ajhurley

Hello,

I am looking at taking a 8/9 day break in the South or South West in the next month or so.

My first choice was renting an apartment in Aix, from where I could relax there, visit Arles, the Camargue, Marseille and so on. I would like to see some musuems/galleries so this is quite a good area from which to do that. My only real concern is if Aix is ridiculously overcrowded in August, and hence uncomfortable and difficult to get a table at cafes, restaurants etc - anyone have any thoughts on this? Just to say a good, busy vibrant town is what I would like, just not for it to be like Leicester Square in London!

The other option if this were so is Toulouse … any thoughts on this as a holiday destination? Imagine it wouldn't be as busy as Aix etc

Any general advice on Aix and that area of Provence and also Toulouse?

Regardless of where I go, I will rent an apartment through homelidays.

I should add that part of the reason for the trip, as well as relaxation and seeing areas of France I have not seen before, is to try to gain an insight into 2 areas where I could potentially move for a little while in the next year or so.

Also, I will be travelling alone and was thinking something like couchsurfing would be a good idea for meeting people in the evening for a coffee or some drinks - any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Andrew

Martin Parker

Toulouse is a fantastic city and at this time of year is a little quieter. A large proportion of the community are university students, who have headed home for the summer and also many of the French will have gone to the beach resorts for their holidays.

There are many museums to visit in Toulouse and it has all the nightlife you could want.

There are some fantastic places to visit close by such as Carcassonne, you are under two hours from the Med and even closer to the Pyrenees. Andorra is 90 minutes away.

Where ever you decide to go, have a great time.

MNandMN

my choice would be Beziers, you are near the Canal du Midi, not far from amazing beaches, but you have the cafes and shops of a large town. We love it there and there are amazing places to visit in the proximity

lupylucy

ya i life here too,come and have a holiday in the summer,we have a friend with guest house,on the canal de midi,we life in cap no

Ka Ora!

Welcome to the Forum, The Canal du Midi is lovely other than a couple of stretches in Toulouse which kind of look run down. All the traffic would put me off wanting to live there though.

If you get any issues give either myself or one of the Management Team a shout.