Trip to south of France - Recommendations Please

deletebeepbeepbeep · Jul 3, 2013

Planning a trip *somewhere* to the south of france with a group of about 8 friends (all early 30s), we have no real preference, currently going round in circles trying to decide where.

Nice has been written off because apparently it's the Eastbourne of France.*

Marseille has been written off for being a bit rough in general.*

Bordeaux has been written off as its too far from a beach.*

*All opinion of friends and not my own and may or may not be silly/uninformed.

We want to hire a villa with a pool and that.

My personal preference is Bordeaux, fancy hiring a car and driving around wine country, hiring a car also makes the no beach complaint moot.

Any recommendations?

MikeySmall · Jul 3, 2013

Go slightly further south - I like Mimizan - beautiful part of France and a bit of nightlife if that's what you are looking for. Surfing country. I've driven back to Brighton in a day (not recommended).

http://www.mimizan-tourisme.com/?lang=en

Gregory2Smith1 · Jul 3, 2013

comparing Eastbourne to Nice is like comparing Barcelona to Bognor

somerset · Jul 3, 2013

Biarritz on the West coast, or Sete near Montpellier on the Med coast.
....or Collioure .... In the Languedoc.

Gregory2Smith1 · Jul 3, 2013

MikeySmall said:
Go slightly further south - I like Mimizan - beautiful part of France and a bit of nightlife if that's what you are looking for. Surfing country. I've driven back to Brighton in a day (not recommended).

http://www.mimizan-tourisme.com/?lang=en

good shout

joeywortho · Jul 3, 2013

ahh what a country - I go to the corbierres every year near Perpignan, Narbonne

So hot down there, pretty near Spanish boarder, beaches awesome

Montpellier night life Ok too

chucky1973 · Jul 3, 2013

somerset said:
Biarritz on the West coast, or Sete near Montpellier on the Med coast.
....or Collioure .... In the Languedoc.

I echo this recommendation, off to Vias in 2 weeks which is about 10 miles from Sete, a beautiful part of the world, laid back, beautiful beaches, cheap wine and glorious weather.

Nibble · Jul 3, 2013

Go to Croatia. Far better coast than France, far cheaper, crystal clear water, great weather, great islands and no French. France? France?

Bean · Jul 3, 2013

DavidinSouthampton · Jul 3, 2013

Nibble said:
Go to Croatia. Far better coast than France, far cheaper, crystal clear water, great weather, great islands and no French. France? France?

Have you ever been to the Cote D'Azur with its stunning coastline, or the South-west of France with mile upon mile of glorious sandy beaches. Croatia is OK, but I would go to France every time.

For the OP - the Cote D'Azur is probably expensive, but look further west towards Toulon, perhaps. The Ile de Porquerolles is superb. Or any of the other places mentioned already. Biarritz is a great place, or Charente maritime, near Royan or further south.

Edit - and Nice is one of my favourite places in the world. Any resemblance between it and Eastbourne is probably just down to the fact that they are both by the sea, and in the South.

Nibble · Jul 3, 2013

No, to be fair I haven't. France it is then!

Cosmic Joker · Jul 3, 2013

somerset said:
Biarritz on the West coast, or Sete near Montpellier on the Med coast.
....or Collioure .... In the Languedoc.

Yes this. Also consider St Jean de Luz near to Biarritz. If you stay on the SW coast and have a car be sure to visit Espadrille in foothills of Pyrenees where they grow the chilli peppers and dry them on racks on the front of all the buildings on the streets in the village centre. Beautiful place.

If you stay in Sete, visit Carcassonne

severnside gull · Jul 3, 2013

somerset said:
Biarritz on the West coast, or Sete near Montpellier on the Med coast.
....or Collioure .... In the Languedoc.

off touring on Friday starting at Ile de Re then Biarritz before heading east to Argeles sur Mer, Cap d'Agde and home via the Cervennes and Holland to visit family. Back for the cockupcup game!

I'd go with all your suggestipns - cant go wrong. I would just avoid Nice (expensive) and Marseilles (too lairy for me) but otherwise almost any part of the french coast has something to recommend it IMO :lolol:

Stat Brother · Jul 3, 2013

If your not sure.

ITV4 for the next couple of days is a moving brochure for southern France.

Had you been watching Le Tour since Saturday you'd be booking Corsica without even asking anybody else.

ATFC Seagull · Jul 3, 2013

MikeySmall said:
Go slightly further south - I like Mimizan - beautiful part of France and a bit of nightlife if that's what you are looking for. Surfing country. I've driven back to Brighton in a day (not recommended).

http://www.mimizan-tourisme.com/?lang=en

Spent a few weeks there for the rugby World Cup in 2007. Absolutely lovely place but I seem to recall there being some sort of factory nearby (for some reason I am thinking recycled paper) which caused an awful smell at times.

Boys 9d · Jul 3, 2013

If you go in mid August, Bezier is the place to be during the Feria. You don't have to go to the bull fights to enjoy a town en fete. it is easily reached from the coastal resorts of which there are many in Herault and Aude. I agree about a visit to Carcassonne but would add Aigues Mort on the edge of the Camargue. If you drive don't use the A6 but sample the stunning views of the A75 through the Massife Central. This autoroute which starts near Clermont Ferrand is free except for the crossing of the Viaduc de Millau which until recently was the highest bridge in the world. One of the supports is as high as the Eiffel Tower.

I lived in the area for 14 years so if you want more information PM me.

Brian Parsons · Jul 3, 2013

Try Menton, its between Monaco and the Italian border, so you got casinos etc to one side and Italian cuisine on the other.

lawros left foot · Jul 3, 2013

Had my 18th Birthday in a club in Marseille called the Traffic Light, exactly one week later nine customers were machine gunned in there,

Dandyman · Jul 3, 2013

Montpelier, Uzes, Nimes or any where in the region.

Muzzy · Jul 3, 2013

South west is much more cultural than south east. Anywhere from Arles to the Spanish border has much to offer.
Don't discount The Dordogne region either. Although inland with no sea beaches, the rivers are suitable for bathing anyway. Some stunning towns and villages and not overly touristy either.

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