Hi. We are a family of 5. Want to stay in a chalet/gite/home for a week- first week in June. Thinking of getting a home with a pool. Some are heated. Advice-- where to stay? Any wonderful small towns where we can drive to Carcassonne, Toulouse, Albi and other towns? Thanks. Think we will arrive by train in Montpelier and rent a car there. Need to fly out to Spain from somewhere nearby.
Pezenas in L'Herault fits the bill. We rented a 2 bedroom Villa near there twice, but unfortunately, it has been sold since our last day. Pezenas is a town full of artisans, a nice weekly market and lots of restaurants and cafes. 30 minutes from the Mediterranean and good location for daytripping. Google L'Herault and Languedoc-Roussillon and you will find a wealth of information. Michelin has a Green Guide as well.
Collioure! Seaside town with a castle and charm.
If you can find a room, then Collioure is amazing. High season, though, so get accommodations tout suite!
We daytripped to Collouire from Pezenas, and I agree with the other posters, but is rather far south for easy access to Albi, for example, which we also daytripped from Pezenas. We also went as far as Arles, St. Remy, the Pont du Gard, La Camargue, and Carcassone.
We stayed in Quillan for several days with our family. We enjoyed the quiet village life with easy access to the Cathar castles, several wineries, and to a mountain lake. The village has a Saturday market, grocery store, butchers and bakers.
These are great. Does this exist-- being north of Carcassonne and south of Albi-- even towards Castres-- not really towards the Sea-- a town where it has a great feel-- bakery, supermarket, small town feel but we can go visit the sites from there? What is the difference from being north or south of Carcassonne in your opinion? New area for me. Thanks!