The 17 things to do in the Hérault

Are you in Montpellier for your holidays? Enjoy it to discover the department! Here are the 17 things to do in the Hérault!

When the summer approaches and the cigales begin to sing, the Hérault animates and sees the holidaymakers land. The holidaymakers, from France and elsewhere, flock to the shores of the beaches and some villages, extinguished in the winter, reborn and animated until the end of the night. However, visiting Hérault is not just about discovering its beaches. The places to discover are numerous and diverse, some having a particular history and charm.

So how to visit the Hérault? Here are the 17 things to do in the Hérault!

1. Montpellier

The historic centre

Its paved and tortuous streets are the testimony of centuries of history. The historic centre of Montpellier, called Écusson, is a must-see for visits to the Hérault. Despite its reduced space, the centre is full of magnificent buildings, magical places and animations all seasons.

Of course, the Place de la Comédie, with its Three Graces, is the symbol of the city. In the quiet of the trees, the place of the Canourgue is the place to rest in peace. Place Jean-Jaurès is the place for students to gather. And many more... In short, everyone will find footwear!

The Fabre Museum

The main museum of the city is close to the Place de la Comédie. With about nine hundred works exhibited by the greatest French painters, the museum is of high quality and the renovation of 2003 also allows to appreciate the building. A gallery is also twin of the Louvre!

The Lunaret Zoological Park

This zoo is located in a park suitable for walking near Paul-Valéry University. The great attraction of this zoo is that it is entirely free for the visitor!

2. Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert

Visit the Hérault without visiting Saint-Guilhem, it’s like going to Paris without admiring the Eiffel Tower once. The commune collects the titles: Grand Site de France, the most beautiful village in France and classified as the Unesco world heritage. It must be said that it is absolutely beautiful.

Its small historic centre, composed of turbulent streets, plunges us into a distant past. Quiet and relaxing, you can even begin to meditate on the sound of the little waterfall. Don’t miss the visit of the abbey of Gellone. Finally, we can sit on the Place de la Liberté and its plane tree planted in 1855. An unforgettable place!

3. Sète

The city center and the marina

In winter, the places are calm and conducive to a relaxing walk. In the summer, the venues are an apotheosis of the feasts of the Saint-Louis and the famous nautical joutes.

Regardless of the period of the year, the alleys of the city centre and the small harbour are among the best visits to the Hérault. Don’t hesitate to taste the setoise tiellas, the local specialty!

Mont Saint-Clair

As the foot climb is particularly tiring, we are reassured by what awaits us on arrival. Nearly 200 metres above sea level, Mont Saint-Clair is the point of view of Sète! The Great Blue and the Thau pond offer their most beautiful face. During the descent, visit the marine cemetery and the museum of the sea are advised.

The space George Brassens

Impossible to dissociate Sète Brassens . For fans, its space is almost a pilgrimage and the places are, objectively, a great success. They retrace the story of the singer, his way of writing, his inspirations and his life through photos and videos. We can even browse the helmet places on the ears!

4. The circus of Navacelles

To visit the Hérault, it is also to discover magnificent natural landscapes. One of them, the circus of Navacelles, offers the sublime panorama of a natural enclosure born of erosion whose form recalls an antique theatre.

A hike along the river Vis leads to the resurgence of the same name, from which one can see a magnificent waterfall and a torrent flowing under an old mill. A landscape like nature in fact little!

5. La Grande-Motte and the beach of the Grand Travers

The beach is one of the classic things to do in the Hérault. The Grande-Motte, with its Grand Travers beach, is the ideal place for those looking for fine sand. In the summer, the city is transformed with its countless seaside restaurants, merchants of ice and doughnuts.

Those who want more tranquility and comfort will go to private beaches. Finally, if you want to play the bandit manchot, head to the casino, the largest in the department.

6. Beziers

Downtown and Historic Centre

Upon arriving to the city centre, we see the immense cathedral of Saint-Nazaire. Little by little, one discovers the other wonders of the historic centre of Béziers: the Vieux-Pont, the banks of the Orb and the paved alleys.

Although not always mentioned this, the historic centre of Béziers is one of the most beautiful in the region. An ideal place to discover the medieval architecture of Midi.

The locks of Fonseranes and hiking on the Canal du Midi

As long as you are in Béziers, take advantage of it to get to the Canal du Midi. An architectural prowess of the 17th century, the bridge-channel of the Orb, specially designed for boats! It is also possible for you to live it by making a cruise on the canal.

Further there are the nine locks of Fonseranes, another civil genius of the time. By a complex system, the boat can indeed cross a denial of twenty-one meters! A unique experience to observe.

7. Pézenas

Near Béziers, Pézenas is a village that deserves special attention when you visit the Hérault. The city centre is typical of the area with its small streets, traditional shops and stone buildings.

Born in Pézenas, Boby Lapointe, the king of the calembours, has his dedicated museum where the singer’s fans will be seized. But Pézenas, it is also to leave in the footsteps of Molière, who came so many times in the village. It is even here that the career of the playwright has truly begun.

8. The Pic Saint-Loup

Some Montpelliérains can see it from their window. The Sainte-Victoire, as it is surnamed here, is a beautiful hike in the Hérault. At the top, after 2h30 walking, there is a superb panorama. From above, you can picnic while enjoying the view.

Once descended, it is possible to visit the surrounding vineyards by enjoying good wine, the Coteaux du Languedoc AOC – Pic Saint-Loup!

9. Lake Salagou and the circus of Mourez

Artificial lake created by the dam of the same name in the 1960s, Lake Salagou is one of the best walks to do in Herault. With its red colour due to the presence of iron oxide, the shores of the lake are superb. In the summer, many activities are offered, from swimming to kayaking.

The circus of Mourèze, a kind of circular natural enclosure, is accessible 20 minutes’ drive or, for the bravest, after an hour’s hike. The reward is an extraordinary show of strange rocks.

10. Cap d’Agde

It is difficult to visit the Hérault without evokeing the Cap d’Agde. Known all over the world for its naturist beaches, the seaside resort is a bit the place of escape par excellence. A city that died in winter, Cape is indeed a grain of madness in the summer! Nightclubs, restaurants, bars, casino, as many places you can party!

If you want something cultural, the underwater archaeology museum or Agde city centre, a few kilometres from Cape Town, are two visits to advise. Finally, the Bagnas Nature Reserve allows to observe a flourishing fauna and flora.

11. The Gorges de l’Hérault and the bridge of the Devil

The Gorges de l’Hérault form a river dug into the mountain and a splendid panorama from several bridges. The most famous of them is the bridge of the Diable, dating from the 11th century, located on the commune of Ariane and classified as the world heritage of Unesco.

It is possible to cross some of the canoe gorges and it is in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert that you will find the most rentals. Surely one of the most fun activities to do in the Hérault!

12. The Abbey of Fontcaude

Visiting the Hérault is also lost in the department’s campaign and, looking for a little, we find some jewels. In the middle of the biterrous countryside is the Abbey of Fontcaude. Built in the 12th century and in ruins in the 19th century, the abbey has since been beautifully restored and transformed into a museum.

13. The cave of the Demoiselles

The story holds that the name of Demoiselles comes from the fairies which the peasants thought to see in front of them. In fact, they were the stalactites! This anecdote should not forget the beauty and immensity of the places, a superb discovery for young and old.

14. The Cathedral of Maguelone

It seems a little lost in the middle of the pond and sea arms. Located on Maguelone Island, the cathedral of the same name dates back to the 12th century and is one of the two main religious buildings in the department with the cathedral of Montpellier.

It is the entourage of the building that impresses the most. Besides its island character, it is surrounded by vineyards!

15. Beach of Aresquiers

It is possible to visit the Hérault and fall a lost beach in the middle of the countryside, the largest of pebbles in the department. The beach of Aresquiers is a more natural and better preserved site than the beaches around.

Places are protected and buildings around are prohibited. Apart from very high season, you feel really quiet, almost like a private beach!

16. The Gallo-Roman site of Enserune

To visit the Hérault is also to dive into the time of Gauls! At Nissan-lez-Ensérune, close to Béziers, is the Oppidum of Ensérune. A few ruins and a museum, the site visits quite quickly.

The Gauls set up the city on a hill, allowing to see everything going down. The Romans took over the site and the Via Domitia is visible from the place. But the most spectacular view is that of the dried pond of Montady, forming a cake where each part has its own culture and leaving a rather original image!

17. Palavas-les-Flots

A few kilometers from Montpellier, the resort of Palavas is a classic of the must-sees in the Hérault. Sure, there's the beach. But we love his little town centre where you can walk along the Lez.

The attraction of the city is the transcanal, perhaps the shortest chairlift in the world! Well, it’s really for those who have difficulty walking, but the view from above is still pleasant!

How to go to the Hérault?

By plane

To visit the Hérault, it is possible to get there by plane. The two main airports are Montpellier-Mediterranée and Béziers-Cap d’Agde. The first is served several times daily from Paris and hosts regular lines as companies low cost . The second is almost exclusively served by the companies low cost .

Do not hesitate to take a look at a comparison of flights like Ulysses , to find flights that will best match your expectations.

By train

It is possible to reach Hérault in a few hours by train. Montpellier and its two stations, Agde, Béziers, Sète and Lunel are easily accessible from Paris , Lyon , Marseille , Lille , Toulouse and even from the Charles De Gaulle Airport, London and Brussels.

From Paris or Lyon, TGV Ouigo offers less expensive than a classic TGV.

By bus

In recent years, the bus has become a safe and very cheap means of transport. If you have time in front of you and leave the comfort aside for a few hours, the bus is for you!

By car

With the A9 and A75 , the Hérault can be reached only by motorway from Paris or Lyon, significantly reducing transport time. From Paris and Lyon, count about 50€ and 27€ Toll.

Where to stay in the Hérault?

The historic centre of Montpellier is the ideal place for those who want to enjoy the city and have an urban foot. Cities like Beziers or Sète, less large, can also be a drop point.

Those who want to stay at the beach can choose La Grande-Motte , Palavas-les-Flots , the Cap d’Agde or Carnon.

Finally, for a more authentic experience, it is possible to stay in villages such as Pézenas or Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert or even Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert camping in the countryside like, for example, near Salagou Lake.

To find your accommodation, do not hesitate to check out Compare hotels or Airbnb to experience a more authentic experience.