Customers are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate travel insurance in place.  South France Villas Limited is not recommending any insurance companies or making any representation in relation to the policies of insurance offered by any insurance company mentioned on this website.  Here are some links to websites of insurance companies which you may find useful, however please note that it is the Customer’s own responsibility to ensure that they have appropriate insurance policies in place and South France Villas Limited shall not be liable in connection with any such policies.

The AA - Travel Insurance including Personal/Third Party Liability.

Tesco Travel Insurance Travel Insurance including Personal/Third Party Liability.

Sainsbury Travel Insurance Travel Insurance including Personal/Third Party Liability.

Gosure.com Their typical cover for a fortnight's holiday, including cancellation insurance and Personal/Third Party liability is less £12 /€18 per adult and less than £8 /€12 per child.

An insurer offering economical liability, medical and accident insurance without restrictions on the location of residence.
http://www.driveeurope.com/travel_insurance.html

Chase Insurance For USA residents. Their "Liaison Traveler" package provides Emergency Evacuation, Repatriation, AD& D, and Personal Liability coverage.

SevenCorners Insurance Seven Corners provides a comprehensive selection of international medical and travel insurance programs to people throughout the world. Whether you are a foreign national visiting the United States or a U.S. citizen traveling on vacation, Seven Corners has a product for you.

www.melochemonnex.com has been used successfully by some of our Canadian clients to obtain the relevant insurance for their property rentals.

www.travelinsuranceguide.org.uk Advice about travel insurance, when to buy it, different types of insurance available and different specialist policies. It also gives top tips on staying safe and users can even share their own experiences of previous travel insurance online.

Compare over 500 travel insurance policies at moneysupermarket.com.

Visit MeteoConsult for up-to-the-minute weather reports for all local areas in France.

www.meteo.fr

Air travel to our properties for rent in the South of France especially to the regions of the Languedoc, Provence, Côte d'Azur and even Corsica has been revolutionised by the advent of cheap “no-frills” airlines like RyanAir, Flybe, Easyjet and Thompsonfly, who have return flights to the region for as little as £30 return including airport taxes in low season. Their competition has meant that British airways have also reduced their tarifs.

For Western Languedoc it may even be worth considering flights to Girona in Spain, about an hour south of the border. Some airlines refer to it as “Barcelona-Girona”, (although it is closer to France than to Barcelona!).

Air travel to our properties for rent in the South of France especially to the regions of the Languedoc is forever on the increase.  Clients can now benefit in our villas for rent in Beziers, and Beziers villas for rent from at least three flights a week from Bristol, Edinburgh, Bournmouth and Southhampton and London airports.  There has never been a better time to rent holiday homes in Beziers & the surrounding area.

Ryanair flights from Bristol to Beziers, will increase from 31st March 2009 to four per week on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Ryanair are also operating a flight from Luton to Beziers three times per week in the Summer and twice per week in the Winter.

New Routes for Summer 2009

Bristol / Montpellier - starts 2 July
Bristol /Perpignan - starts 3 July
Edinburgh / Caracassone - starts 30 March
Carcassonne - Liverpool - Wed/Frid/Sun
Carcassonne - Nottingham - Mon/Weds/Frid/Sun
Carcassonne - Stansted - Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun

Bournemouth /Carcassonne on Tuesdays and Saturdays starting June 6th

Gatwick / Montpellier - EasyJet - starts 30 March till 25 October

Here's a link to our flights chart covering the regions airports:  http://www.southfrancevillas.com/flights.htm

Check out our South France villas Blog for more regional info

LANGUEDOC:

LANGUEDOC ROUSSILLON AIRPORT TAXI TRANSFERS

Taxi  service (English Speaking) in the Languedoc - all airport pick ups.  Corporate and Personal Travel

Andy Dickson (Englishman living in France)

Email: mail@andrewdickson.fr

Phone: 0033 467 240365

Mobile:0033 623 139778

Website: Languedoc Roussillon Airport Taxi Transfers

Taxi Service but must be booked in advance

Catering

English speaking catering service in Beziers and Aude area - birthday parties,

reunions, weddings and home catering.

Mountain Relish Catering

Summer Catering in the Languedoc - Exciting and innovative Restaurant food at your own home or chosen venue.  Event design and management. 

Contact John McFeteridge on +33 4 67 89 48 63 or by using the enquiry form on the above website.

www.catering34.com

You can also contact us by e-mail: saralbowles@orange.fr or craig.bowles@orange.fr

Tel: 09 60 07 21 56 from France & 00 33 960 072 156 from outside of France.  

Home: 0033 (0)4 67 95 38 64

Mobile: 0033 (0)6 08 00 06 87

Mobile (2): 0033 (0)6 89 67 80 38  

The Languedoc Page Comprehensive guide to the Languedoc region including tourist information, the region, history, geography, agriculture, wine, buying property, weather, photos and links.

South France.com A tourist guide to the region, includes many 360 degree panoramic photos, and links to tourist offices. (in French, English, Swedish & German)

OurHouseInFrance.com
Quite the most well-written, visually pleasing and entertaining site we have come across. It came as no surprise to discover that the owners of the house in question, are an award-winning photographer and professional writer. And do read the diaries! Move over Peter Mayle (and Bill Bryson) - the prize for best "Ex-Pat-in-France Publication" must surely be awarded to this site.

The Languedoc Click here to open a website about the Languedoc in the south of France.  Everything you need to know about the Languedoc-Roussillon - weather, holidays, beaches, property, tourism and travel, cathar castles, history, sports, food and wine, and everyday life in the South of France.

Languedoc-Roussillon Tourist Office

Local Camp sites

L'Hermitage (3 star) - small family run camp site in Valras plage - www.club-hermitage.com

www.southfrancevillas.co.uk part of Southfrancevillas.

Aude (Departmental tourist office)
Carcassonne
Narbonne
Perpignan

Midi-life A news and information portal for visitors and expatriate residents of the Aude, Languedoc.
Cathar castles and history
Minervois
Corbieres

PROVENCE:
About Provence
Provence Offical tourist office guide
Saint Remy de Provence & the Alpilles hills area
www.provencebeyond.com The web's leading English language source for travel in France, with maps, travel information, hotels, photos, and detailed sections on villages, gastronomy, wine, sports, trains, ...

Catering in Provence

Professional Chef Ronald Guillaume (English speaking), covers the Provence area (Les Alpilles, Le Luberon) and will be delighted to cook for you in your villa, he is happy to quote for dinner parties, Cookery Classes and much more. His service inlcudes shopping, preparation, table service and clearing up.  See his website for full details Chef Ronald Guillaume

COTE D'AZUR :

Rent a luxury Yacht - Romola and Rebecca both based in Cannes.  Daily rates available.

Luxury Motor Yacht Hire in Port Grimaud

Fabulous 50ft Sunseeker motor yacht based in Port Grimaud, only 10 minutes from the Port of St Tropez.  Available for Day Charter and Sleeps 2/4 people.

RESTAURANT GUIDES:
Many of the 'Regional guides' above have lists of restaurants, but for guides with a critical comment:

pernic.co.uk Review of Restaurants in the Marseillan area (Herault)

Le-guide.com Selection of restaurants in Herault and Aude.

MICHELIN GUIDE Long established book guide for restaurants throughout France, now incorporated in all-round guide with maps.

Bottin Gourmand Guide (In French) Long established book guide for restaurants throughout France, now on the internet.

Gault Millau Guide (In French) Another established book guide for restaurants throughout France, now on the internet.

fromages.com Everything about French cheeses

Roquefort The king of cheeses

Languedoc Wines A good site focused on the AOCs of the region; St Chinian, Faugeres, Fitou, Cateaux de Languedoc, Picpoul, Pic St Loup, Corbieres and Minervois. Lists wine producers, wine-making techniques and annotated tours of the region.

The associated Faugeres site is particularly informative.

Canoeing Description, photos and prices for canoe hire on all the major rivers in the region:

Golf Saint Thomas.com Golf course near Beziers.
Golf Massane.com Golf course near Montpellier.

Rock climbing National mountaineering, rock-climbing, & "canyoning" site (in French).

Caroux mountains Rock-climbing in the Caroux mountains, 30km north of Beziers (in French).

Olargues.com Mountain-bike hire in the Parc Naturel du Haut Languedoc

Horse-riding centres:
1Cheval Languedoc (In French)
1Cheval Provence (In French)

Jet Ski Hire at Grau d'Agde (Nr Cap d'Agde)

06 09 84 58 95 from France

+ 33 6 09 84 58 95 from UK

ruriack@orange.fr

shoppingmontpellier.com Browse by type of shop and print out detailed maps of the city's crooked little streets.

la-cure-gourmande.com Online Gastronomic food.

Provencal products Food products & arts & crafts

English-speaking agents:
Buy French Property UK based agency
french-property-sales UK based website
Albert Honig Pezenas, Herault

Renovation France A very useful site for anyone renovating or thinking of buying an old house.

Expat Foyer Help for expat residents in France, particularly in Languedoc, including legislation advice, property, shopping, news, recommendations, classifieds, expat contacts and forum.

Midi-life A news and information portal for visitors and expatriate residents of the Aude, Languedoc.

Feng-shui consultations and designs in the Herault region

Rent a place in France - specialise in winter lets and long term rentals in France, for periods of one month and more. Bookings are made directly with the owner.

CAR HIRE - www.travelsupermaket.com - Car Hire comparison site

XE.com
Oanda.com
Forex trading Foreign Exchange Trading, Forex Analysis and Forecasts.

SEARCH ENGINES:
google
lycos
Alta Vista
Ask Jeeves
kwmap.com supplied by Overture

L3xicon - a web thesaurus and lexicon

HOTELS in France:
Accor large hotel group which includes several convenience hotel chains, ideal for stop-overs, including:
1-star Formule 1 - around 25-30 euros for a room
2-star Etap - around 35-40 euros
3-star Ibis - around 55-60 euros
3-star+ Mercure - around 70-90 euros

B & B near Paris

Charming Bed and Breakfast near Paris On the half heights of Bougival and near to the station (6 minutes walk)
"la Vasconia", house of character of 1935 fully renovated, welcomes you in its beautiful green park of 1400 m2
while being only 11 kms away from Paris and 5 kms from Versailles.

www.lacardabela.com high quality Bed and Breakfast in a modern villa overlooking vineyards, situated in Margon, Herault.

www.guesthouseinlanguedoc.com Bed and Breakfast in Berlou.

viamichelin.com The Michelin Guide's website; best all-round guide; route-planner, hotels, restaurants: the lot!

HOTELS and B&B of character in the Languedoc region:
Chateau St Martin 3 star country hotel near Beziers.

Les Volets Bleus Between Narbonne & Beziers. Beautifully restored maison de maitre on the banks of the Canal du Midi.

Many underestimate the importance of travel insurance, indeed without it you could find yourself facing large bills if you are unlucky enough to fall ill whilst on holiday.  Of course this topic may be the furthest thing from your mind when you’ve just booked accommodation for your dream holiday; it is however one of definite importance.

Something to consider when visiting France is public liability insurance; commonly included with travel insurance.  This is usually in the region of £1 million in coverage and the majority of property owners will expect you to have this.

Below are the most important factors to consider in regards to travel insurance.

1. Why do I need insurance when I have the European health card?

The European health card was introduced to replace the now dated E111 form.  The scheme currently consists of 60 member countries, France being one of these.  It is a common misconception to think that this card will cover you for all insurance and healthcare related instances whilst abroad.  This is not the case as the scheme was set up to provide initial emergency treatment considered as life saving.  Further treatment beyond the initial will be charged for.  You may find for example that if you were to have an accident the cost of initial treatment may be covered but the ride in the ambulance and other additions may not.  You could very quickly find yourself facing a large bill.

It is recommended that you apply for this card if you do not already have one as it will be asked for in the case of a medical emergency.

2. How frequently do you plan to travel?

 The frequency of which you plan to travel is an important factor when choosing travel insurance as there are several different types of policy available designed with this in mind.

The basic and least expensive policy is called “single trip”, this is, as the name suggests a one off policy to cover for a singular holiday of a short duration.  If you plan to travel several times in a year you may find a multi-trip policy more cost effective.  If you are a frequent traveler you may find an annual policy better suited to your circumstances, as this will allow you to travel many more times and for longer durations than a multi-trip policy.  Finally if you are traveling as a group you will be able to apply for group or family travel insurance.  An added benefit of some family policies is the inclusion of free cover for under 18’s. 

 3. Be truthful

 It is important when applying for your policy to be as honest as possible, failure to mention a medical condition (however minor it may seem) could result in your policy being voided when you need it most.  Some may seek to reduce the cost of their premium by omitting a few factors they think unimportant.  In the end it is worth paying that little extra to gain full coverage and more importantly peace of mind.

4. Planned activities

 You should consider the things you plan to do whilst on holiday.  If you simply wish to spend your time relaxing by the pool or on the beach you can opt for any standard holiday insurance policy.

If however you intend to go skiing or scuba diving (not generally covered on standard insurance policies) you should seek specialist insurance such as winter sports in the case of skiing.  For those maybe thinking of backpacking you can seek a policy with the same name.   

 5. What is covered under my policy and what levels should I expect?

 You can expect to find the following on your travel insurance policy; Medical expenses (in the event of personal injury or medical emergency), holiday cancellation cover (speaks for itself), loss or damage of baggage, theft insurance (usually a combination of possessions and cash), personal liability insurance (in the event of a claim being made against you) and varying extra’s. 

You should use the following levels of cover as a guide when searching through policies.

As a minimum your policy should cover you for;        Medical expenses £2m, personal liability £1m, cancellation £3,000, baggage £1,500, cash £250, a 24 hour emergency line, cover for legal costs and finally financial ombudsman service membership in case you need to complain.

6. And Finally…

After reading the above guide you should now be armed with the facts to help you find the best policy to suit your needs.  Who knows, you may even save yourself some money.

Before you head off confident of finding your perfect travel insurance policy, let me arm you with a few final pieces of information.  Please remember not to look simply for the cheapest policy you can find as this is not always the best and may lack cover in key areas.  Following in a similar vein; remember to check the excesses you will be expected to pay in the event of a claim (these will vary considerably).  If you are under the influence of alcohol (heavily) when you have an accident you will most probably lose your cover.  With regards to theft insurance; if you leave your valuables unprotected in plain sight they will also most probably not be covered.  Use of a safe is recommended if one is available and all precautions should be taken to safeguard your valuables.

As a final note; why not consider using a comparison site to search through policies quickly and easily.  Moneysupermarket.com is one such site and will allow the visitor to perform a free search through over 500 travel insurance policies.