Languedoc-Roussillon: Vineyards and Volcanoes Quiz

Answer: Montpellier

The five departments are Hérault, Gard, Aude, Lozère and Pyrénées-Orientales. When Languedoc was a province the boundaries extended further and included the provincial capital of Toulouse. The provinces were abolished in the French revolution and Toulouse is now the capital of Midi-Pyrénées region.

Montpellier boasts one of the largest pedestrian zones in Europe with Place de la Comédie and its trademark fountain of "The Three Graces". Over the centuries the boundary of the area has changed but the original oval shape is now marked with black marble on the ground. Other sites of interest in Montpellier include a triumphal arch built at the end of the seventeenth century as an imitation of the the gates of Paris to honour King Louis XIV; and the eighteenth century St Clement aqueduct modelled after the more well known Pont du Gard.

Answer: Greek

750,000 years ago the volcanic eruption of Mount St Loup created two lava flows from which a basalt mound formed. Attracted by the rich soil and strategic position the Greeks arrived in the fifth century BC and the town arose on this geographical feature.

They named the town "Agathe Tyche" meaning good fortune. The black basalt rock is ever-present in all buildings making the architecture unique.

Answer: Sète

Sète is located on and around Mount St Clair and is linked to the mainland by two strips of land. It was built on the command of Louis XIV who wanted a more reliable port than Marseilles. It is also the point where the Canal du Midi starts and the Canal du Rhône ends.

The boat jousting tournament is held on Sundays throughout summer where teams clad in white try to knock each other into the water.

Answer: Carcassonne

Although the town's history goes back over 2,600 years the medieval fortress dates back 1,400 years and was restored in the nineteenth century by Viollet le Duc. The castle and ramparts offer some great views over the wine growing plain of the river Aude, the Carbieres region and the Pyrenees.

Answer: Vis

The river Vis cut through the bottom of the valley on its meandering course creating an oxbow lake in the middle of the cirque. Over the centuries the lake dried up and it is now the only arable patch of land for miles. There is just one road which leads to the Navacelles settlement.

Answer: La Féria de Béziers

Béziers bullfighting arena is one of the top seven in France and the annual event attracts around a million visitors.

Béziers was a stronghold for Caharism, also called Catharism, (a religion characterised by the belief of the co-existence of the opposed principles of good and evil), and was the site of the "Day of Butchery" in the thirteenth century. This bloody massacre of 20,000 people, many of whom sought refuge in the town's churches, saw the town pillaged and burned by the Catholics opposed to these beliefs. The cathedral of St Nazaire, built following this event, occupies an impressive position on a promontory and provides views over the vineyards and river below; and the Pyrenees in the distance.

Answer: Nîmes

Located in the Gard department, the city of Nîmes was large by Roman standards 2000 years ago. The amphitheatre dates from around the same time as the Colosseum in Rome, although somewhat smaller. Measuring 436 feet by 331 feet the 34 rows of seats provided a capacity of 16,300. The amphitheatre is still used today for concerts as well as for a bullfighting arena. The city also contains a well preserved Roman temple dating from the first century which was the centre of the city's Roman forum.

The fabric named after Nîmes was called "Serge de Nîmes" which became shortened to denim.

Answer: Pont du Gard

At 160 feet high the Pont du Gard was the highest Roman built bridge. Consisting of three levels of arches the aqueduct measured 902 feet at its longest part. The first level was used as a road with the third level being where the water was carried. No mortar was used in the construction with each stone component being cut precisely to fit.

The aqueduct fell into disuse in the fourth century and by the ninth century some of the stones were being robbed for use in other constructions. The aqueduct though remained largely intact and in 1985 became a UNESCO World Heritage site. Today it is one of the top tourist attractions in France.

Answer: Canal du Midi

The Canal du Midi, opened in 1681, was the idea of Pierre-Paul Riquet, who unfortunately did not live to see the completion of his dream. The purpose of the canal was to avoid the long sea journey around what could be a hostile Spain. The 150 mile long canal reaches the Mediterranean Sea at Sète and was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. Commercial traffic ceased in 1980 and today the canal is favoured by holidaymakers taking barge holidays and cyclists on the canal path between Béziers and Portiragnes.

Answer: Onions and chopped squid tentacles

These pies were brought to the region, Sète in particular, by Italian migrants and have a distinctive orange glaze. Octopus is sometimes used as an alternative to squid.

Another local specialty is "Seiches a la Rouille" which is cuttlefish in a garlic sauce with red peppers.