The 9 most beautiful bike rides to do in Montpellier and its surroundings

Taking the air while doing exercise, discovering beautiful natural spaces while remaining ecolole: it is during beautiful bike rides in Montpellier that we discover the city, and especially its surroundings, of the most pleasant way.

Montpellier is a city that easily lends itself to cycling routes: an ideal means of transport to travel in the city centre, largely deprived of cars, but also to launch excursions in the surrounding area.

From the shores of the Mediterranean to the foothills of the Cevennes, your two-wheel drives you everywhere for beautiful bike rides around Montpellier, including a selection sorted on the flap. Saddle!

1. Cycling tour in Montpellier along the Lez

One of the most popular cycling tours in Montpellier is to follow the Lez course, via the bike path, to reach Palavas-les-Flots and the Mediterranean Sea. Good news: the journey is no longer easy!

In this route suggestion, the exit starts directly in Lattes, but you can lengthen the walk a bit by going directly from downtown Montpellier, by the banks of the Lez. A 100% cycling route that leads you south towards the beaches. Forecast on the day for example: bike, swimming, tanning session and return to bercail, simple but effective program.

2. Beaches and ponds of Palavas-les-Flots by bike

Let's get closer to the Mediterranean side for this new bike ride around Montpellier. This time, the departure takes place directly in Palavas-les-Flots (20 / 25 minutes by car). Here, the trail leads you between land and sea, along the beaches with calm waters of Palavas, to the pretty wild beach of Maguelone.

At the level of the picturesque Cathedral of Maguelone, impossible to miss on the way, the route passes through the fine strip of land delimiting the various ponds of Palavas, to the Cabanes de Carnon, before finishing a loop. The marine landscapes are beautiful from end to end.

3. Carnon and Ponant pond via Grande-Motte

Always stay in this area, near the sea, to go on a bike ride around Montpellier on the side of Carnon (15 / 20 minutes drive). Along the well-appointed beaches of the resort for a while before reaching wilder shores, always tempting to jump into the water: it can hot in Montpellier, take the time to take a break!

The route then crosses another successful seaside resort, the Grande-Motte , to get involved in a large turn of the Ponant pond: as its name suggests, the site is particularly beautiful under the sunlight declining to the west... why not adjust the walking schedules accordingly?

4. Bike loop between King's Grau and Aigues-Mortes

We have not yet finished smiling in two-wheels the Montpelliérain coastline, whose landscapes of beaches, ponds and marshes, by flat definition, are a real happiness for cyclists.

With this bike ride around Montpellier in the shape of a loop, you can choose your starting point. La Grande-Motte, Le Grau of the King , or Aigues-Mortes are all about 30 minutes drive, and make up the three essential steps of the exit. In addition to the beaches, do not miss a tour of the ramparts of Aigues-Mortes, cross the unusual landscapes of salins, and take a break on one of the many crossed beaches on the way.

5. The Salagou Lake Tour by Bike

Surrounded by drylands, in landscapes full of pleasant reliefs, the Lake Salagou is part of the bike rides to do around Montpellier for real outdoor and nature lovers. Yet, the origin of this reservoir is artificial!

From Le Puech (less than an hour by car), a fairly high course allows you to reach the lake of Salagou and to ride it by bike, or, probably more suitable, by mountain bike. It is also possible for you, to make it easier, to take the route directly to the lake level, for a beautiful sports ride.

6. Bicycle excursions around the Pic Saint Loup

If you add the number of kilometers to travel with a huge amount, this loop is for the wise cyclists who have a minimum under the pedal. If that is the case, you're going to enjoy yourself!

The theme of the walk is the Pic Saint Loup , emblematic mountain peaking at 658m around which this bike ride around Montpellier is organized. No question of ascent of course, but of a beautiful village tour in the village from Viols-le-Fort (35 minutes drive from Montpellier), through simply beautiful landscapes.

7. Easy bike ride to Bois de Saint-Sauveur

This bike ride around Montpellier is for a wide audience, especially for families with children. Although the circuit is to be achieved preferably by mountain biking by the nature of the terrain, it does not have any particular technical difficulty.

A pleasant exit from Saint-Clément-de-Rivière (25 minutes by car), the walk allows you to enjoy the shade of the trees of the Bois de Saint-Sauveur, to discover the source of the Lez, and to admire beautiful landscapes of garrigue typical of the region. You will have the chance to have the silhouette of the Pic Saint Loup to accompany you as a backdrop.

8. Bike tour of the villages west of Montpellier

Just 20 minutes' drive from Montpellier, this friendly walk starts in Laverune, with the aim of discovering the surrounding villages. To do this, take the well-appointed track that takes you without congestion to Cournonsec, via Pignan and Cournonterral. Do not hesitate to crochet by each of these villages, taking your time on the way.

This bike ride around Montpellier continues by a quiet and uncommon road to cross another nice village, Fabrègues, before returning to its starting point.

9. From Agde to Sète by bike via the Baleine beach

Back by the sea to conclude this selection of beautiful bike rides to be done in Montpellier and its surroundings, taking this time as a starting point the center of Agde (less than 40 min in TER from Montpellier, possibility to take the bikes on board). Cut by the Bagnas Nature Reserve, before following a pleasant and well-lined track, via the Baleine Beach. You have a picnic spot and swimming all found!

The ride then leads you with your bikes to the pretty city of Sète , enter Thau pond and the Mediterranean Sea. Several on-site visits to the curious: the port, the marine cemetery, the Georges Brassens space or the Paul Valéry museum. What to fill a beautiful day of bike!