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I must admit talking about this thread to my OH got us thinking about the Languedoc and the Cote d'Azur.  For years we used to go 'East' - to visit our friends in La Croix Valmer, and stayed at various campsites in that area and along the coast, or inland.  Our last visit was a few years ago, and after thinking about the lovely coves (and Gigaro beach, mentioned in another post), it's given us a nudge to go back again!

We do like the 'un-manicured' feeling of the Languedoc, which hasn't been prettied up much - so the towns and villages have a much more 'lived in' feel, rather than a cluster of holiday accomodation(s), and we like the wildness and the wildlife.  We also like the fact that it tends to be considerably cheaper than the eastern end, and you can still get a good three course meal for 10 euros, sometimes including wine - which probably wouldn't pay for one course further east.

So, perhaps this year, eastern end one week, western end another.............! 

I spent a number of holidays by the Gigaro beach (renting a studio..). We used to walk in the hills away from it to find little coves.

Lovely place. Did snorkelling and windsurfing there. Last time I was there was 4 years ago.

As I said, the Riviera is very pretty. It's just so crowded at the height of summer..

The weather will more than likely be lovely!  The traffic will be increasing, but still bearable, parking might be difficult down by the beaches - so if you're going, go early!  Finding a quiet cove is not difficult, even down there, but you may need a good local map and be willing to come up against some dead-ends (when someone has put a villa right in the way of what you expected to be a footpath!).  On some stretches you can park right down by the beachfront, and yet still within walking distance find yourself a little spot between two rocky outcrops!

We're holidaying in May/June, and you never know, if we get tempted we might just be back in that area which was such a regular haunt for so many years!

Just make sure that any site you're on is far enough away from the autoroute.  In those hills road noise can be 'trapped' and seem louder than it is nearer to the road!  When you're exploring around you'll perhaps hear what I mean - in some areas at least.

Some of those villages are lovely - but the roads can be very winding in them thar hills!  We made the mistake (once only) that instead of taking the D25 up to Le Muy, we thought we'd cut the corner off and go via La Garde Freinet and on to Le Cannet - BIG mistake, and one of the only times I've been travel sick with the caravan on the back!  My goodness, that's a winding old road!

Now thinking of trying to do it all with ACSI or camping cheques to save cash, and leaning towards the western side for the smae reason. Has anyone been to Dragonniere?

Thanks for all the top tips

Gerry

Hi, we took 3 kids aged 7,10 and 11 to the Languedoc last year, our first time in france, it was lovely, we stayed on the Yelloh sites.  the kids loved it, Le Brasillia is right on the beach and is brand new site, everything you could think of was on it.

wasnt windy at all we stayed for 10 days end of July Beginning of August.