Thank you so much for your invaluable reply. It is hard for someone to appreciate small towns that date back centuries when our country was only founded 174 years ago.

I can't wait now to get there and appreciate the history and the ambience.

Thanks again

Just to point out that the UK mainline channels moved to a narrower beam this week and most of us are without reliable satellite TV. Two solutions - get a bigger dish for some - or use internet.

More : http://the-languedoc-page.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7664

Looks like I need a man with a disc.....

As a Kiwi living in Languedoc I guarantee you will be surprised by many things you see on your visit...but I am pretty sure you will have a great holiday.

We were at Gruissan Plage today & it was beautiful because we had winter sunshine but very different to a NZ beach & the surrounding 'baches' are quite ugly...

It's the historical part of anywhere you visit that I am sure you will enjoy - as you mention NZ is a very young colonised country...(our village is officially over 1000 years old - with a small piece of the original wall standing!!)

It's a year away but that time will soon pass - enjoy your holiday!!!

You would not believe the price tags on those "ugly baches". Next time in Gruissan head for Mateille and Lido de Mateille and the baches will be replaced by dwellings for the "nouveu riche". In my opinion some of those are eye sores too, but that would be a matter of taste. There are no buildings on the beach itself - it is a conservation area.

I'm not sure where in Gruissan you were looking. The old town is a very typical French village, but there are lots of green areas, le pech is a historic site in parkland where the old mills were situated and there is also green around the etang. In the port, there is further green behind the apartments that face the marina and lots of green on the hillside.

Gruissan is a great place for sports - not just sailing, wind/kite surfing, there are several cycle routes and walks as well as tennis, volleyball, rugby etc etc. On the 12 Km stretch of road between Gruissan and Narbonne there are extensive vineyards, farms and lots of green. Gruissan is an interesting, vibrant place and the paved area that you mentioned is in itself charming but only a tiny part of the picture.

I was just in Gruissan last month for a few days and found that that there are really three distinct sections. First is the area you drive into from the highway, where the tourism office, shops, traffic, and expensive hotels are. Next is the old town, which I found quaint and quiet. And then, there's Gruissan Plage, which is the beach with all the beach houses. Some might consider this "the other side of the tracks," and while some of the houses are somewhat run down, the real estate prices here are not cheap. Personally, I liked this area the most, as it was filled with real people, and a short walk from the sandy beaches. I look forward to going back.