 90km/h (80km/h if it s raining)
(%in Australia 0311-723 972; www.driveaway.com.au) in
T R A N S P O R T
N�mes
Toulouse
Perpignan
Montpellier
Carcassonne
� Lonely Planet Publications
268 GET TING AROUND " " Train lonelyplanet.com
36kg must travel in child seats in the vehicle s
rear seat. Children under 10 are not allowed THE DIGITAL TRAIN STATION
to sit in the front seat, even with a car seat.
Check train arrivals/departures in real time,
North American drivers note: turning right
locate the closest wi-fi hotspot, and find out
on a red light is illegal.
about public-transport links, taxi telephone
Under the priorit� ą droite rule, any car
numbers, where the station loos are, serv-
entering an intersection (including a T-
ices for disabled travellers and so on with
junction and a roundabout) from a road on
Gares en Mouvement (www.gares-en-mouve
your right has the right-of-way, unless the
ment.com), an inspired digital resource that
intersection is marked vous n avez pas la
gives you the complete low-down on every
priorit� (you do not have right of way) or
train station in France.
c�dez le passage (give way). Priorit� ą droite
is also suspended on priority roads, which
are marked by a yellow diamond within a Narbonne to Carcassonne, Castelnaudary and
larger white diamond. Toulouse. In Roussillon the train trundles
Mobile phones may only be used when the length of the Vall�e du Conflent west
accompanied by a hands-free kit or speaker- from Perpignan.
phone. Radar detectors are very illegal. Additionally, a narrow-gauge tourist
Riders of any type of two-wheeled vehicle train (p235) runs from Rivesaltes, north of
with a motor (except motor-assisted bicycles) Perpignan, for 60km along the Vallee de
must wear a helmet. No special licence is l Agly to Axat in neighbouring Languedoc;
required to ride a motorbike whose engine while the mythical Canary (p232) chases the
is smaller than 50cc. Vall�e du Conflent. Both don open-top car-
In forested areas unpaved tracks signposted riages in summer and chug through dazzling
DFCI (d�fense forestiŁre contre l incendie) mountain scenery.
are for fire crews to gain quick entry in the
event of a fire: they are strictly off limits to Reservations
private vehicles. Reservations are not mandatory on most re-
gional trains, but it s advisable to buy your
ALCOHOL ticket for any straight-through trains well in
It is illegal to drive with a blood-alcohol con- advance in summer.
centration (BAC) of over 0.05% (0.5g per Before boarding time-stamp your ticket
litre of blood)  the equivalent of two glasses in a composteur (yellow post at platform
of wine. entrances) or risk a fine.
TRAIN Train Passes
Languedoc-Roussillon s regional SNCF For countrywide SNCF discounts and rail
train network, served by TER Languedoc passes, see p265.
Roussillon (%0891 700 900; www.ter-sncf.com/langue With the annual Carte Via Libert� (Ź 25),
doc), comprises several routes: one shadows cardholders get a 25% discount on all rail
the entire coast a little inland from N�mes travel Monday to Friday in the Languedoc-
via Montpellier, B�ziers and Narbonne to Roussillon r�gion. At weekends, on bank
Perpignan and beyond into Spain; another holidays and during school holidays, the card-
snakes north through Haut-Languedoc to holder and up to three travelling companions
Millau and beyond; and a third dives west from get a 50% discount.
TRANSPORT
� Lonely Planet Publications
269
Health
UK, get application forms from post offices,
or download them from the Department
CONTENTS
of Health website (www.dh.gov.uk), which
Before You Go 269
has comprehensive information about the
Insurance 269
card s coverage.
Recommended Vaccinations 269
Citizens from other countries will need
In Transit 269
to check if there is a reciprocal arrangement
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) 269
for free medical care between their home
Jet Lag 269
country and France. If you need health insur-
In France 270
ance, you should strongly consider a policy
Availability & Cost of Health Care 270
covering the worst possible scenario, such
Diarrhoea 270
as an accident requiring an emergency flight
Environmental Hazards 270
home. Find out in advance if your insur-
Travelling with Children 270
ance plan will make payments directly to
Women s Health 271
providers or reimburse you later for overseas
Sexual Health 271
health expenditures.
Languedoc-Roussillon is a healthy place:
RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS
your main risks are likely to be sunburn,
No vaccinations are required to travel
foot blisters, the odd insect bite and mild
to France. However, the World Health
stomach problems from eating and drinking
Organization (WHO) recommends that all
too much.
travellers be covered for diphtheria, tetanus,
measles, mumps, rubella and polio, regardless
of their destination.
BEFORE YOU GO
Prevention is the key to staying healthy while
IN TRANSIT
abroad. A little planning before departure,
particularly for pre-existing illnesses, will save
trouble later. See your dentist before a long DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT)
trip, carry a spare pair of contact lenses and Blood clots may form in the legs during plane
glasses, and take your optical prescription flights, chiefly because of prolonged immobil-
with you. Bring medications in their origi- ity. The main symptom of DVT is swelling or
nal, clearly labelled containers. A signed and pain of the foot, ankle or calf, usually but not
dated letter from your physician describing always on just one side. When a blood clot
your medical conditions and medications, travels to the lungs it may cause chest pain
including generic names (French medicine and breathing difficulties. Travellers with any
names are often completely different than of these symptoms should immediately seek
those in other countries), is also a good idea. medical attention.
If carrying syringes or needles, be sure to To prevent the development of DVT on
have a physician s letter documenting their long flights, walk about the cabin, contract
medical necessity. the leg muscles while sitting, drink plenty of
fluids, and avoid alcohol and tobacco.
INSURANCE
Citizens of the EU, Switzerland, Iceland, JET LAG
Norway or Liechtenstein receive free or To avoid jet lag (common when crossing more
reduced-cost state-provided health-care than five time zones), drink plenty of nonalco-
cover with the European Health Insurance holic fluids and eat light meals. Upon arrival,
Card (EHIC) for medical treatment that be- get exposure to natural sunlight and readjust
comes necessary while in France. Each fam- your schedule (for meals, sleep and so on) as
ily member will need a separate card. In the soon as possible.
H E A L T H
270 IN FRANCE " " Availability & Cost of Health Care lonelyplanet.com
To prevent AMS:
IN FRANCE
Ascend slowly  have frequent rest days,
spending two to three nights at each rise
AVAILABILITY & COST OF HEALTH CARE
of 1000m. Acclimatisation takes place
Visitors to France can get excellent health
gradually.
care from the emergency room/casualty ward
Sleep at a lower altitude than the greatest
(salle des urgences) of a hospital (h�pital) and
height reached during the day, if possible.
at a doctor s office (cabinet m�dical), and for
Also, once above 3000m, care should be
minor illnesses trained pharmacists (phar-
taken not to increase the sleeping altitude
maciens) in pharmacies  there is at least one
by more than 300m per day.
in every town, flagged with a flashing green
Drink extra fluids. Monitor hydration by
cross outside  provide valuable advice and
ensuring that urine is clear and plentiful.
sell medications. They can also tell you when
Eat light, high-carbohydrate meals for
more specialised help is needed and point you
more energy.
in the right direction. Dental care is usually
Avoid alcohol, sedatives and tobacco.
good; however, it is sensible to have a dental
check-up before a long trip.
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion follows excessive fluid loss
DIARRHOEA
with inadequate replacement of fluids and
If you develop diarrhoea, drink plenty of
salt. Symptoms include headache, dizziness
fluids, preferably an oral rehydration solution
and tiredness. Dehydration is already happen-
(eg Dioralyte). If diarrhoea is bloody, persists
ing by the time you feel thirsty  aim to drink
for more than 72 hours, or is accompanied
enough water to produce pale, diluted urine.
by fever, shaking, chills or severe abdominal
To treat heat exhaustion, replace lost fluids by
pain, seek immediate medical attention.
drinking water and/or fruit juice, and cool the
body with cold water and fans.
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
Altitude Sickness
Hypothermia
Lack of oxygen at high altitudes (over 2500m)
Even on a hot day France s mountain weather
affects most people to some extent. Symptoms
can change rapidly, so always carry waterproof
of acute mountain sickness (AMS) usually de-
garments and warm layers, and inform others
velop in the first 24 hours at altitude but may
of your route. Acute hypothermia follows a
be delayed up to three weeks. Mild symptoms
sudden drop of body temperature over a short
are headache, lethargy, dizziness, difficulty
time, while chronic hypothermia is caused by
sleeping and loss of appetite. Severe symptoms
a gradual loss of body temperature over hours.
are breathlessness, a dry, irritative cough (fol-
Hypothermia starts with shivering, loss of
lowed by the production of pink, frothy spu-
judgment and clumsiness. Unless rewarming
tum), severe headache, lack of coordination
occurs, the sufferer deteriorates into apathy,
and balance, confusion, vomiting, irrational
confusion and coma. Prevent further heat loss
behaviour, drowsiness, and unconsciousness.
by seeking shelter, and ensuring the sufferer
There s no rule as to what is too high: AMS
has access to warm, dry clothing, hot, sweet
can be fatal at 3000m, but 3500m to 4500m
drinks and shared bodily warmth.
is the usual range.
Treat mild symptoms by resting at the same
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN
altitude until you recover, which usually takes
All travellers with children should know how
a day or two. Paracetamol (acetaminophen)
to treat minor ailments and when to seek
or aspirin can be taken for headaches. If
medical advice. Be sure children are up to
symptoms persist or grow worse, however,
date with routine vaccinations, and discuss
immediate descent is necessary; even 500m
possible travel vaccines well before departure,
can help. Drug treatments should never be
as some vaccines are not suitable for children
used to avoid descent or to enable further
under a year.
ascent. Diamox (acetazolamide) reduces the
If your child has vomiting or diarrhoea,
headache of AMS and helps the body acclima-
lost fluids and salts must be replaced. It may
tise to the lack of oxygen. It is only available
be helpful to take along rehydration powders
on prescription.
for reconstituting with boiled water.
HEALTH
� Lonely Planet Publications
lonelyplanet.com IN FRANCE " " Women s Health 271
Travelling during pregnancy is usually pos-
WOMEN S HEALTH
sible, but you should always consult your doc-
Emotional stress, exhaustion and travel-
tor before planning your trip. The most risky
ling across time zones can all contribute to
times for travel are during the first 12 weeks
an upset in the menstrual pattern of some
of pregnancy and after 30 weeks.
women. If you are using oral contraceptives,
remember some antibiotics, or stomach up-
SEXUAL HEALTH
sets such as diarrhoea and vomiting can stop
Emergency contraception is available with
the pill from working and lead to the risk
a doctor s prescription in France. Condoms
of pregnancy  remember to take condoms
with you just in case. Time zones, gastroin- (pr�servatifs) are readily available at pharma-
cies. Keep them in a cool, dry place or they
testinal upsets and antibiotics do not affect
may crack.
injectable contraception.
� Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
the above -  Do the right thing with our content.
H E A L T H
� Lonely Planet Publications
272
Language
help you in getting your message across.
Here are a few of the letters of written
French that may cause confusion:
CONTENTS
j zh in the pronunciation guides; as the
Pronunciation 272
 s in  leisure , eg jour, zhoor (day)
Be Polite! 272
c before e and i, as the  s in  sit ; before
Gender 273
a, o and u it s pronounced as English
Accommodation 273
 k . When underscored with a cedilla
Conversation & Essentials 274
(�) it s always pronounced as the  s
Directions 274
in  sit .
Health 274
r pronounced from the back of the
Emergencies 275
throat while constricting the muscles
Language Difficulties 275
to restrict the flow of air
Numbers 275
n, m where a syllable ends in a single n or
Paperwork 275
m, these letters are not pronounced,
Question Words 275
but the preceding vowel is given a
Shopping & Services 275
nasal pronunciation
Time & Dates 276
Transport 276
BE POLITE!
Travel with Children 277
While the French rightly or wrongly have a
reputation for assuming that all humans
Modern French developed from the langue
should speak French  before WWI it was the
d o�l, a group of dialects spoken north of the
international language of culture and diplo-
River Loire and descended from the ver-
macy  you ll find any attempt to communi-
nacular Latin used during the late Gallo-
cate in French will be much appreciated.
Roman period. The langue d o�l  particularly
What is often perceived as arrogance is
the Francien dialect that was spoken in the
often just a subtle objection to the assump-
�le de France  eventually displaced the
tion by many travellers that they should be
langue d oc, the dialect spoken in the south
able to speak English anywhere, in any situ-
of the country, and from which the region
ation, and be understood. You can easily
of Languedoc gets its name.
avoid the problem by approaching people
The terms langue d o�l and langue d oc
and addressing them in French. Even if the
reflect language distinctions through the
only sentence you are able to muster is Par-
alternative ways these northern and south-
don, madame/monsieur, parlez-vous anglais?
ern dialects represent the word  yes : o�l (or
(Excuse me, madam/sir, do you speak Eng-
oui in modern French) and �c respectively.
lish?), you re sure to be much more warmly
Standard French is spoken throughout
received than if you stick to English.
Languedoc-Roussillon, but Occitan (see the
You should also be aware that an impor-
boxed text p273) and Catalan (see the boxed
tant distinction is made in French between
text p274) are also prevalent, and serve as
tu and vous, which both mean  you . Tu is
important cultural markers.
only used when addressing people you
For more information on food and dining
know well or children. If you re addressing
in France, see p51. If you d like a more com- an adult who isn t a personal friend, vous
prehensive guide to the French language
should always be used unless the person
Lonely Planet s compact French Phrasebook
invites you to use tu. In general, younger
will cover most of your travel needs. people insist less on this distinction be-
tween polite and informal, and you ll find
PRONUNCIATION that in many cases they use tu from the
The pronunciation guides included with beginning of an acquaintance. Neverthe-
the French phrases in this chapter should less, it s always best to err on the safe side.
LANGUAGE
lonelyplanet.com LANGUAGE " " Gender 273
OCCITAN MAKING A RESERVATION
Occitan or langue d oc refers to the dialects spoken over a (for phone or written requests)
large territory in the south of France. It is closely related
to Catalan (see the boxed text p274), with influences To ... Ą l attention de ...
from French. Recent estimates suggest there are around From ... De la part de ...
eight million speakers, of whom two million use the Date Date
language every day. The dialects Proven�al, Languedocien I d like to book ... Je voudrais r�server ...
and Auvergnat are spoken in Languedoc-Roussillon. in the name of ... au nom de ...
from ... (date) to ... du ... au ...
As the language of the troubadours, Occitan enjoyed
great literary prestige during the Middle Ages. How- credit card carte de cr�dit
number num�ro
ever, economic and religious imperialism from the
expiry date date d expiration
north resulted in the Parisian dialect being imposed in
administrative spheres.
Please confirm Veuillez confirmer la
availability and price. disponibilit� et le prix.
Good morning. Bonjorn.
Good afternoon. Bon vŁspre.
Good evening. Bon ser.
hotel un h�tel un o�tel
Hello./Goodbye. Adieu. (sg & inf)
youth hostel une auberge ewn o�berzh
Adieussiatz. (pl/pol)
de jeunesse der zher�nes
How are you? Coma va?
Well. Va plan.
Where can I find a cheap hotel?
Excuse me. Perdon.
Oł est-ce qu on peut trouver un h�tel pas cher?
Please. Te prŁgui. (sg & inf)
oo es�kon per troo�vay un o�tel pa shair
Vos prŁgui. (pl/pol)
What is the address?
Thank you. Merc�s.
Quelle est l adresse?
Yes. �c.
kel e la�dres
No. Non.
Could you write the address, please?
Est-ce que vous pourriez �crire l adresse, s il vous pla�t?
es�ker voo poo�ryay ay�kreer la�dres seel voo play
GENDER
Do you have any rooms available?
All nouns in French are either masculine or
Est-ce que vous avez des chambres libres?
feminine, and adjectives reflect the gender
es�ker voo�za�vay day shom�brer lee�brer
of the noun they modify. The feminine
form of many nouns and adjectives is indi-
I d like (a) ... Je voudrais ... zher voo�dray ...
cated by a silent e added to the masculine
single room une chambre ą ewn shom�brer
form, as in ami and amie (the masculine
un lit a un lee
and feminine for  friend ).
double-bed une chambre ewn shom�brer
In the following phrases, both masculine
room avec un grand lit a�vek un gron lee
and feminine forms have been indicated
twin room une chambre ewn shom�brer
where necessary. The gender of a noun is
(with two avec des lits a�vek day lee
often indicated by the article that precedes
beds) jumeaux zhew�mo
it:  the/a/some , le/un/du (m), la/une/de la
room with une chambre ewn shom�brer
(f); or one of the possessive adjectives,  my/
a bathroom avec une salle a�vek ewn sal
your/his, her , mon/ton/son (m), ma/ta/sa
de bains der bun
(f). In French, unlike English, the possessive
to share a dorm coucher dans koo�sher don
adjective agrees in number and gender with
un dortoir zun dor�twa
its noun:  his/her mother , sa mŁre.
How much is it ...? Quel est le prix ...? kel ay ler pree ...
ACCOMMODATION
per night par nuit par nwee
I m looking Je cherche ... zher shersh ...
per person par personne par per�son
for a ...
camp site un camping un kom�peeng May I see the room?
guest house une pension ewn pon�syon Est-ce que je peux voir es�ker zher per vwa la
(de famille) (der fa�mee�yer) la chambre? shom�brer
L A N G U A G E
274 LANGUAGE " " Conversation & Essentials lonelyplanet.com
Where is the bathroom?
CATALAN
Oł est la salle de bains? oo ay la sal der bun
Where is the toilet? Catalan is a Romance language closely related to Oc-
citan (see the boxed text p273). It s spoken today in
Oł sont les toilettes? oo�son lay twa�let
Roussillon, as well as the northeast tip of Spain.
I m leaving today.
Many famous creative types have been Catalan
Je pars aujourd hui. zher par o�zhoor�dwee
speakers: painters like Dal�, Miró and Picasso, architects
We re leaving today.
like Gaud� and writers like Merc� Rodoreda.
Nous partons aujourd hui. noo par�ton o�zhoor�dwee
Hello! Hola! o�la
CONVERSATION & ESSENTIALS
Good morning. Bon dia. bon dee�a
Hello. Bonjour. bon�zhoor
Good afternoon. Bona tarda. bo�na tar�da
Goodbye. Au revoir. o�rer�vwa
Good evening. Bon vespre. bon bes�pra
Yes. Oui. wee
Goodbye. Ad�u. a�the�oo
No. Non. non
How are you? Com estąs? kom as�tas
Please. S il vous pla�t. seel voo play
(Very) Well. (Molt) B�. (mol) be
Thank you. Merci. mair�see
Excuse me. Perdoni. par�tho�nee
Excuse me. Excusez-moi. ek�skew�zay�mwa
Sorry. Ho sento. oo sen�to
Sorry. Pardon. par�don
Please. Sisplau. sees�pla�oo
My name is ... Je m appelle ... zher ma�pel ...
Thank you. Grącies. gra�see�as
Yes/No. S�/No. see/no
You re welcome.
Je vous en prie. (pol) zher voo�zon pree
beach la plage la plazh
De rien. (inf) der ree�en
bridge le pont ler pon
What s your name?
Comment vous ko�mon voo�za�play�voo castle le ch�teau ler sha�to
appelez-vous? (pol) cathedral la cath�drale la ka�tay�dral
Comment tu ko�mon tew ta�pel church l �glise lay�gleez
t appelles? (inf)
main square la place centrale la plas son�tral
Where are you from?
museum le mus�e ler mew�zay
De quel pays der kel pay�ee
old city (town) la vieille ville la vyay veel
ętes-vous? (pol) et�voo
quay le quai ler kay
De quel pays es-tu? (inf) der kel pay�ee ay�tew
ruins les ruines lay rween
square la place la plas
I m from ... Je viens de ... zher vyen der ...
tourist office l office de lo�fees der
I like ... J aime ... zhem ...
tourisme too�rees�mer
I don t like ... Je n aime pas ... zher nem pa ...
Just a minute. Une minute. ewn mee�newt
HEALTH
I m ill. Je suis malade. zher swee ma�lad
DIRECTIONS
It hurts here. J ai une douleur zhay ewn doo�ler
Where is ...?
ici. ee�see
Oł est ...? oo ay ...
Go straight ahead.
I m ... Je suis ... zher swee(z) ...
Continuez tout droit. kon�teen�way too drwa
asthmatic asthmatique as�ma�teek
Turn left.
diabetic diab�tique dee�a�bay�teek
Tournez ą gauche. toor�nay a gosh
epileptic �pileptique ay�pee�lep�teek
Turn right.
Tournez ą droite. toor�nay a drwat
I m allergic Je suis zher swee
at the corner/at the traffic lights
to ... allergique ... za�lair�zheek ...
au coin/aux feux o kwun/o fer
antibiotics aux antibiotiques o zon�tee�byo�teek
bees aux abeilles o za�bay�yer
behind derriŁre dair�ryair
peanuts aux cacahuŁtes o ka�ka�wet
in front of devant der�von
penicillin ą la p�nicilline a la pay�nee�
far (from) loin (de) lwun (der)
near (to) prŁs (de) pray (der) see�leen
opposite en face de on fas der walnuts aux noix o nwa
LANGUAGE
lonelyplanet.com LANGUAGE " " Language Difficulties 275
7 sept set
EMERGENCIES 8 huit weet
9 neuf nerf
Help!
10 dix dees
Au secours! o skoor
11 onze onz
There s been an accident!
12 douze dooz
Il y a eu un accident! eel ya ew un ak�see�don
13 treize trez
I m lost.
14 quatorze ka�torz
Je me suis �gar�/e. (m/f) zhe me swee�zay�ga�ray
15 quinze kunz
Leave me alone!
16 seize sez
Fichez-moi la paix! fee�shay�mwa la pay
17 dix-sept dee�set
18 dix-huit dee�zweet
Call ...! Appelez ...! a�play ...
19 dix-neuf deez�nerf
a doctor un m�decin un mayd�sun
20 vingt vung
the police la police la po�lees
21 vingt et un vung tay un
22 vingt-deux vung�der
30 trente tront
antiseptic l antiseptique lon�tee�sep�teek
40 quarante ka�ront
aspirin l aspirine las�pee�reen
50 cinquante sung�kont
condoms des pr�servatifs day pray�zair�va�teef
60 soixante swa�sont
contraceptive le contraceptif ler kon�tra�sep�teef
70 soixante-dix swa�son�dees
diarrhoea la diarrh�e la dya�ray
80 quatre-vingts ka�trer�vung
medicine le m�dicament ler may�dee�ka�mon
90 quatre-vingt-dix ka�trer�vung�dees
nausea la naus�e la no�zay
100 cent son
sunblock cream la crŁme solaire la krem so�lair
1000 mille meel
tampons des tampons day tom�pon
hygi�niques ee�zhen�eek
PAPERWORK
name nom nom
LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES
nationality nationalit� na�syo�na�lee�tay
Do you speak English?
date/place date/place dat/plas
Parlez-vous anglais? par�lay�voo ong�lay
of birth de naissance der nay�sons
Does anyone here speak English?
sex/gender sexe seks
Y a-t-il quelqu un qui ya�teel kel�kung kee
passport passeport pas�por
parle anglais? par long�glay
visa visa vee�za
How do you say ... in French?
Comment est-ce qu on ko�mon es�kon
QUESTION WORDS
dit ... en fran�ais? dee ... on fron�say
Who? Qui? kee
What does ... mean?
What? Quoi? kwa
Que veut dire ...? ker ver deer ...
What is it? Qu est-ce que c est? kes�ker say
I don t understand.
When? Quand? kon
Je ne comprends pas. zher ner kom�pron pa
Where? Oł? oo
Could you write it down, please?
Which? Quel/Quelle? (m/f) kel
Est-ce que vous pourriez es�ker voo poo�ryay
Why? Pourquoi? poor�kwa
l �crire, s il vous pla�t? lay�kreer seel voo play
How? Comment? ko�mon
Can you show me (on the map)?
Pouvez-vous m indiquer poo�vay�voo mun�dee�kay
SHOPPING & SERVICES
(sur la carte)? (sewr la kart)
I d like to buy ...
Je voudrais acheter ... zher voo�dray ash�tay ...
NUMBERS
How much is it?
0 z�ro zay�ro
C est combien? say kom�byun
1 un un
I don t like it.
2 deux der
Cela ne me pla�t pas. ser�la ner mer play pa
3 trois trwa
May I look at it?
4 quatre ka�trer Est-ce que je peux le voir? es�ker zher per ler vwar
5 cinq sungk I m just looking.
6 six sees Je regarde. zher rer�gard
L A N G U A G E
276 LANGUAGE " " Time & Dates lonelyplanet.com
Monday lundi lun�dee
SIGNS
Tuesday mardi mar�dee
Entr�e Entrance
Wednesday mercredi mair�krer�dee
Sortie Exit
Thursday jeudi zher�dee
Ouvert Open
Friday vendredi von�drer�dee
Ferm� Closed
Saturday samedi sam�dee
Interdit Prohibited
Sunday dimanche dee�monsh
Chambres Libres Rooms Available
Complet Full/No Vacancies
January janvier zhon�vyay
Commissariat de Police Police Station
February f�vrier fayv�ryay
Toilettes/WC Toilets
March mars mars
Hommes Men
April avril a�vreel
Femmes Women
May mai may
June juin zhwun
It s cheap.
July juillet zhwee�yay
Ce n est pas cher. ser nay pa shair
August ao�t oot
It s too expensive.
September septembre sep�tom�brer
C est trop cher. say tro shair
October octobre ok�to�brer
I ll take it.
November novembre no�vom�brer
Je le prends. zher ler pron
December d�cembre day�som�brer
Can I pay by credit card?
TRANSPORT
Est-ce que je peux payer avec ma carte de cr�dit?
Public Transport
es�ker zher per pay�yay a�vek ma kart der kray�dee
What time does Ą quelle heure a kel er
more plus plew ... leave/arrive? part/arrive ...? par/a�reev ...
less moins mwun boat le bateau ler ba�to
smaller plus petit plew per�tee bus le bus ler bews
bigger plus grand plew gron
plane l avion la�vyon
train le train ler trun
I m looking for ... Je cherche ... zhe shersh ...
a bank une banque ewn bonk
I d like a ... Je voudrais zher voo�dray
the hospital l h�pital lo�pee�tal
ticket. un billet ... un bee�yay ...
an internet un cybercaf� un see�bair�ka�fay
one-way simple sum�pler
caf�
return aller-retour a�lay rer�toor
the market le march� ler mar�shay
1st-class de premiŁre classe der prem�yair klas
the police la police la po�lees
2nd-class de deuxiŁme classe der der�zyem klas
the post office le bureau de ler bew�ro der
poste post
I want to go to ...
a public phone une cabine ewn ka�been
Je voudrais aller ą ... zher voo�dray a�lay a ...
t�l�phonique tay�lay�fo�neek
The train has been delayed.
a public toilet les toilettes lay twa�let
Le train est en retard. ler trun ay ton rer�tar
The train has been cancelled.
TIME & DATES
Le train a �t� annul�. ler trun a ay�tay a�new�lay
What time is it? Quelle heure est-il? kel er ay til
It s (8) o clock. Il est (huit) heures. il ay (weet) er
the first le premier (m) ler prer�myay
It s half past ... Il est (...) heures et il ay (...) er ay
la premiŁre (f) la prer�myair
demie. day�mee
the last le dernier (m) ler dair�nyay
la derniŁre (f) la dair�nyair
in the morning du matin dew ma�tun
platform le num�ro ler new�may�ro
in the afternoon de l aprŁs-midi der la�pray�mee�dee
number de quai der kay
in the evening du soir dew swar
today aujourd hui o�zhoor�dwee ticket office le guichet ler gee�shay
tomorrow demain der�mun timetable l horaire lo�rair
yesterday hier yair train station la gare la gar
LANGUAGE
� Lonely Planet Publications
lonelyplanet.com LANGUAGE " " Travel with Children 277
petrol/gas essence ay�sons
ROAD SIGNS
diesel diesel dyay�zel
C�dez la Priorit� Give Way
Danger Danger
(How long) Can I park here?
D�fense de Stationner No Parking
(Combien de temps) Est-ce que je peux stationner ici?
Entr�e Entrance
(kom�byun der tom) es�ker zher per sta�syo�nay ee�see?
Interdiction de No Overtaking
The car/motorbike has broken down (at ...)
Doubler
La voiture/moto est tomb�e en panne (ą ...)
P�age Toll
la vwa�tewr/mo�to ay tom�bay on pan (a ...)
Ralentissez Slow Down
The car/motorbike won t start.
Sens Interdit No Entry
La voiture/moto ne veut pas d�marrer.
Sens Unique One Way
la vwa�tewr/mo�to ner ver pa day�ma�ray
Sortie Exit
I ve run out of petrol.
Je suis en panne d essence.
Private Transport zher swee zon pan day�sons
I d like to hire Je voudrais zher voo�dray
a/an... louer ... loo�way ... TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN
car une voiture ewn vwa�tewr Is there a/an ...? Y a-t-il ...? ya teel ...
4WD un quatre-quatre un kat�kat I need a/an ... J ai besoin ... zhay ber�zwun ...
motorbike une moto ewn mo�to
baby change d un endroit pour dun on�drwa poor
bicycle un v�lo un vay�lo
room changer shon�zhay
le b�b� ler bay�bay
Is this the road to ...?
car baby seat d un siŁge-enfant dun syezh�on�fon
C est la route pour ...? say la root poor ...
children s menu d un menu dun mer�new
Where s a service station?
enfant on�fon
Oł est-ce qu il y a oo es�keel ya
disposable des couches day koosh
une station-service? ewn sta�syon�ser�vees
nappies/diapers
Please fill it up.
formula (milk) de lait de lay
Le plein, s il vous pla�t. ler plun seel voo play
maternis� ma�ter�nee�zay
I d like ... litres.
(English- d une baby- dewn ba�bee�
Je voudrais ... litres. zher voo�dray ... lee�trer
speaking) sitter (qui see�ter (kee
Where do I pay?
babysitter parle anglais) parl ong�glay)
Oł est-ce que je paie? oo es�ker zher pay?
highchair d une chaise haute dewn shay zot
I have a flat tyre.
potty d un pot de b�b� dun po der bay�bay
Mon pneu est ą plat. mom pner ay ta pla
I ve had an accident.
Do you mind if I breastfeed here?
J ai eu un accident. zhay ew un ak�see�don
Cela vous d�range si ser�la voo day�ron�zhe see
I need a mechanic.
j allaite mon b�b� ici? zha�layt mon bay�bay ee�see
J ai besoin d un zhay ber�zwun dun
Are children allowed?
m�canicien. may�ka�nee�syun
Les enfants sont permis? lay zon�fon son pair�mee
Also available from Lonely Planet:
French Phrasebook
L A N G U A G E
� Lonely Planet Publications
278
Glossary
For a glossary of food and drink terms, see course Camarguaise (f )  bloodless Camargue-style
p51 . Below, (m) indicates masculine gen- bullfight (no dead bull)
der, (f) indicates feminine gender and (pl) cueillette des olives (f )  olive harvest
indicates plural.
d�gustation (f )  the fine art of tasting wine, cheese,
abbaye (f )  abbey olive oil or seafood
abrivado (f )  bull run into the arena d�partement (m)  administrative area (department)
ancienne demeure (f )  historic old residence, mansion DFCI  d�fense forestiŁre contre l incendie; fire road (public
anse (f )  cove access forbidden)
AOC  appellation d origine contr�l�e; wines and olive oils that domaine (m)  wine-producing estate
have met stringent government regulations governing where,
how and under what conditions the grapes or olives are eau potable (f )  drinking water
grown and the wines and olive oils are fermented and bottled �cluse (f )  canal lock
arŁne (f )  amphitheatre �glise (f )  church
atelier (m)  artisan s workshop �picerie (f )  grocery shop
auberge (f )  inn �tang (m)  lagoon or lake
auberge de jeunesse (f )  youth hostel
autoroute (f )  motorway, highway fa�ence (f )  earthenware
farandole (f )  folk dance dating to the Middle Ages
baie (f )  bay f�ria (f )  bullfighting festival
bandido (f)  return bull run from the arena to the bull farm ferme auberge (f )  family-run inn attached to a farm
bastide (f )  fortified hilltop village; country house or chateau; farmhouse restaurant
billetterie (f )  box office ferme conchylicole (f )  shellfish farm
boulangerie (f )  bread shop, bakery fęte (f )  party or festival
formule (f )  fixed main course plus starter or dessert
calanque (f )  rocky inlet fromagerie (f )  cheese shop
cap (m)  cape
carnet (m)  book of five or 10 bus, tram or metro tickets gardian (m)  Camargue horseman
sold at a reduced rate gare (f )  train station
cascade (f )  waterfall gare maritime (m)  ferry terminal
cassole (f )  traditional earthenware casserole dish in gare routiŁre (m)  bus station
which to cook and serve cassoulet garrigue (f )  ground cover of aromatic plants; see also
causse (m)  high limestone plateau maquis
cave (f )  wine or cheese cellar gitan (m)  Roma; gypsy
chambre d h�te (f )  privately run bed and breakfast g�te d �tape (m)  hikers accommodation, often found
(B&B) accommodation in the mountains or rural areas
charcuterie (f )  pork butcher s shop and delicatessen; g�te rural (m)  self-catering country cottage
also cold meat golfe (m)  gulf
ch�teau (m)  castle or stately home grand cru (m)  wine of recognised superior quality;
chŁvre (m)  goat literally,  great growth
cigale (f )  cicada grotte (f )  cave
col (m)  mountain pass
comit� d�partemental du tourisme (m)  depart- halles (f, pl)  covered market; central food market
mental tourist office h�tel de ville (m)  town hall
commissariat de police (m)  police station h�tel particulier (m)  historic private mansion
conseil g�n�ral (m)  general council Huguenot  member of the Protestant Reformed Church
corniche (f )  coastal road of France
corrida (f )  bullfight in which the bull dies
cour (f )  courtyard jardin (botanique) (m)  (botanic) garden
cour d honneur (f )  courtyard of honour joutes nautiques (f )  nautical jousting
GLOSSARY
� Lonely Planet Publications
GLOSSARY 279
lavoir (m)  communal wash house porte (f )  gate or door, old-town entrance
pr�fecture (f )  main town of a d�partement
mairie (f )  town hall pr�fet (m)  prefect; regional representative of national
maison de la presse (f )  newsagent government, based in a pr�fecture
maison de village (f )  old stone house, often terraced, presqu �le (f )  peninsula
in a village prieur� (m)  priory
maison d h�te (f )  upmarket B&B produits du terroir (m)  local food products
manade (f )  bull farm, bull herd
maquis (m)  aromatic scrub, see also garrigue; name quai (m)  quay or railway platform
given to the French Resistance movement and its
maquisards (fighters) rade (f )  gulf or harbour
marais (m)  marsh or swamp refuge (m)  hikers shelter (mountain hut)
marais salant (m)  salt pan r�gion (m)  administrative region
march� paysan (m)  farmers market r�serve naturel (m)  nature reserve
mas (m)  farmhouse rond-point (m)  roundabout
menu (m)  meal at a fixed price with two or more
courses salin (m)  salt marsh
m�le (m)  jetty, mole, breakwater sardane (f )  Catalan folk dance
monastŁre (m)  monastery sentier (m)  trail, footpath
moulin ą huile (m)  oil mill sentier de grande randonn�e (m)  long-distance
mus�e (m)  museum path with alphanumeric name beginning with  GR
sentier littoral (m)  coastal path
navette (f )  shuttle bus, train or boat sentier sous-marin (m)  underwater trail
novillada (f )  fight between bulls less than four years SNCF  Soci�t� Nationale des Chemins de Fer; state-
old owned railway company
SRV  sur rendez-vous; by appointment only
office du tourisme, office de tourisme (m)  tourist stade (m)  stadium
office syndicat d initiative (m)  tourist office
ONF  Office National des Foręts; National Forests Office
tabac (m)  tobacconist (also sells newspapers, bus
papeterie (f )  stationery shop tickets etc)
parapente (f )  paragliding taureau (m)  bull
parc national (m)  national park terroir (m)  land
parc naturel r�gional (m)  regional nature park TGV  train ą grande vitesse; high-speed train or bullet
p�niche (f )  canal barge train
p�tanque (f )  a game of bowls played on a rough trottinette (f )  microscooter
gravel pitch
phare (m)  lighthouse vendange (f )  grape harvest
pic (m)  mountain peak vieille ville (f )  old town
place (f )  square vieux port (m)  old port
plage (f )  beach vigneron (m)  winegrower
plan (m)  city map vignobles (pl)  vineyards
plat du jour (m)  dish of the day vin de garde (m)  wine best drunk after several years
plong�e (f )  dive in storage
pont (m)  bridge vin de pays (m)  table wine
port de plaisance (m)  pleasure port VTT (m)  v�lo tout terrain; mountain bike
� Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
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