Tourism
Need some ideas for making the most of your stay in the Hérault? Here are a few tourist attractions to help you make the most of your stay!
LES NEUFS ÉCLUSES
The refurbished and modernised site reopened to the public on 1 July 2017. The people of Béziers have rediscovered their favourite place to stroll... for 350 years! Traditional buildings such as the Coche d'eau - now the Maison du Site, with Tourist Office, screening room for an exceptional film, shop and panoramic restaurant - and the lock-keeper's house still stand...
All this makes the Fonseranes locks the 3rd most visited tourist site in Languedoc-Roussillon, after the Pont du Gard and the Cité de Carcassonne.
CANAL DU MIDI
Whether you're just stopping off to admire it, or following it from Toulouse to Marseillan, the Canal du Midi exudes a sense of serenity and tranquillity. Today, it's one of the most majestic leisure routes you can discover on foot, by bike or by boat. More than a must-see, it's a myth!
A walk along the Canal du Midi is first and foremost a step back in time. Built in the 17th century under the reign of Louis XIV, the canal had already been planned for centuries. However, no one was able to solve the main problem: the constant supply of water.
It was the genius of a native of Béziers, Pierre-Paul Riquet, who solved the problem. He determined the exact point where the waters of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean meet, the Seuil de Naurouze, and found a way of "depositing" there the waters captured and stored in the Montagne Noire.
LAC DU SALAGOU
Le Salagou. Now that's a name with southern accents.
When you discover this lake for the first time, the magic of its colours is instantaneous. These hills of red earth (the 'ruffes', clay sediments laden with iron oxide), this water reflecting the blue of the sky, the rocks sometimes yellow or black... The yellow of the broom in spring... The whole chromatic palette rivals in intensity and leaves you speechless.
Here, time stands still as you contemplate the exceptional composition of natural colours.
The largest lake in the Hérault ... and one of the most famous in the South of France
It seems to have always been there. And yet... Lac du Salagou is an artificial lake.
BÉZIERS
Béziers is thought to have been built before Marseille, in the 7th century BC, and is the oldest town in France....
Today, it invites you to take a stroll through its traditional streets. You're sure to make some exceptional discoveries. Walk in the footsteps of Roman civilisation with its ancient amphitheatre and arenas.
A little further on, the medieval heritage opens its doors to you. Take a walk up the steep slopes and you'll reach the town's great treasure: the Cathédrale Saint-Nazaire. Gothic in style, with huge stained glass windows, it has an imposing appearance, more typical of a castle than a cathedral. From the top of the central bell tower, you can see the town and the magnificent Pont Vieux! It dates back to Roman times and for a long time was the only way to cross the Orb.
Finally, on the Allées Paul Riquet, you can see the winegrowers' fortunes and their fine Haussmann-style residences.
SÈTE
Sète is both unique and multifaceted. To understand it, you have to come and go, meet its artists and experience its traditional festivals. Authentic and atypical, with a hint of Italy, Sète is a gourmet town that can be discovered in many different ways: on foot, by bike, by kayak, by boat...
