Languedoc Region

 Our visit to the Languedoc Region was brief, as we needed a one day rest stop between the Dordogne and Provence. The big draw in the region was Carcassone, a well preserved, shamelessly touristic medieval town. Rickey Stevey awarded the town three triangles, an Oscar for Best Actor in the travel world, and for the first time, I would say our travel compatriot was dead wrong. We spent literally ... 43 minutes in Carcassone. You walk around, see one medieval structure, turn left, see a similar medieval structure, then walk forward 10 more paces, and guess what you see yet another similar medieval structure, all the while being solicited to buy nick-nacks and doo-dads from street sellers and beggers who refuse to take a hint that you want them to bug off.

Our hotel and dinner, 50 minutes outside of town, was a welcome respite. We had seafood cassoulet with some lovely Rose ... What more could you ask for! Once you leave the big city, the Languedoc feels distinctly Mediteranean.