Many writers and artists have been attracted to Languedoc, in search of cheap housing and cheaper wine, including Lawrence Durrell, who described his “calamitous intake of scarlet Fitou and red Corbières”.

Simon Fletcher, an artist, moved to a small town in the high Languedoc more than 20 years ago. “When we arrived, we were the only English speakers within a 20-mile radius,” he says. “Now even the local geologist is British.” Journalist Frank Johnson is a neighbour of ours; novelist Christopher Hope and publishing guru Carmen Callil live not far away. Languedoc has been dubbed the “thinking man’s Provence”. Beautiful landscape without the crowds or the hype.

As well as writers, it is also attracting young families, who are able to work from here via the internet and the occasional visit to London. In contrast, Provence is for people who think it is important to live in Provence. A designer friend of mine found the perfect house for an American client in Languedoc. She came to visit, fell in love with the place, but concluded that she couldn’t live there, because none of her friends would have heard of it.

Five years ago, every village had large empty houses that had been used for the grape pickers. Since the coming of the mechanical pickers, they had lain idle. You could go to the town hall and see them advertised on notice boards. Now the estate agents have moved in to cater for the estimated one in 10 Ryanair passengers that is looking to buy a house in the region.

Old customs are changing. It is much more profitable to sell vineyards and turn them into lotissements, cheap housing estates. Our closest village, about two miles away, has suddenly introduced parking spaces and tickets for offenders. Anarchy is being replaced with order.

Our house is now worth many times more than we paid for it. But our children are happy at school, I have a good bunch of cycling friends and I like the food and wine. If we sold up, where would we go?

Rupert Wright is the author of Notes from the Languedoc, published by Ebury Press, £7.99

INLAND VILLAS

In Faugères in the Hérault, this six-bed villa, with pool and 0.3 acres, is for sale for £300,000 with Francophiles, 01622 688 165, www.francophiles.co.uk

This restored three-bed villa close to Gap comes with vines, a studio and valley views. For sale with VEF, 020 7515 8660, www.vefuk.com, for £420,000

COASTAL HOMES

In Collioure, a three-bed house with pool and office is for sale for £440,000 with La Roca Immobilier, 00 33 468 893 481, www.laroca-immobilier.com

A three-bed, three-bathroom flat on St Tropez harbour is for sale through Knight Frank, 020 7629 8171, www.knightfrank.com, for £1.78m

Explore Property

• Buying & Selling

• New Homes

• Overseas

• Interiors

• Investment

• Gardens

• Cool In Your Code

• Specials

• First-time buyer

Times recommends

• Second homes: credit crunch casualty or money-spinner?
• How I built my own sliding house
• Top 10 incentives for house buyers