Question
QUESTION: A bit out of your area geographically, I'm afraid. I am keen to grow roses in the Minervois area of southern France and would like to know the suitability of the soil there. It's one of the principal wine-growing regions and I believe the soil is principally limestone.

ANSWER: Yes, you are correct, most of the soil is limestone. As roses prefer a soil on the acid side, the limestone content may be too high. When people talk about gardening with roses, they are usually referring to mainly the hybrid teas and this class can be very tricky in regards to what type of soil it likes. But there are many other classifications which are far more tolerant such as Gallicas, Damasks, Centifolias ec. The Hybrid Musks are excellent roses too.
Before I would plant any roses, there must be a rose nursery that could guide you. In my garden because the soil was mainly sand, I grow roses as if they were in a container and this might help you also. I dig a large 24 inches wide and deep, place a piece of lawn sod on the bottom for the roots to feed on and then fill it up with quality soil plus  additives such as bone meal, compost, mulch etc. This way the rose gets off to a good start and by the time it has used up the goodness in the hole, it is now used to the natural poorer type. Putting well rotted manure either in the hole or around the base of the plant is an excellent idea. Alas there is no way I can get the stuff.
I wonder if it wouldn't be worth a trial in your area? Try planting any shrub rose such as those put out by Meilland or Kordes as these newer ones will adapt more readily than older roses. Roses have come a long way from the very beautiful but very time demanding older ones and will have the constitution to cope with less than perfect gardening situations.
Everyone I spoke to told me I wouldn't be able to grow roses on such a poor soil lacking in all nutrients but I have proven them( even Peter Beales) wrong so don't be discouraged. Hope this helps.

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QUESTION: Thank you for your response to my question on growing roses in the Minervois - I shall be moving to live there in the new year and shall put your advice to practice. Is there any readily-available additive that might decrease the alkaline nature of the soil?

Answer
There are two types of alkaline soil one is sodic (not good) limestone and the other is calcic (okay for roses)limestone. It would be a wisdom to find out what type of soil will be in your area and what do gardeners use. Sulphur is also recommended in rose books but they assume  you just have something like clay soil or a high PH in your garden. Sulphur can be used on ordinary soil but I don't think it would be okay for your type. Do grape growers use additives? They would be your experts. Some use roses at the end of the rows as monitors for pests, fungus and mildew.
Also keep in mind that roses get most of their nutrients from the feeder roots at the top of the main roots. The other roots are mainly anchor but also will take up water. So because the important roots are towards the top, this is where most of your compost should be concentrated. You can use it to about one foot and then mix other things with the natural soil.
Teas and Chinas, Hybrid Musks, Wichuriana climbers, English roses, once-blooming old roses and Noisettes should all do okay for you.