Werk Press

Top Menu

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact

Main Menu

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Featured
  • Categories
    • Architecture
    • DIY/Craft
    • Cooking
    • Photography
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Wedding
  • Shop
  • Terms Of Use
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact
0

Cart

Werk Press

Werk Press

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Featured
    • How to Create the Perfect Winter Wedding

      June 9, 2018
      0
    • Yankees Win Opener against the Mets, as Masahiro Tanaka Scores a Painful ...

      June 9, 2018
      0
    • Tommy Fleetwood Overcame the ‘Yips.’ Now, He wants a European Tour PGA ...

      June 9, 2018
      0
    • With Promises Kept, LeBron James has Choices to Make

      June 9, 2018
      0
    • Marco Cecchinato Reaches a Milestone, Carrying a Match-Fixing Millstone

      June 9, 2018
      0
    • In Dominic Thiem, Rafael Nadal Faces a New French Open Challenge

      June 9, 2018
      0
    • How to Avoid Jet Lag

      June 9, 2018
      0
    • 6 Must-See Filming Locations

      June 9, 2018
      0
    • 7 Most Popular Vacation Destinations

      June 9, 2018
      0
  • Categories
    • Architecture
    • DIY/Craft
    • Cooking
    • Photography
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Wedding
  • Shop
  • Terms Of Use
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
  • Contact
  • You Can Make These Mixed Berry Galettes With Easy Pantry

  • Tips for Making Perfect, Top Chef Canada-Worthy

  • How to Always Make the Perfect Veggie Burger

  • How to Cook the Perfect Grilled Chicken Every Time

  • Famous Recipes We’re Making at Home

ArchitectureFeatured
Home›Architecture›Why Architecture Fans Love the Languedoc-Roussillon Region of France

Why Architecture Fans Love the Languedoc-Roussillon Region of France

By wahed
52
0

The seemingly sleepy Occitanie area in the South of France—stretching from the lavender-studded Provence to the Pyrenees—is wrapped in acres of vineyard, sunflower meadows, and dotted with chateaux.

It is as old as the hills and yet, resolutely modern.

In this region, the monks at Abbaye de St. Hilaire first discovered sparkling wine in 1531 and documented the methodology. (Around 150 years later, Dom Pérignon, a Benedictine monk, would steal this secret and take it back with him to the Champagne region to make it famous).

In the city of Uzes, northeast of Nimes, Roman-era mosaics depicting agrarian motifs of an owl, duck, and a fawn were unearthed just a few months ago underneath a construction site, showing us how much history there is in this region.

It is in Languedoc-Roussillon that notable winemaker Gérard Bertrand carried on his family’s biodynamic wine legacy by cultivating a robust roster of grape varietals in 14 estates that are both modernized for the savvy traveler yet housed in historical areas. One of his wine estates is the 38-room Chateau l’Hospitalet, which houses a star-studded Jazz Festival each summer on 1,000 hectares of vineyards filled with Syrah to Carignan grapes. A town called Narbonne (France’s hush-hush Riviera), considered to be the first Roman city in Gaul, was founded prior to the conquest of the area by Julius Caesar in 118 B.C.

American chateau proprietor Jodi Kennedy Gaffey and her husband were intrigued by the South of France for several years, and after watching an episode of House Hunters International in 2014 about a couple who bought a property in Europe and renovated it, she started her search for a property in this area.

Today, La Tour de Chateau, a sumptuously-appointed lodging built in 1641 in the town of Ventenac en Minervois, on the land once owned by Julius Caesar, welcomes guests in five bedrooms filled with every modern comfort imaginable, including a pool and rooftop. Views are of the Canal du Midi, which was a feat of civil engineering for its time in 1666, linking the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and paving the way for the Industrial Revolution.

Well-known architects too have modernized the ancient city of Nîmes, which dates back from the sixth century B.C., with its cocktail of terraces, gardens, and fountains. Apart from being the origin of denim, Nîmes is home to a Norman-Foster designed Carré d’Art museum clad in glass and steel that is a shiny contrast to nearby ancient stonework.

In Montpellier, Zaha Hadid designed the government archive building, Pierresvives, with futuristic lighting designed by Béziers-based Technilum (whose manufacturing facilities are housed in an old winery).

But this constant juxtaposition of old and new is done seamlessly.

The Medieval city of Carcassonne, which has 2,500 years of history, defined the border between France and Aragon and became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. It has a modern hotel within its old walls: the Sofitel Hotel de la Cité has a historic cellar crammed with new wines from the Languedoc region. It is opposite to the Gothic-Romanesque-style Basilica of Saint-Nazaire, famous for having the most beautiful stained-glass windows in the South of France.

Despite all these treasures, there is little hint of pretension on these windswept terrains. Locals unwind at the restaurant La Cambuse du Saunier in the commune of Gruissan with its signature pink algae-colored waters bursting with salt flats, eat mussels and fillet fish cooked in salt, and sing songs through the night.

One would do well to watch the sunset over the Canal du Midi and discover some delicious local produce. There, pick anything from figs to indigenous Lucques olive oil at a classic French cooking school run by a couple in Millepetit, and admire the plane trees on the river banks planted by Napoleon as a gesture to offer his troops shade.

It is the perfect, hospitable blend of old meets new.

Previous Article

The 10 Wedding Locations are Perfect for ...

Next Article

The Most Beautiful Buildings that Defy Gravity

Related articles More from author

  • Architecture

    This Building Technique Dates Back to Da Vinci—and It’s Making Comeback

    By wahed
  • Architecture

    Tallest Statues in the World

    By wahed
  • FeaturedSports

    Tommy Fleetwood Overcame the ‘Yips.’ Now, He wants a European Tour PGA Championship Title

    By wahed
  • FeaturedSports

    Yankees Win Opener against the Mets, as Masahiro Tanaka Scores a Painful Run

    By wahed
  • FeaturedSports

    With Promises Kept, LeBron James has Choices to Make

    By wahed
  • FeaturedPhotography

    The Importance of Light – Why Digital isn’t a Substitute for Knowledge

    By wahed

  • Cooking

    Oktoberfest at Home With These Soft Pretzels

  • Sports

    Why the Forced Error does Not Get its Due in Tennis

  • DIY/Craft

    DIY Pond Filter

Most Viewed

  • Photography

    7 Wacky Photography Hacks that Work

  • FeaturedPhotography

    6 Ways Effective Backgrounds Improve Photography

  • Photography

    4 Tips for Springtime Family Photo Sessions

  • FeaturedPhotography

    The Importance of Light – Why Digital isn’t a Substitute for Knowledge

  • FeaturedPhotography

    Silhouette Photography made Easy

Most Important Day In Your Life

FeaturedWedding

How to Create the Perfect Winter Wedding

  • 5 Reasons You Might want to Reconsider Your Spring Wedding

    By wahed
  • The Pros and Cons of a Summer Wedding

    By wahed
  • 7 Quirky Wedding Favours to Impress Your Guests

    By wahed
  • 5 Alternatives to a Traditional Wedding Cake

    By wahed
© Copyright 2022, Werk Press. All Rights Reserved
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.I AgreeRead more