Having worked in Languedoc Roussillon for the last two seasons I can confidently say it is an amazing area to live and work for Canvas. I started May 2009 on Aloha Village, Sérignan Plage, and spent the season just passed at the opposite side of the area in the bustling, coastal town of Argelès-sur-Mer (nearer the Spanish border) on Camping La Sirène. Two completely different sites but both just as fantastic to work on!

Bordered by the Pyrenees Mountains to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the scenery is spectacular, as is the weather – in my 2009 season we only had 5 days of rain in about 5 months! Perfect weather for making use of the incredible beaches and water sports the region has to offer.

These made perfect bases for exploring all the wonderful towns Languedoc has to offer, Narbonne, Sète, Perpignan and Montpellier all make for great days out as well as being a bit of an urban escape from the gentle daily routine of campsite life.   For me, Carcassonne is one place not to be missed by any courier working in the Area, and definitely my favourite town in the area - the rich history of the fortified Cité gives off an enchanting aura and every customer that we recommended it to came back saying what a great time they had there. Another massive advantage to this area is its closeness to Spain, renowned for its cheap shopping, sangria and fabulous beaches.

It is relatively easy and cheapish to travel around the area, a lot of bus-changing and train travel involved, but I’ve found it’s pretty simple to work out how to get about and all the advance travel planning just added to the adventure of getting off site for a day! Also, it being quite a flat area means your bike will be invaluable, and make exploring the area even more fun and easy to do. And if you do get lost the people are extremely friendly and more than willing to help, especially if you (at least attempt to) ask in French!

There is literally a never ending list of things do to in the area, perfect for those rare rainy days when customers ask for advice on days out. Top customer favourites being the Canal-du-Midi and the pretty fishing villages, such as Collioure, scattered along the coast.

Obviously a massive part of courier exploring is done in the evenings after the long days of cleaning! Argelès is without doubt one of the best parts of France to experience an evening out: with countless shops, bars, restaurants and clubs there is something for everyone to enjoy. The strong Catalan influence in this area - (from the food and drink to the difference of language and people), serve to enrich the animated, cheerful atmosphere – making it something bit different to other French towns in the region.

I really cannoing the praises of Languedoc Roussillon enough; I have had two unforgettable seasons there, working under and alongside some incredible people. I will remember the last couple of years forever, and hope to experience a few more with Canvas in the phenomenal Area 6!