Wow! I am so excited to have received so many helpful messages to my post! I feel my level of anticipation ramping up higher and higher! Thanks so much! I have purchased Root's apparently seminal work on the Food of France online, and I eagerly await its arrival. In response to Bux's question: I'm really just floundering around without much clue as to what I'm doing (thus the SOS post to egullet...). I am travelling for 15 nights total, which I planned to break down into Paris (5), Cahors (3), Montpellier (2), Dijon (4), and then Paris again (1). I didn't include Paris in my plea for guidance because there is already alot of information on Paris dining on the boards, and I wanted to stay focused. Anyhow, I chose Dijon because the International Gastronomy Fair is there when I'm there. At best, it will be fantastic. At worst, I'll eat alot of gingerbread and red wine. I'm staying at the Hotel Phillippe Le Bon...anyone been there? The other two destinations are still wide open to the power of your suggestions. I had orginally thought that Perigueux would be the best place to stay in the Perigord area, owing to the Wed/Sat foie gras and truffles market. However, review of a few guide books as well as the egullet boards convinced me that Cahors probably had more to offer food-wise, as well as being a better base for exploring the environs. Montpellier is shaping up to be a bit of a black sheep, it seems. I had originally thought Marseille, but then I switched to Montpellier because I thought it would be cheaper. Plus I hear it's a young town, and I thought I might be able to meet a hunky French man. (That being said, the fact that I am travelling alone on a food-oriented vacation should indicate to you that thus far food has turned out to be a more dependable pleasure in my life. Just ask my 'fesse'.). Someone also told me that nearby Sete is grubby but has great seafood. Where do you guys think is the best food destination in Languedoc-Roussillon? I also feel romantically/nostalgically/irrationally drawn to the Pyrenees. What do you all think about chopping a few days off Paris to be able to visit there? (Bearing in mind that business will probably take me back to Paris a few times in my life.). Thanks a million for all your suggestions, Zoe (The Little Canadian)