© Lonely Planet Publications
97
Montpellier Area
Be it the palm trees in terracotta pots, the orgy of beachwear boutiques or the mythical
central square that gets a tonne of sand dumped on it each summer for beach-volley cham-
pionships, Montpellier regional capital and Languedoc-Roussillon s only real city screams
the hot south. From the dusty old-town warren awash with secret squares, footstep-polished
alleys and shaded church steps to the profusion of 18th-century hôtels particuliers (private
mansions), caramel- and honey-hued facades washed out by the fierce sun, there is no
mistaking where this sultry city is: spitting distance from the sparkling-blue Mediterranean,
split from the sea by a few soggy lagoons, which flamingos love.
Exploring the short Montpellier coastline is a joy. It is built-up and busy no resort is
more in your face than La Grande Motte with its purpose-built 1960s architecture abutting
La Petite Camargue (p81) on its eastern fringe. But there s ample tradition left: take the
nautical jousters in Palavas-les-Flots and SÅte, 6th-century Cathédrale de Maguelone, the
fishing boats that dock each day beneath clouds of screeching seagulls&
Inland is a green world much loved by canoeists and vino buffs. The velvety, emerald
River Hérault, after which this Hérault département is named, slices deftly through rock past
the dramatic Gorges de l Hérault and caves of gigantic proportions. To the east rises the
Pic St-Loup, a lumpy mountain range spotted with tiny rural villages below and a sensual
patchwork of plump green vines and rosemary-scented garrigue (scrub). For aficionados of
raw natural landscape, the Cirque de Navacelles is a hop north from here.
HIGHLIGHTS
Soak up sun-baked ambience and hidden
Cirque de
squares in old-town Montpellier (p102) Navacelles
Bike it to the sea and have a stab at water-
jousting (p107) in Palavas-les-Flots or SÅte
Gorges de
Join flocks of seagulls around SÅte fisher-
l'Herault
men as they dock; follow them into the criée
Montpellier
(market) on a guided tour (p108)
Palavas-les-Flots
Find serenity along the sand in 6th-century Cathédrale de
Maguelone
Cathédrale de Maguelone (p106),
Villeveyrac
marooned on an island amid salt marshes
SÅte
Paddle along green water in a canoe
through the dramatic Gorges de l Herault
(p111)
Stroll medieval gardens and taste wine at 12th-century Abbaye de Valmagne (p110),
in Villeveyrac
Drop into the deep bowl of the Cirque de Navacelles (p112)
M O N T P E L L I E R A R E A
98 MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Montpellier lonelyplanet.com
0 20 km
MONTPELLIER AREA
0 10 miles
Canaules-et-
ArgentiÅres
MoulÅs`- La CadiÅre- D999
et-Cambo
et-Baucels
Ganges
Savignargues
D713
Montoulieu
Laroque
D6110
Grotte des
D48
Cirque
Demoiselles
de Navacelles
St-Bauzille
D108
de Putois
Brissac
St-André
D999
de BuÅges
St-Jean
de BuÅges D986
D6110
Frouzet
D25
D17
St-Martin
St-Bauzille
Causse
de Londres
D122 de Montmel SommiÅres
de la Selle
Les Lavagnes
Pic
Mas de St-Loup
Buzignargues
Junas
Londres Galargues
St-Mathieu
Cazevieille
de Tréviers
Aubais
D32
Gorges
St-Guilhem-
de l'Hérault
le-Désert
Hérault
N110
Grotte de
Clamouse
St-Vincent de D610
Les Matelles
St-Jean de Fos
To LodÅve Montpeyroux Barbeyrargues
A9
(30km)
D27
Castries
Aniane Assas
N113
St-Félix St-BrÅs
JonquiÅres
Lunel
de Lodez
le CrÅs
Ceyras
Lac de
Salagou Vendargues
A750 Gignac
N113
D65
D613
A750
N109
Clermont-l'Hérault Juvignac
E11
St-Georges- Mauguio
D908
Montpellier
d'Orques
D132
Airport
D66
Pignan
Étang de Mauguio
St-Jean-
ou de l'Or
de-Védas
D2
Lattes
Pérols
A75 D62
D21 La Grande
D986 Motte
E11 Étang de
Carnon Plage
Pérols Le Grau
Villeneuve- D59 du Roi
lÅs-Maguelone
Palavas-les-Flots
Port Camargue
Cathédrale
Abbaye de de Maguelone
Étang de Étang
Valmagne
D2
l'Arnel du Prévost
Villeveyrac
D5
N112
A9
D13
N113
G o l f e d u L i o n
Pézenas
Bouzigues
D613
Frontignan
Balaruc-
N9
les-Bains
Frontignan
MÅze
Plage
Le Bassin
de Thau
D51
SÅte
to go to Paris to see the Arc de Triomphe. Two
MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE
wheels are the Ä… la mode way to get around,
tram lines spin a kaleidoscope of flowers and
This buzzing stretch ensnares the regional
swallows on the streets, and works by the re-
capital and its dynamic coastal quarters,
gion s best contemporary artists fill old-town
wedged between La Petite Carmague (p81)
art galleries.
to the north and the beaches of Le Cap d Agde
I find it much better to go twise (sic) to
and Narbonne in central Languedoc (p114)
Montpellier than once to the other world ,
to the south.
wrote 17th-century philosopher John Locke.
Paradise, no, but an enchanting place to play
MONTPELLIER
Eve for a few days (seaside frolic included),
pop 244,300
yes indeed!
As France s eighth-largest city, Languedoc s
largest urban centre and the hub of regional
government, Montpellier is naturally self- History
confident. Its soul is a student (60,000 study Montpellier, one of southern France s few
here), its spirit is innovative and its inhabit- cities without a Roman heritage, started late.
ants (43% of which are under 30) don t need Founded by the Counts of Toulouse, it was
MONTPELLIER AREA
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lonelyplanet.com MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Montpellier 99
first mentioned in 985 and had become a Antigone, a surreal 1980s neoclassical hous-
prosperous city with trading links all over ing project designed by Spanish architect
the Mediterranean by medieval times. Its Ricardo Bofill.
scholastic tradition is a long one: Europe s
first medical school was founded here in the Information
12th century and its university is the country s BOOKSHOPS
oldest. The population swelled dramatically Book in Bar (%04 67 66 22 90; 8 rue du Bras de Fer)
in the 1960s when many French settlers left New and secondhand English books.
independent Algeria and settled here. Les Cinq Continents (%04 67 66 46 70; 20 rue
Jacques CSur) Travel bookshop.
Orientation
Montpellier s historic centre, mostly pe- INTERNET ACCESS
destrian, is girdled by wide boulevards and Dimension 4 Cybercafé (11 rue des Balances; per hr Ź 3;
pierced at the heart by place de la Comédie. h10am-midnight)
West is the Vieille Ville (Old Town). Point Internet (54 rue de l Aiguillerie; per hr Ź 1.40;
The leggy promenade of Esplanade
h9.30am-midnight Mon-Sat, 10.30am-midnight
Charles de Gaulle strides north from place Sun)
de la Comédie to the granite and concrete
Le Corum (p105). Eastwards sprawls 1970s LAUNDRY
shopping complex Le Polygone, and the Lavosud (19 rue de l Université; h7am-9pm)
FESTIVALS & EVENTS MONTPELLIER AREA
May
Montpellier Beach Master The atmosphere is electric during this 10-day beach-volley tour-
nament, held in the place de la Comédie, Montpellier.
Féria de la Mer (Festival of the Sea) Traditional abrivados (bull runs) in Palavas-les-Flots see
cowboys on horseback usher the bulls into the ring for corridas (bullfights).
June
Printemps des Comédiens (www.printempsdescomediens.com) Theatre festival in Montpellier.
Montpellier Danse (www.montpellierdanse.com) Montpellier s two-week international dance
festival.
July
Fęte de la St-Pierre Nautical jousting (p36) is the main lure of this weekend festival, cel-
ebrated in SÅte and Palavas-les-Flots, to honour St Peter, patron saint of fishermen.
Festival de Radio France et Montpellier (www.festivalradiofrancemontpellier.com) Top-notch clas-
sical, rock, opera, electronic, jazz and so on at this contemporary-music festival in Montpellier.
Festival de Jazz Seven jazz-mad days in SÅte.
Festival de Musique The acoustics at this classical-music fest, held in the cloister and church
of Villeveyrac s Abbaye de Valmagne, are stunning.
August
Fiest A SÅte (www.fiestasete.com) World music for six days in SÅte.
FÄ™te de la St-Louis SÅte hosts six days of nautical jousting around 25 August.
September
Féria d Automne Bulls are chaperoned to/from the beach by mounted cowboys during
Palavas-les-Flots exuberant festival in the second weekend of the month.
M O N T P E L L I E R A R E A
100 MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Montpellier lonelyplanet.com
Sep-Jul), housed within the medical faculty,
CITY CARD
displays a striking collection of French,
Italian and Flemish drawings.
The Montpellier City Card (per 1/2/3 days
Ź 14/20/26, children half-price), sold at the tourist
office, gives free or reduced admission to HÔTELS PARTICULIERS
several sites and cultural events, unlimited During the 17th and 18th centuries,
bus and metro travel and a spot on a guided Montpellier s wealthier merchants built
walking tour; for details, contact the tourist grand mansions, externally sober but with
office (below). resplendent inner courtyards. Examples are
Hôtel de Varennes (2 place Pétrarque), a harmoni-
ous blend of Romanesque and Gothic, and
POST
Hôtel St-Côme (Grand Rue Jean Moulin), the city s
Post Office (13 place Rondelet)
first anatomy theatre for medical students
and now its Chamber of Commerce.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Tourist Office (%04 67 60 60 60; www.ot-montpellier
AROUND PLACE ROYALE DU PEYROU
.fr; place de la Comédie; h9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri,
At the eastern end of this tree-lined es-
9.30am-1pm & 2.30-6pm Sat & Sun Jul-Sep, 9am-6.30pm
planade is the Arc de Triomphe (1692). The
Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 10am-1pm & 2-5pm Sun Oct-Jun)
Château d Eau, a hexagonal water tower at
its western limit, leads to the Aqueduc de
Sights
St-Clément (blvd des Arceaux), spectacularly il-
Montpellier life revolves around the 19th-
luminated at night. North is the Jardin des
century Hausmannian mansions of vibrant
Plantes (hnoon-8pm Mon-Sat Jun-Sep, to 6pm Mon-
place de la Comédie, dubbed l oeuf (the egg)
Sat Oct-May), France s oldest botanic garden,
because of its ovoid shape. The flower kiosks
created in 1593. Opposite towers the dis-
beneath plane trees, the merry-go-round, the
proportionately tall 15th-century porch of
tram stops, the cafés and the graceful, moss-
Cathédrale St-Pierre.
covered Fontaine des Trois Graces (1796) with
its pigeon-pecked cherubs make the square a
OTHER SIGHTS
prime people-watching spot.
Agropolis (%04 67 04 75 00; www.museum.agropolis.fr in
French; 951 av Agropolis; adult/11-18yr/under 11yr Ź 5/2.50/
MUSEUMS
free; h10am-12.30pm & 2-6pm Mon-Fri) is all about
Musée Fabre (%04 67 14 83 00; 39 blvd Bonne Nouvelle;
food, how people grow it and our progres-
adult/child Ź 6/4; h10am-6pm Tue & Thu-Sun, 1-9pm Wed)
sion from hunter-gatherer to supermarket
is a superbly lit venue with one of France s
shopper. Didactic, enjoyable and pitched at
richest collections of French, Italian, Flemish
all ages.
and Dutch works from the 16th century
A 10-minute walk from Agropolis, La
on. Allow plenty of time for the galleries of
Serre Amazonienne (%04 67 54 45 23; 50 av Agropolis;
dynamic 20th-century art.
adult/child/student Ź 5/2.50/3, audioguide Ź 2; h9am-
Musée Languedocien (%04 67 52 93 03; 7 rue Jacques
CSur; adult/student Ź 6/3; h3-6pm Mon-Sat mid-Jun mid- 5pm or 6pm) is a hothouse replicating the
Amazonian rainforest. It s a spectacular ad-
Sep, 2.30-5.30pm Mon-Sat mid-Sep mid-Jun) displays
dition to Montpellier s zoo, which is France s
the area s rich archaeological finds as well as
second largest.
objets d art from the 16th to 19th centuries.
For both sights, take tram 1 to the St
Musée du Vieux Montpellier (%04 67 66 02 94;
2 place Pétrarque; admission free; h9.30am-noon & 1.30- Eloi stop, from where a shuttle bus passes
5pm Tue-Sat) is a storehouse of the city s mem- by each.
Aquarium Mare Nostrum (%04 67 13 05 50;
orabilia, Middle Ages to Revolution.
www.aquarium-mare-nostrum.com; adult/child/student
In the crypt of the church of Notre Dame
Ź 12.50/8.50/10; h10am-10pm Jul & Aug, to 8pm or
des Tables, Musée de l Histoire de Montpellier
10pm Tue-Sun May, Jun & Sep, to 7pm or 8pm Oct-Apr),
(%04 67 54 33 16; place Jean Jaurés; admission Ź 1.50;
inside the Odysseum leisure complex at the
presents
h10.30-11.45am & 1.30-5.15pm Mon-Sat)
end of tram line 1, takes you through 15
city history in high-tech mode.
aquatic environments, from polar waters to
Musée Atger (%04 67 41 76 30; 2 rue de l École de
tropical forests.
Médecine; admission free; h1.30-5.45pm Mon, Wed & Fri
MONTPELLIER AREA
lonelyplanet.com MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Montpellier 101
0 200 m
MONTPELLIER
0 0.1 miles
To La Serre
INFORMATION Hôtel St-Côme.................11 B4
Amazonienne (3km);
Agropolis (4km) Book in Bar........................1 B4 Jardin des Plantes
26
Dimension 4 Cybercafé.....2 A4 Entrance......................12 A2
Lavosud.............................3 B3 Lesbian & Gay Pride.........13 B4
Les Cinq Continents..........4 C4 Musée Atger...................14 A3
Point Internet....................5 C3 Musée de l Histoire de
Post Office.........................6 B6 Montpellier..................15 B4
Tourist Office....................7 C4 Musée du Vieux
Montpellier..................16 C3
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Musée Fabre...................17 C3
Arc de Triomphe................8 A3 Musée Languedocien......18 C4
Cathédrale St-Pierre..........9 A2
Fontaine des Trois Graces..10 C4 SLEEPING
Hôtel de Varennes.........(see 16) Alexandre Gumbau..........19 B3
Auberge de Jeunesse.......20 C2
Baudon de Mauny...........21 B3
Hôtel d'Aragon................22 C4
To Le Jardin des Sens (250m);
Hôtel de la Comédie........23 C4
Domaine Verchant (4km);
Hôtel des Étuves..............24 B5
Nîmes (52km)
12
20
Hôtel du Palais.................25 A3
Hôtel du Parc................... B1
26
Jardin des Square To Odysseum & Aquarium
Plantes de la Tour Mare Nostrum (3.5km) Hôtel Le Guilhem.............27 A3
des Pins
Royal Hôtel......................28 C5
9
Pl de la
Chapelle
EATING
Plan de Nueve
l Université Caves Jean JaurÅs............29 C4
48
14
Cellier et Morel................30 B3
5
Insensé..........................(see 17)
33 3
19 La Girafe..........................31 A3
27 Le Ban des Gourmands....32 D6
45
R de la
Le Petit Jardin..................33 A3
21 Carbonnerie
Pl de la Les Bains de Montpellier..34 B5
47
17
Palais
38
Canourgue
Les Halles Castellane........35 B4
de Justice
25
Prefécture
Les Halles Laissac.............36 B5
Pl Royale
30
Pl du
du Peyrou
8 31 Monoprix........................37 C4
Pl
40 Marché
Pétrarque
aux Fleurs
Tamarillos........................38 B3
16
Pl des To Château de Flaugergues
Tripti Kulai.......................39 C4
To Château d'Eau & Martyrs de (3.5km); Airport (8km);
41
Aqueduc de St-Clément (250m); la Résistance La Grande Motte
Hôtel des Arceaux & 43 (20km); Le Grau DRINKING
Pl 35
Marché des Arceaux (250m); du Roi (26km);
29
Café Latitude...................40 A3
Castellane
Les 4 Etoiles (300m) Pl Jean Aigues Mortes
4
Chez Boris........................41 B3
JaurÅs (31km)
44
13
15
Fitzpatrick's Irish Pub.......42 B4
39
R du Bras de Fer
7
Le Huit.............................43 B4
1
53
Pl
L'Heure Bleue................(see 21)
18
St-Ravy
Maison Régionale des Vins et
des Produits du Terroir..44 B4
Pl de la
23 Volodia............................45 A3
Comédie
2
Église St-Roche
10
Pl
42
St-Côme 46
22
37
11
50
24
34 28
52
To Antigone (100m);
Le Polygone Shopping
Complex (100m);
Place de l'Europe (200m);
Airport Shuttle
49
36
Bus Stop (200m)
55
54
Pl Auguste
Gilbert
Train
Station
Pl
Rondelet
51
6
TRANSPORT
ENTERTAINMENT Accueil Vélomagg'............50 C4 Pl
Carnot
Billetterie La Comédie........46 C4 Bus Station.........................51 B6 32
Café de la Mer...................47 B3 Eurolines............................52 C5
To SÅte (29km); Agde (52km);
Le Corum..........................48 C3 SNCF Boutique..................53 B4
To Espace Latipolia
Béziers (65km); Narbonne (94km);
(10km); Palavas-les-Flots
Perpignan (140km); Carcassonne Le Heaven.......................(see 47) TaM..................................54 C5
(12km); Carnon (19km);
(148km); Barcelona (345km)
Rockstore..........................49 C5 Vélostation Centrale TaM..55 C5
La Grande Motte (27km)
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102 MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Montpellier Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
SECRET SQUARES
Wooden shutters with peeling paint wink at washing hung out to dry and forgotten statues on
less-trodden squares in Montpellier s quiet backstreets.
Plan de l Université A deathly-romantic statue of a man and a woman with two babes
entwined at their feet pierces the centre of this shabby-chic square, scattered with crumpled
leaves, topped by a sky-high tree and scented in May with the intoxicating fragrance of sweet
lilac. Lunch at the Bulgarian-French fusion bistro on the corner of rue Fontanon and rue du
Four.
Square de la Tour des Pins This grassy green square exudes an academic air with its collec-
tion of towering trees, wooden benches and handsome outlook on the medicine faculty.
Place de la Canourgue Two unicorns honour those who died in the Battle of Clostercamp
(1760) at one end of this well-tended square, more a city garden with its ornamental rose
bushes, plane trees and cobbled café terraces.
Place St-Ravy End an old-town stroll past the chichi art galleries and boutiques of rue de
l Ancien Courrier in this bijou square, facing an art gallery and fountain-filled. What space is
left is occupied by the trendy bar stools of Le Carré at No 3. Lap up atmosphere with a drink.
Sleeping Ź 52/63/73; a) This peachy town house with
BUDGET garden in which to breakfast, brunch or dine
Auberge de Jeunesse (%04 67 60 32 22; montpellier@ at dusk the hotel serves all three meals is
fuaj.org; 2 Impasse de la Petite Corraterie; dm incl sheets & a sheer joy. Find it in a village-like quarter of
breakfast Ź 15.20; hclosed 1st 3 weeks of Jan) From the Montpellier, a 10-minute walk from the cen-
rose-shaped stained glass to the church win- tre, with its own market and pétanque pitch
dows painted psychedelic violet, there is no tucked beneath an aqueduct (p100).
escaping this hostel s past as a 19th-century Hôtel du Palais (%04 67 60 47 38; www.hoteldupalais
Catholic boys school. Beds are split across -montpellier.fr; 3 rue du Palais des Guilhem; s/d/tr Ź 62/67-79/
doubles (get in quick), triples, quads and six- 90; a) Wrought-iron balconies, oyster-grey
to-10-bedded dorms, and a summer garden shutters and flower boxes create instant appeal
basks beneath trees. for this 18th-century house. Wrapped in a
Hôtel des Étuves (%04 67 60 78 19; www.hoteldes warren of old-town streets blessed with art gal-
etuves.fr; 24 rue des Étuves; s Ź 33-45, d Ź 39-45) His grand- leries, its setting is picture-postcard. Place de
mother bought the 19th-century inn in 1920 la Canourgue (above) is its lovely neighbour.
and Monsieur Majourlet, the hard-working Royal Hôtel (%04 67 92 13 36; www.royalhotel
owner of this exceptionally good-value hotel, montpellier.com; 8 rue Maguelone; s Ź 65-85, d Ź 67-90; a)
has run it for the past 20-odd years. Its 13 Free wi-fi. A reliable young auntie, this 46-
simple but functional rooms creep around a room hotel, a hop from place de la Comédie,
steep, narrow spiral staircase like a vine (leave is always busy. Contrary to outward appear-
the kitchen sink at home) and those facing ances, few rooms face the palm trees and blue
the pedestrian street are beautifully sunlit. trams of rue Maguelone, but rather a quiet
No credit cards. interior courtyard. Superior rooms on the
Hôtel de la Comédie (%04 67 58 43 64; hoteldela ground floor are perfect for families. Cheaper
comedie@cegetel.net; 1bis rue Baudin; s Ź 42-47, d Ź 52-69; rates for online bookings.
Hôtel du Parc (%04 67 41 16 49; www.hotelduparc
a) Free wi-fi. This basic but spotless family-
run place, just off place de la Comédie, is a -montpellier.com; 8 rue Achille-Bégé; s/d with shower Ź 45/50,
favourite with visiting musicians and theatre with bathroom s Ź 63-72, d Ź 72-83, tr Ź 92; pna) Free
troupes. Its 20 rooms lack decorative features wi-fi and parking in the gravel courtyard.
but have what counts air con, heating and Françoise makes guests feel immediately wel-
quality double-glazing. come at this 18th-century hôtel particulier
room 7 is the bedchamber of previous owner
MIDRANGE Comte Vivier de Châtelard. Several rooms
Hôtel des Arceaux (%04 67 92 03 03; hoteldes face the perfect blue sky of a trompe-l oeil
o
arceaux@wanadoo.fr; 33-35 blvd des Arceaux; s/d/tr from painting on the wall of the adjacent building,
MONTPELLIER AREA
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Montpellier 103
and those opening onto a stone-framed break- Michelin-starred gastronomy of the Pourcel
fast balcony on the ground floor are part- brothers, served with panache in its restaurant
icularly delicious. of the same name (lunch menus Ź 50 to Ź 80;
dinner menus Ź 125 to Ź 190). Contemporary art
TOP END and sculptures by young artists make the hotel
Hôtel d Aragon (%04 67 10 70 00; www.hotel-aragon.fr; and its 15 rooms an art gallery, and the best
10 rue Baudin; s/d from Ź 72/89; hclosed 1st 3 weeks of Jan; room in the house a suite with its own rooftop
Free wi-fi. A 12-room gem in a city pool is a honeymooner paradise. Don t leave
ai)
with too few boutique hotels, the Aragon a without smelling the grapefruit tree in the Zen
creation of the adorable Philippe and Thierry garden; the fragrance is intoxicating.
turns to French literature for inspiration.
Rooms are spacious and feature an extract Eating
from the work of the writer they celebrate Cheap, cheerful eateries abound on rue de
(MoliÅre, Chateaubriand, Rabelais and l Université, rue des Écoles Laïques and the
Petrarch are all here). Bathrooms throughout streets interlinking them. Old-town alleys
the stylish 18th-century house are particu- hide a bevy of atmospheric bistros and bars:
larly handsome, especially those with luxury leafy place de Côme, dominated by the domed
jacuzzi-style bubble bath or power shower Hôtel St-Côme (p100) is as pretty as a picture
with jets in all directions. with its packed restaurant terraces and glow-
Hôtel Le Guilhem (%04 67 52 90 90; www.leguil ing lanterns after dark.
hem.com; 18 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau; s Ź 85-96, d Ź 96- For very special upmarket dining, consider
158; ain) Free wi-fi. Sitting snug in two Le Jardin des Sens (see left), whose lunchtime
interconnecting 16th-century buildings, Le menus are affordable and unforgettable.
Guilhem s 35 rooms enjoy cathedral or tran- Tripti Kulai (%04 67 66 30 51; 20 rue Jacques CSur;
quil garden view; room 100 has its own terrace salads Ź 9.50, menus Ź 12-16.50; hnoon-9.30pm Mon-Sat;
and garden. Book well in advance to beat the Barrel-vaulted and cosy, this popular
v)
faithful clientele. vegetarian place stands out for the inventive-
Le Jardin des Sens (%04 99 58 38 38; www.jardindes ness of its dishes.
sens.com; 11 av St-Lazare; d low/high season from Ź 170/210; Caves Jean JaurÅs (%04 67 60 27 33; 3 rue Collot;
sa) The height of style, this mythic bou- menu Ź 18, mains Ź 12-16; hlunch & dinner Tue & Thu-
tique hotel is powered by the extraordinary Sat, dinner Mon & Wed) Scan the tasty dishes on
REAL GEMS
Small, exclusive, with only a handful of rooms and dressed in the very best, these are the real
gems of Montpellier accommodation.
Les 4 Etoiles (%04 67 02 47 69; www.les4etoiles.com; 4 rue Delmas; s/d incl breakfast from Ź 72/94) Con-
temporary design in a 1930s-styled mansion (in the same family for five generations) makes
the Four Stars a maison d hôte with four rooms named after constellations a beautiful
choice. Cold/hot dinner costs Ź 15/25. No credit cards.
Alexandre Gumbau (%04 34 50 33 51; www.alexandre-gumbau.fr; 1 rue Germain; d incl breakfast Ź 95)
Alexandre s eclectic jumble of antiques and brocante treasures create intimacy at this light
and airy, artsy apartment in a historic hôtel particulier. Look for the profusion of potted green
plants flowing from the 1st-floor balconies. Dinner costs Ź 25.
Baudon de Mauny (%04 67 02 21 77; www.baudondemauny.com; 1 rue de la Carbonnerie; d Ź 175-235;
i) Cosseted in a hôtel particulier wrapped around a cobbled courtyard, Baudon de Mauny has
been in the family since 1829. The interior perfectly marries original centuries-old features with
21st-century design, thanks to the extraordinary creative talents of Nathalie de Bordas, who,
together with husband Alain, runs this very special place. All five rooms are vaster than vast.
Domaine Verchant (%04 67 07 26 00; www.verchant.com; 1 blvd Philippe Landar, Castelnau-le-Nez;
d Ź 250-500; hclosed 3 weeks in Jan; aisp) This extraordinary hotel bathed in a sea of vines
on Montpellier s northern fringe transcends the term deluxe . But no wonder: this is the creation
of the man behind Paris mythical Kube and Murano hotels. Find it 4km from the centre.
M O N T P E L L I E R A R E A
104 MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Montpellier lonelyplanet.com
the chalkboard at this attractive restaurant housed within the Maison du LozÅre), aligot,
with its mosaic-topped tables and polished a stretchy confection of potato, cheese, garlic
wooden floor. A glass of wine? Select from and cream.
the bottles of the day on the bar counter. Tamarillos (%04 67 60 06 00; www.tamarillos.biz;
Rather more? Pick from the shelves; the 2 place du Marché aux Fleurs; menus lunch Ź 25-38, din-
range is superlative. ner Ź 55-90; hlunch & dinner Tue-Sat, dinner Mon) A
La Girafe (%04 67 54 48 89; 14 rue du Palais cuisine of fruit and flowers is the motto
o
des Guilhem; mains around Ź 15; hTue-Sat) Nod to the of this gourmet address where every dish,
tall giraffe as you enter and choose from an sweet and savoury, has fruit as an in-
intimate downstairs area with blood-red gredient. Dine outside or in, where the
decor and original artwork, or upstairs be- flowery decor is very much part of the ex-
neath the cross arches of this former chapel. perience. Chef Philippe Chapon is double
Chef Pascale Schmitt s cuisine is wholly champion de France de dessert and taught a
creative: try the chicken breast wrapped young Gordon Ramsay his pastry cooking.
around prawns with fresh coriander and
satay sauce. SELF-CATERING
Insensé (%04 67 58 97 78; 39 blvd Bonne Nouvelle; Food markets include Les Halles Castellane (rue
2-/3-course lunch Ź 19/26, mains around Ź 15; hlunch Tue- de la Loge) and Les Halles Laissac (rue Anatole France)
Sun, dinner Wed, Fri & Sat) Insensé is as contempo- both indoor with particularly fantastic fresh-
rary and tasteful as you d expect from such fish counters and the bijou Marché des Arceaux
a venue Montpellier s Musée Fabre. Black (blvd des Arceaux; h5.30am-1.30pm Mon-Sat) beneath
dominates the decor the tables, the chairs, the the arches of Aqueduc de St-Clément (p100).
floor tiles, even the pepper pots but not the A central supermarket is Monoprix (place de la
innovative cuisine, altogether more colourful. Comédie; h8.30am-9.45pm Mon-Sat).
Daniel Buren is the fabulous contemporary
artist behind the garden. Drinking
Les Bains de Montpellier (%04 67 60 70 87; 6 rue Place de la Comédie buzzes with cafés to
Richelieu; 3-course menu Ź 22, mains Ź 17-21; hlunch & drink, grab a bite and watch street entertain-
dinner Tue-Fri, lunch Sat & Mon) Once a public bath- ers. Place Jean JaurÅs and more intimate place
house, here tables squat around the old pe- St-Ravy are also popular.
rimeter bathrooms, where you can almost Find dense concentrations of student
hear the gurgle and slurp of long-emptied drinking venues around rue en Gondeau, off
tubs. Dining outside in the spacious interior Grand Rue Jean Moulin, around place Jean
courtyard is equally atmospheric. JaurÅs and near the intersection of rue de
Le Ban des Gourmands (%04 67 65 00 85; 5 place l Université and rue de la Candolle.
Carnot; menu Ź 28, mains Ź 16-25; hlunch & dinner Tue-Sat) L Heure Bleue (%04 67 66 41 05; 1 rue de la
South of the train station and a favourite of Carbonnerie; hTue-Sun) This tearoom evokes the
locals in the know, this appealing restaurant 18th-century spirit of historic hotel Baudon
run by a young family team serves delicious de Mauny (p103), in which it lives. Sip Earl
local cuisine. Grey to a background of classical music, in-
Le Petit Jardin (%04 67 60 78 78; 20 rue Jean-Jacques dulge in a light lunch platter (Ź 14) or enjoy a
Rousseau; lunch/dinner menus Ź 14/22-48; hlunch & din- serene hour over an aperitif.
ner Tue-Sun Feb-Dec) The Little Garden is just Café Latitude (1 rue Ste-Croix; h7.30am-8pm
that: a restaurant cooking up imagina- Tue-Sat) This relaxed café with faintly co-
tive cuisine with a shady, fairy-tale green- lonial decor sits firmly on Montpellier s
ness out back, seemingly 100km from most elegant, peaceful square, place de la
Montpellier s bustle. Canourgue (p102). It serves no food, just
Cellier et Morel (%04 67 66 46 36; www drinks, but the place is so Zen it lets you
o
.celliermorel.com; 27 rue de l Aiguillerie; menus lunch Ź 28 & enjoy sandwiches bought from the boulang-
Ź 37, dinner Ź 49 & Ź 63; hlunch & dinner Tue, Thu & Fri, dinner erie around the corner on its gorgeous cob-
Mon, Wed & Sat) Eric Cellier and Pierre Morel have bled pavement terrace.
stamped their personalities on this delightful Chez Boris (%04 67 02 13 22; www.chezboris.com; 20
top-end choice, rated by most as Montpellier s rue de l Aiguillerie) A chilled wine bar with plenty
best. Think subtle French cuisine with, as a of vintages to taste, Chez Boris is an address
gesture towards central Languedoc (they re that changes tempo day and date depending.
MONTPELLIER AREA
lonelyplanet.com MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Montpellier 105
WINE TASTING
Sample six Languedoc wines (Ź 15) at the Maison Régionale des Vins et des Produits du Terroir
(%04 67 60 40 41; 34 rue St-Guilhem; h9am-8pm Mon-Sat), a wine shop in a 19th-century hôtel par-
ticulier. Ask too about the tastings with local producers it arranges on Saturday and its lengthier
introductory wine-tasting courses.
To taste (and buy) wine at a 17th-century castle, visit the cave of Château de Flaugergues
(%04 99 52 66 37; www.flaugergues.com; 1744 av Albert Einstein; chateau/gardens Ź 8/free; hwine cellars
& gardens 9.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-7pm Mon-Sat yr-round plus Sun Jun, Jul & Sep, guided visits of chateau
2.30-6.30pm Tue-Sun Jun, Jul & Sep), the wine-producing family home of Brigitte and Henri de
Colbert with 19th-century botanical gardens to visit, an olive-tree alley and bags of vines to
stroll between.
Inside is pub style, though the action invari- Montpellier on rte de Palavas. Try La Nitro
ably spills onto the pavement outside. (%04 67 22 45 82) for techno and house, and
Le Huit (%04 67 66 14 18; 8 rue de l Aiguillerie) Local Le Matchico (%04 67 64 19 20) for retro sounds.
bands play at this trendy hideout, which lures The Amigo night bus (Ź 2.40) does a circuit
punters with a Ź 10 bottle of wine and compli- of Espace Latipolia and other dance ven-
mentary tapas as aperitif (6pm to 9pm). Indie ues on the periphery of town, leaving the
rock is Wednesday s sound. train station at midnight and 1am, return-
Fitzpatrick s Irish Pub (%04 67 60 58 30; www.go ing at 2.30am, 3.30am and 5am, Thursday
-montpellier.fr/fitzpatricks; 5 place St-Côme; hnoon-1am to Saturday.
daily) What must be France s most attractive Montpellier is gay-friendly:
Irish pub squats on one of Montpellier s pret- Café de la Mer (%04 67 60 79 65; 5 place du Marché aux
tiest old-town squares. Admire the exquisite Fleurs) Friendly staff can arm you with a map of gay venues.
stone-sculpted doorway and weathered 17th- Le Heaven (www.leheaven.fr; 1 rue Delpech) Just around
century facade with faded Maison Justin the corner, Heaven gets gal-and-guy busy from 8pm.
Boch logo.
Volodia (%04 99 61 09 17; 29 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau; Getting There & Away
AIR
h7.30pm-1am Wed-Sat) City slicker rather than
student grunge, this chic bar Ä… champagne From Montpellier airport (%04 67 20 85 00; www
sports sultry black facade and design-driven .montpellier.aeroport.fr), 8km southeast of the city,
interior. A restaurant too (menus Ź 23 and Ź 29), Air France flies up to seven times daily to
Volodia is a weekend venue to dance electric Paris (Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports),
tango, catch a cultural happening etc. and easyJet goes to/from London Gatwick,
Ryanair to/from London Stansted.
Entertainment
Keep up with the scene with the free BUS
weekly Sortir Ä… Montpellier, available at the At the bus station (%04 67 92 01 43; rue du Grand St-
tourist office. Jean), Hérault Transport (%08 25 34 01 34; www.herault
Theatre tickets are sold at the Billetterie La .fr/herault-transport) runs hourly buses to/from La
Comédie (%04 67 60 19 99; place de la Comédie; h2-6pm Grande Motte (bus 106; Ź 3.90, 35 minutes)
Mon, noon-6pm Tue-Sat), inside the original opera via Carnon from Odysseum at the end of the
house (rebuilt in 1888). The city s opera and tram line. Up to four daily services continue
national orchestra calls Le Corum (%04 67 61 to Aigues-Mortes (Ź 5.90, 1ź hours).
67 61; www.opera-montpellier.com; Esplanade Charles de Eurolines (%04 67 58 57 59; 8 rue de Verdun) runs
Gaulle) home. buses to Barcelona (Ź 18, five hours) and most
Rockstore (%04 67 06 80 00; www.rockstore.fr; 20 rue European destinations. Linebus (%04 67 58 95
de Verdun) This long-standing discotheque and 00) mainly operates services to destinations
club in the heart of town is easy to spot the in Spain.
rear of a classic American 70s car sticks out
above its entrance. TRAIN
There s a critical mass of discos outside Buy tickets at the SNCF Boutique (18 rue St-Guilhem;
town in Espace Latipolia, about 10km from
h9.30am-7pm Mon-Sat) or the train station (place
M O N T P E L L I E R A R E A
106 MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Palavas-les-Flots lonelyplanet.com
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
August Gilbert). Destinations include Paris Gare de
Take a ride on Montpellier s high-tech tram.
Lyon by TGV (Ź 96.50 to Ź 112, 3½ hours, up to
Line 1 trams are blue with white swallows;
10 daily), Carcassonne (Ź 21.20, 1½ hours, nine
line 2 s trams are decorated with multicol-
daily), Millau (Ź 24.30, 1½ hours, three daily)
oured flowers. Like city buses, the trams are
and Perpignan (Ź 21.60, 1¾ hours, frequent).
managed by TaM (%04 67 22 87 87; www.tam-way
More than 20 trains daily travel north to
Nîmes (Ź 10.40, 25 minutes) and south to Nar- .com in French; 6 rue Jules Ferry), and they run until
midnight. Regular buses run until about
bonne (Ź 14, 65 minutes) via SÅte (Ź 5.10 to
8.30pm daily.
Ź 7.10, 20 minutes), Agde (Ź 8.20) and Béziers
Single-journey tickets, valid for bus or
(Ź 10.90).
tram, cost Ź 1.30, and a one-day pass/10-ticket
carnet is Ź 3.20/10.80; buy them at newsagents
Getting Around
or any tram stop.
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
A shuttle bus (%08 25 34 01 34) linking the airport
PALAVAS-LES-FLOTS
with the place de l Europe tram stop (at the
pop 5420
eastern end of the Antigone complex) runs
At weekends urbanites grab a bike or bus and
up to 12 times a day. Fares are Ź 4.90, and the
head 12km south to this Montpellier-on-Sea,
trip takes 15 minutes.
a small beach resort with a kite-surfing school
on the sand and an old-fashioned chairlift
BICYCLE
transporting pedestrians across one of its
Montpellier has 150km of cycling paths and
two canals.
the self-service bike-rental scheme Vélomagg
Teetering on a narrow thread of land be-
(www.velomagg.com), which allows pick-up at one
tween the sea and the marshy lakes of Étang de
vélostation and drop-off at another. To rent ei-
Perols, and Étang de l Arnel and Étang du Prévost,
ther a city bike or a mountain bike for beach ter-
Palavas is paradise for birders. A sandy cause-
rain, pick up a free pass from Vélostation Centrale
way links it with a tiny island 4km south,
TaM (%04 67 22 87 82; 27 rue Maguelone; h8am-8pm) in
deserted bar the hauntingly beautiful and per-
front of the train station, then charge it in situ or
fect Romanesque Cathédrale de Maguelone (%04
online with 20/50 one-hour units (Ź 5/10).
67 50 63 63; www.espace-maguelone.com; admission free;
Alternatively, Accueil Vélomagg (blvd Victor Hugo;
h10am-10pm daily Jun-Oct, to 7pm daily Nov-Apr), inside h9am-7pm), built on the site of a 6th-century
chapel. Vines surround it and a hot, sunbaked,
the public toilets next to the Opéra Comédie
2km-long footpath leads to the islet from its
bike station off the southern end of place de
car park. Or simply walk or cycle 4km west
la Comédie, rents the same bikes for Ź 1/2 per
along the sand from Palavas.
four hours/one day no free pass is required,
A wonderful panorama of the coastline,
simply your passport or ID card, but you must
the marshy lagoons and the salt pans beyond
return the bike here.
impresses everyone who rides the lift up to the
37m-high top of the Phare de la Méditerranée, a
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
disused water tower with panoramic rotat-
Dump your vehicle in one of the vast car parks
ing restaurant renovated to resemble a bright
beside major tram stops and pay Ź 4 for all-day
white lighthouse. On its ground floor, the
parking and return tickets into town for up
Tourist Office (%04 67 07 73 34; www.palavaslesflots
to five people.
BEACH BIKING
Cycling paths weave in and around Palavas-les-Flots, where wheels can be rented from Cycloloc
(%04 67 68 55 84; 49 rue Sire de Joinville; half-/full day Ź 10/15; hTue-Sun). Look for the pea-green facade
and the Vélo & Oxygen sign.
The silky-smooth, two-lane Chemin de la Plage cycling track covers the entire 10km stretch along
the D21 from Montpellier to Carnon Plage via Pérols; in Montpellier pick it up next to the river in
the Port Marianne university district (signposted Les Plages ). An alternative cycling route, direct
to Palavas, is along the D58 that starts immediately south of Lattes. By 2010 cycling paths from
Palavas will extend north along the coast to La Grande Motte and south to SÅte and Agde.
MONTPELLIER AREA
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " Nor th to the Camargue 107
WATCH & TRY WATER JOUSTING
SÅte s FÄ™te de la St-Pierre, celebrated over a long weekend in July to honour its patron saint, wins
hands down the regional award of top nautical-jousting event of the year. Second up is its Fęte
de la St-Louis that fills six frantic days around 25 August. Should you not be around for either
of these, catch a glimpse of the highly entertaining floating combats upon arrival at SÅte train
station, where a wall fresco of the fishing port s joutes nautiques looms large.
In Palavas-les-Flots, local club La Lance Sportive Palavasienne (%06 61 47 88 70) practises
every Wednesday from 6.30pm, June to September, on the Grand Canal. Better still, aspiring
jousters can have a stab at the traditional sport with the École de Joutes Languedociennes
(%04 67 07 33 33; per person Ź 3; h5.30-7.30pm Tue & Thu mid-Jun mid-Sep), open to anyone aged
seven or more who can swim.
.com; h10am-8pm Jul & Aug, 10am-1pm & 2-6pm Apr-Jun
NORTH TO THE CAMARGUE
& Sep, closed Sun Oct-Mar) organises nature activi- North from Palavas along the coastal D21
ties in the étangs, including kid-orientated
towards Carnon, you stand a good chance
flamingo-watching (child/adult Ź 3/free) and kay- of seeing flamingos hoovering the shallows
aking (Ź 20) in July and August. As in nearby
of the lagoons either side of the road. Carnon
SÅte, nautical jousting (p36) is a serious sport
Plage itself comes out fairly low in the charm
here. Then, of course, there are the corridas and
stakes, despite its huge marina. Better to
other bullish games (p36) during its May and
continue hugging the coast along the D59
September férias (p99).
alongside several kilometres of pure white-
sand beach, uncrowded and without a kiosk
Sleeping & Eating
or café in sight.
Palavas has several camp sites across the road
About 10km east of Carnon is La Grande
from the beach, shaded beneath trees, with
Motte (population 6500), purpose-built on the
the exception of Palavas Camping (%04 67 68 01
grand scale back in the 1960s to plug the tourist
28; www.palavas-camping.fr; rte de Maguelone; 2 adults, tent
drain southwards into Spain. Its architecture,
& car Ź 16-32; hApr-Sep), a sun-parched site slap
revolutionary at the time, now seems heavy
on the sand where kite-surfing school Pure Kite
and leaden, contrasting with the more organic
(%04 67 65 47 35; www.purekite.com) is based.
growth of deeper-rooted Le Grau du Roi, on the
Hôtel Brasilia (%04 67 68 00 68; www.brasilia-palavas
fringes of the flamingo-pretty Camargue (p81).
.com; 9 blvd Maréchal Joffre; d from Ź 88; a) Rooms are
TaM bus 106 links Montpellier with Carnon
not as striking as the design-driven lobby and
and La Grande Motte.
breakfast room (a revamp is in the wings). But
with the sparkling-blue Med across the street,
SÈTE
there s little reason to complain. pop 48,300
Le Banane (%04 67 50 73 93; 37 blvd Sarrail; mains Huddled at the northern end of Le Bassin de
Ź 19-34; hlunch & dinner) Grilled fish and meats Thau (p135), France s largest Mediterranean
Ä… la plancha are the mainstay of this hip, fishing port sports waterways and canals,
design-driven lounge on the sand, a cut above beaches and a lighthouse, an old fishermen s
the rest of the crowd. quarter on a cliff, and restaurants galore cook-
Rôtisserie Palavasienne (%04 67 68 52 12; rue de ing up sea urchins and lobster, sardines, paella
l Église; menus Ź 25; hlunch & dinner) At the opposite and shoals of coquillages (shellfish). There are
end of the attitude spectrum is this unpreten- so many small boats moored beside its pretty
tious eating place, which invariably displays a network of canals you d think every second
complet (full) sign. Cuisine is local and hearty citizen was a weekend sailor.
fish soup or garlicky nail-sized tellines (tiny Established by Louis XIV in the 17th cen-
clams) followed by a black-iron marmite (stock- tury, SÅte, 26km southwest of Montpellier,
pot) of oven-baked stew perhaps? prospered as the harbours of Aigues-Mortes
and Narbonne were cut off from the sea by
Getting There & Away silt deposits. It is best known today perhaps
TaM bus 131 links Palavas-les-Flots with the for its centuries-old tradition of water joust-
Port Marianne tram stop in Montpellier. ing (p36), a deadly-serious contest whereby
M O N T P E L L I E R A R E A
108 MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " SÅte Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
participants in competing boats try to knock where young plane trees cast shadow dap-
each other into the water. ples across the voluptuous curves of sculptor
Frontignan (population 23,000), 7.5km north- Richard Di Rosa s blue-eyed and buxom La
east along the coast, is known for its sweet Mama (place de l Hospitalet). A wall mural at 3 rue
Muscat wine. Jean Robert Pinet celebrates SÅte s most fa-
mous nautical jouster.
Information SÅte was the birthplace of symbolist poet
Tourist Office (%04 67 74 71 71; www.ot-sete.fr; 60 Paul Valéry (1871 1945), whose remains lie in
Grand Rue Mario Roustan; h9.30am-7.30pm Jul & Aug, the CimetiÅre Marin. Overlooking this cemetery
core hr 9.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-12.30pm & 2- is the Musée Paul Valéry (%04 67 46 20 98; rue François
5.30pm Sat & Sun Sep-Jun) Sells city maps (Ź 1); organises Desnoyer; adult/12-18yr Ź 4/free; h10am-noon & 2-6pm daily
fascinating guided tours (see right). Jul & Aug, Wed-Mon Sep-Jun).
The town was also the childhood home of
Sights & Activities singer and poet Georges Brassens (1921 81),
From the industrial cranes and warehouses whose mellow voice speaks at multimedia
jostling for sky space near the train station to Espace Georges Brassens (%04 67 53 32 77; 67 blvd
the Criée aux Poissons (fish market; quai de la Marine) Camille Blanc; adult/student/child Ź 5/2/free; h10am-noon
by the water at the picture-postcard Vieux Port & 2-6pm or 7pm daily Jun-Sep, Tue-Sun Oct-May).
(old harbour), this is a real port with a thriv-
ing fishing industry and plenty of weathered Tours
old fishermen hanging out their nets to dry. The tourist office rents audioguides (Ź 5-8; 1½ hr)
Should you be in doubt, sign up at the tourist detailing seven thematic walks around SÅte.
office for a one-hour guided tour of the whole- In addition to its market and farm tours (see
sale fish market (adult/3-12yr Ź 5/2.50; h3.30pm Mon-Fri left), it runs guided tours of Château de Villeroy
Feb-Nov) or a Bassin de Thau shellfish farm (adult/ (admission free; h10am Fri Apr-Aug), SÅte s only wine
under 12yr Ź 6/free; h4pm Tue & Thu Apr-Oct), where estate, comprising 300 hectares of vines wedged
mussels and oysters are bred. between the Med and Le Bassin de Thau.
Strolling along the restaurant-lined quays Tired and/or tiny feet can tour the canals
of the Canal Royal at the Vieux Port is the aboard Le Petit Train de SÅte (%04 67 46 00 10; quai
quintessential SÅtois experience. From the Général Durand; adult/2-13yr Ź 5/3; 30 min; hevery 45min
fish market, continue south along quai de la 11am-6.30pm Jun & Sep, to 9.30pm Jul & Aug, to 5.30pm Wed,
Consigne, past the boat sheds where jousters Sat & Sun Apr, May, Oct & Nov).
meet (p107), to rock-clad Mole St-Louis and its Azur CroisiÅres (%06 10 65 40 22; hFeb mid-
lighthouse great sea and harbour views! On Oct) runs a one-hour harbour tour (adult/child
the opposite side of the canal, contemporary Ź 10/5) from Pont de la Savonnerie. In July
art fills the Centre Régional d Art Contemporain and August, SÅte CroisiÅres (%04 67 46 00 46;
(%04 67 74 94 37; www.crac.lr.free.fr; 26 quai Aspirant www.sete-croisieres.com in French; quai Général Durand)
Herber; admission free; h12.30-7pm Mon & Wed-Fri, 2- organises boat and fishing trips, including
7pm Sat & Sun). Sardinade en Fęte evenings sail to a beach
Graffiti adorns the facade of the Musée and barbecue sardines!
International des Arts Modestes (MAM; %04 67 18
64 00; www.miam.org; 23 quai Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny; Sleeping
adult/under 18yr Ź 5/free; h10am-noon & 2-6pm Tue-Sun), Several options face the Med from the cor-
another waterside art museum with fantastic niche (coastal road) running alongside the
exhibitions on experimental art brut (outsider beaches west of the port.
art) and surf culture. Auberge de Jeunesse Villa Salis (%04 67 53 46
View other art forms SÅte inspires with 68; sete@fuaj.org; rue du Général Revest; camping incl break-
Créa 7 (www.crea7.org), a grouping of artist work- fast Ź 10, dm incl sheets & breakfast Ź 15.50; hreception
shops open the first Sunday of the month. 8am-noon & 6-10pm Feb mid-Dec) Sweeping views of
Several are in the Quarter Haut, perched above SÅtois canals feeding into the harbour is the
the Vieux Port. From the tourist office, cut reward for hiking 1km to this hilltop hostel, a
left (west) along rue Rapide, left again past villa with bunk rooms in concrete bungalows
Église St-Louis (rue des 3 Journées), and at the road and ample space to pitch tents between pine
fork bear left along rue Villaret Joyeuse to the trees. Each room has its own patch of scrub
main square in this old fishermen s quarter, garden, and the dining room (dinner costs
MONTPELLIER AREA
lonelyplanet.com MONTPELLIER TO SÈTE " " SÅte 109
Ź 9.50) enjoys arresting views from its terrace, Mon-Fri, dinner Sat, lunch Sun) The service is brisk
a peaceful spot bar the noisy squawks of the and friendly at this converted barge, where
hostel s resident parrot. Claude, ex Les Deux the clientele s a mix of local workers, suits and
Alpes hostel, is the man in charge. sweaters. Rouille Ä… la SÅtoise (octopus sim-
Hôtel La Conga (%04 67 53 02 57; www.conga.fr; plage mered with tomato and garlic and smothered
de la Corniche; d Ź 32-47, with seaview d Ź 45-59, tr Ź 55-67; in a peppery sauce) is the house speciality.
a) This typical seaside hotel, a sunny, white- Ameriklub (%04 67 53 02 37; promenade Maréchal Leclerc;
concrete affair, sits on the coastal road 2.5km menus Ź 21, Ź 28 & Ź 34; hlunch & dinner daily Jun-Sep) Drink
west of the Vieux Port opposite Plage de la or dine St-Tropez style on a sun lounger look-
Corniche. Come lunch, beach punters flood ing out to sea at this beach club on the rocks.
into its popular restaurant, La Table de Jean Creamy risotto and fish fried in dry Muscat and
(menus Ź 12 to Ź 27), famous for its fish dishes. peppered with orange are among the elabo-
L Orque Bleue (%04 67 74 72 13; www rate dishes on the Mediterranean menu. DJ
o
.hotel-orquebleue-sete.com; 10 quai Aspirant Herber; d patio Chocolate spins salsa some evenings.
Ź 67-78, port Ź 95-98, tr/q Ź 102/115; hFeb-Dec; pna) Au Bord du Canal (%04 67 51 98 39; 9 quai Maximin
Free wi-fi. To sense SÅte as a living port this Licciardi; menus Ź 32; hlunch & dinner Tue-Sat, lunch Sun)
shipping magnate s mansion, a marble-clad The fish practically flop from the market
1880s hôtel particulier, is the place to sleep. If straight into this pleasantly furnished res-
you re a light sleeper go for a room overlook- taurant, which does a splendid midday grill
ing the interior patio; otherwise, those with (Ź 15) of whatever fins take the chef s fancy
watery canal and port outlook are the prime that day.
real estate.
Le Grand Hôtel (%04 67 74 71 77; www.legrandhotel Drinking
sete.com; 17 quai Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny; low/high Handwritten notes stuck on the window
season d from Ź 75/102, ste Ź 200/220; ai) Grand advertise the latest vintage in stock, many
indeed sums up the marvellous old dame of organic, at Terroirs d Occitoire: Vins du Languedoc-
SÅte s sleeping scene, which (providing you re Roussillon (6 rue Lazare Carnot), a down-to-earth
not scared of heights) is a heady delight. The wine shop that really knows its business.
place dates to 1883, but modern rooms mix Le Flo des Mots (%04 67 51 31 83; www.le
styles: classic have forged-iron furnishings, flodesmots.com; 4 quai Leopold Suquet; h10am-6pm Tue-
and aqua-blue fantasy are adorned with Sat, 11am-7pm Sun) What an ingenious idea this is:
frescoed beach scenes, dried starfish and a food-and-wine bookshop with wine-tasting
seashell-framed mirrors. counter and cave Ä… vins (wine cellar) with
plenty of regional wines to buy!
Eating Le Cottage (%04 67 74 35 99; 4 quai Leopold Suquet;
Cuisine des pęcheurs (fishermen s cuisine)
h11am-2am daily) Double-sized white-canvas
is what SÅtois dining is about. Look for dé- deckchairs planted an inch from the wa-
gustation Ä… toutes heures (tasting all hours) ter s edge make this friendly café one of a
signs studding the tempting line-up of fish line-up on canalside quai Leopold Suquet
restaurants between Pont de la Savonnerie stand out.
and the fish market on quai Durand and quai
Maximin Licciardi. Getting There & Around
Les Demoiselles Dupuy (%04 67 74 03 46; 4 quai SNCM (%04 67 46 68 00; 4 quai d Alger; h9am-noon &
Maximin Licciardi; mains Ź 10-18.50; hlunch & dinner Thu- 2-6pm Mon-Fri, 9-11.30am Sat) and Comarit (%04 67 80
Tue) This tiny, vital place serves up the catch 75 44) have offices at the port and run ferries to
of the day Ä… la plancha. Sit on the waterside Morocco from quai d Alger about every four
terrace, with plastic tables and chairs snug days year-round.
beside a seagull-busy fishing boat. Or opt for Services from SÅte s train station (place André
a table facing the punnets of oysters plucked Cambon) include Montpellier (Ź 5.10 to Ź 7.10,
from its own offshore beds begging to be 20 minutes), Béziers (Ź 7.40, 25 minutes),
shucked. Weathered fishermen with blue Narbonne (Ź 12.90, 45 minutes), Nîmes
plastic aprons and grubby fingernails dou- (Ź 13.70, 45 minutes), Perpignan (Ź 21.70, 1ź
ble as waiters. hours) and Toulouse (Ź 30.10, two hours).
La Péniche (%04 67 48 64 13; 1 quai des To get to town, exit the station, turn left
o
Moulins; menus Ź 15-19.50, mains Ź 11-13; hlunch & dinner and board Totem bus 2, 3 or 6 (Ź 1) to centre
M O N T P E L L I E R A R E A
110 ALONG THE HÉRAULT " " St-Guilhem-le-Désert lonelyplanet.com
WINE TASTING WITH A VITICULTURE GOD
God is, in this case, the Mas de Daumas Gassac (%04 67 57 88 45; www.daumas-gassac.com; Aniane;
h9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat Jul & Aug, 10am-noon & 2-6pm Sep-Jun), an estate 8km south of St-Guilhem-le-
Désert in Aniane, which made the wine world sit up in 1978 with its full-bodied red, sufficiently
age-worthy to rival the best of Bordeaux yet astonishingly bottled with a bog-standard vin de
pays (table wine) etiquette. Selling the first batch was tough, but by the early 1980s the reputa-
tion of Languedoc winemakers and their terroir (land) was sealed.
The mas (farmhouse) remains the family home of Véronique and Aimé Guibert, who planted
the first vines and olive trees in the 1970s and run the estate today with three of their five sons.
Don t be surprised if Aimé Guibert seems familiar when you pass by to taste and buy his wine
and olive oil: he starred in Jonathan Nossiter s 2005 Mondovino documentary (www.mondovino
.com) about the globalisation of France s wine industry.
ville or walk south along blvd Victor Hugo,
ST-GUILHEM-LE-DÉSERT
take the fourth right along rue Longuyon
Its very name evokes the ecclesiastical spirit
across the Canal Royal and continue south
of this picturesque village that has 11th-
to the Vieux Port.
century Abbaye de Gellone (h7.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat,
Midi Sport (%04 67 74 93 52, 06 43 20 97 37; http://
8am-6.30pm Sun Jul & Aug, to 6pm rest of yr, organ concerts
scooter.site.voila.fr; 3 av Victor Hugo; h8am-noon & 2-7pm
7.15pm Wed Jul & Aug), improbably clinging to a
Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat) rents bicycles (Ź 12 per day),
rocky ravine, as its heart. Walkers heading
50cc scooters (Ź 29 per day) and 125cc Vespa
south to Santiago de Compostela in Spain
scooters (Ź 59 per day), and can meet you at
fill their water bottles at old stone fountains
the train station with your vehicle.
and linger over lunch on the polished flag-
stones of the abbey square, while traditional
troubadour chants elevate music lovers to
another plane during July s Saison Musicale.
ALONG THE HÉRAULT
But then, St-Guilhem-le-Désert is a Unesco
Le Bassin de Thau (p135) is the final port
World Heritage site.
of call for the Hérault on its 160km-long
Drop by the Tourist Office (%04 67 57 44 33;
journey from its source in the Cévennes.
www.saintguilhem-valleherault.fr; 2 rue du Font du Portal;
To follow the river s course inland, swoop
h9.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1pm & 2-6pm Sat & Sun)
past oyster beds around the northern end
on the main pedestrian street to buy maps (Ź 1)
of the lagoon from SÅte and pick up the
detailing family walks in the area, including
N113, a road that snakes along the lagoon s
the lovely Cirque du Bout du Monde (one hour
northern end within a whisker of historic
return) to the end of the world and the cir-
Pézenas (p131).
cular pilgrimage Sur le Chemin de St-Jacques de
Not far away in Villeveyrac the Abbaye
Compostelle (three hours).
de Valmagne (%04 67 78 06 09; www.valmagne.com;
Immediately south is the Pont du Diable
h10am-noon & 2.30-6pm mid-Jun Sep, 2-6pm rest
(1030), a bridge built by the devil to mark
of yr, closed Tue mid-Dec mid-Feb), with its lovely
the southern entrance into the stunning Gorges
medieval gardens and flowery fountain-
de l Hérault. Crossing the river at its narrowest
clad cloister, was one of southern France s
point, there is no better way to revel in both
richest abbeys from the 12th to 15th centu-
bridge and rocky gorge than aboard a canoe
ries. It was founded in 1139 (when monks
or kayak (to set sail, see opposite). Or take a
planted its extensive vineyards), and in 1257
dip in the river from the beach here, accessible
its 6th-century Romanesque chapel was
from the D27. In 2009 a new Maison du Site
transformed into a classical Gothic church,
information centre will open.
inspired by northern France s great cathe-
Some galleries in the nearby Grotte de
drals, to serve Valmagne s blooming gaggle
Clamouse (%04 67 57 71 05; www.clamouse.com;
of Cistercian monks. Since 1789, when the
adult/4-11yr Ź 8.50/5; h10am-7pm Jul & Aug, to 6pm Jun
last monks fled, the abbey has been used
& Sep, to 5pm Feb-May & Oct, noon-5pm Mon-Fri Nov-Jan),
purely to make wine which you can taste
uncovered in 1945, still get flooded five or
in situ.
six times a year when waters rise. Cave tours
MONTPELLIER AREA
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels ALONG THE HÉRAULT " " Vallée de la BuÅges to Ganges 111
(50 minutes) take in three vast chambers more lunch and farm-produced ice cream all day
than 50m high, one serving as a stage for a flavours include violet, chestnut, liquorice,
dramatic five-minute son et lumiÅre (sound- coconut and caramel.
and-light show). Particularly impressive is the
Couloir Blanc (White Corridor), crammed VALLÉE DE LA BUÈGES TO GANGES
with stalactites, stalagmites, columns where Dramatically bare of human life is the Vallée
the two meet and a mirage of sparkling white de la BuÅges, a sun-blazed valley of rock and
crystals formed more than 20,000 years ago. scrub that runs parallel with the Hérault
Throughout the tour, look for puffs of white Valley to its north. Four hamlets with un-
on the cave floor where new stalagmites are surpassable views break up the 45km drive
starting to grow& at the lightning speed of from Montpeyroux (south) to Brissac (north).
1cm per century. Along the way, the Auberge des Lavagnes (%04
67 73 12 79; www.leslavagnes.com; dm Ź 15), an isolated
Sleeping & Eating gîte d étape in Les Lavagnes, provides meals
Le Guilhaume d Orange (%04 67 57 24 53; www (breakfast/lunch/dinner Ź 6.50/9/15) and beds
.guilhaumedorange.com; 2 av Guillaume d Orange, d Ź 62-92) to the walkers (2½ hours along the GR74 from
With a leafy restaurant terrace peering down St-Guilhem-le-Désert) and horse riders who
on the river and sweet golden-stone walls, this make their way here.
hotel-restaurant de charme predictably fills up In Brissac follow the D108 east and turn left
fast. Cuisine is market-driven. Menus are Ź 19; where it meets the larger D986 to reach Grotte
it s open for lunch and dinner. des Demoiselles (%04 67 73 70 02; www.demoiselles.fr;
Château de JonquiÅres (%04 67 96 62 58; www.chateau adult/12-17yr/5-11yr/3-5yr Ź 8.70/6.50/5/1; h10am-6pm Jul
-jonquieres.com; d incl breakfast Ź 85; ps) To sleep & Aug, to 5.30pm Apr-May & Sep, 10am-noon & 2-4.30/5.30pm
amid vines look no further than this 17th- Feb, Mar, Oct & Nov), a cave of gargantuan propor-
century chateau and wine-growing estate, tions accessed via an open-carriage funicular.
12km southwest in the village of JonquiÅres. Once in, one-hour guided tours take you
Taste wine in its cellar, sleep in one of four through several galleries and past dozens of
classically decorated rooms and laze the day fantastic rock formations (a marmot, a swan,
away in its marvellous grounds. a bobsled piste, Pisa s Leaning Tower etc) via
Le Fermier dans son Pré (20 rue du Font du Portal; several wet and slippy passageways (leave the
lunch/afternoon tea Ź 9.50/4.50; h11am-8pm Jul & Aug, Sat flip-flops at home) and 561 steps (be warned).
& Sun only low season) Everything is farm-made and Towering 60m high and 120m long, the sub-
free of colourings/additives at this lovely little terranean cathedral dwarfs you as you stand
tearoom, which cooks up salad platters for in front of it.
PADDLING ALONG THE HÉRAULT
There is nothing so serene or racy as paddling along the Hérault, the rich green of its waters alone
making it quite an experience. Midway between Laroque and St-Bauzille de Putois on the D986
is Canoë Le Moulin (%04 67 73 30 73; www.canoemoulin.fr), a roadside hut that runs 3/9/12/14km
canoeing trips downstream typically taking 1/2/3/4 hours (Ź 15/20/22/24); adventurous overnight
trips (26km, two days, Ź 49) bring your own camping gear; and romantic 9km sunset paddles
with aperitif and barbecue (three hours, Ź 39). Les Lutins Cevenols (%04 67 73 70 30; www.centre
pleinenature.fr) is another outlet.
Downstream in Causse de la Selle pick up some oars at Canoë Rapido (%04 67 55 75 75; www
.st-guilhem-le-desert.com/canoe-rapido.html), immediately east of the village on the D122, from where
it is a 12km descent to the Gorges de l Hérault (Ź 29/44/54/65 for a 1-/2-/3-/4-place canoe; three
to four hours). At the 11th kilometre, near St-Guilhem-le-Désert, quench your thirst and lap up
some shade at the Canobar (hJul & Aug), a floating bar set up in the river by an enterprising
student. Look for the umbrellas planted in the water.
Across the board kids aged six to 10 can hop into a parent s canoe for an additional Ź 5, or
go solo providing they can swim. Under sixes are not allowed aboard, even as a passenger, with
the exception of Canoë Kayapuna (%04 67 57 30 25) in St-Guilhem-le-Désert, which has a 4km
cliff trail open to kids from the age of four (Ź 43 for four people).
M O N T P E L L I E R A R E A
112 ALONG THE HÉRAULT " " Cirque de Navacelles lonelyplanet.com
Lap up lovely river views along the short somehow survived the erosion. Climbing
stretch of D986 from the cave to Laroque equally steeply, the road bears you up and out of
(population 1120), a medieval village with the bowl, passing by the BelvédÅre de Blandas,
a riverside camp site, Le Tivoli (%04 67 73 97 with its equally spectacular plunging views.
28; av de l Europe; adults, tent & car Ź 13; hmid Jun- At the Moulins de la Foux (foux meaning
Aug), perfect for swimming and fishing. The large hole in Occitan), the Vis gushes power-
riverbanks here are hot with canoeists and fully from the hillside after having sluiced un-
kayakers (p111). derground through the causse (high limestone
Arriving in Ganges (population 3350), plateau) for several kilometres. To this spot,
spurn the town s scant eating and sleep- four villages would bring their grain until the
ing options and drive east along the D999 water mills were abandoned after a disastrous
to the Domaine de Blancardy (%04 67 73 94 94; flood in 1907. A three-hour blazed circular
www.blancardy.com; d Ź 55-95; hclosed Jan & Feb; s), walking trail starts in Navacelles and passes by
a beautiful farm and winery signposted 2km the mill. Alternatively, leave your vehicle at a
east of MoulÅs et Baucels, then 2.7km uphill green sign on a bend in the D713 as it climbs
through vines. Run by two sisters and their towards the BelvédÅre de Blandas and walk to
husbands, including the thoroughly charm- the now-restored mill buildings. Allow about
ing Spanish Pedro, its 13 rooms are spacious one hour for the return trip.
and well-suited for families, and many have
a terrace with table and chairs. But the real ST-MARTIN DE LONDRES &
attraction (with the exception of the to-die- PIC ST-LOUP
for mountain views from the infinity pool) Vineyards and plenty of signs advertising
is the farm restaurant (menus Ź 13 to Ź 42; vente au caveau (cellar wine sales) carpet
open for lunch and dinner Friday to Tuesday, the lower reaches of the Pic St-Loup (658m), the
and dinner Thursday). Every last ingredi- mountain dominating the Hérault plain with
ent is sourced from neighbouring farms in its distinctive elongated pyramid shape.
the valley and the foie gras unusually fla- The Maison de Pays (%04 67 55 09 59; www.touris
voured with ginger, pear and spices, peach, med.com; h9.15am-12.45pm & 2.30-7pm) in St-Martin
garlic and so on is Blancardy s own. In de Londres, across from its small café-clad cen-
July and August don t miss its Saturday and tral square, has information on walking trails
Monday-morning hikes (guests/others Ź 8/10) up the Pic and elsewhere in the valley. Its vil-
through vineyards and garrigue, which end lage camp site Le Pic St-Loup (%04 67 55 00 53; rte
in dégustation (wine tasting). du Pic St-Loup; 2 adults, tent & car Ź 13.70-15.20; hApr-Sep;
Further east in Montoulieu, the Domaine
s) stares right at the mountain, though the
de la DevÅze (%04 67 73 70 21; www.deveze.com) best views are unquestionably aboard a glider
is another lovely wine property that wel- from the Centre Régional de Vol Ä… Voile (%04 67
comes campers, has self-catering gîtes and 55 01 42; http://cvvm.free.fr; initiation tandem flight Ź 60) in
does wine tasting. Mas de Londres, 2km east along the D122.
As hot as hell in summer, made all the more
CIRQUE DE NAVACELLES dramatic by the relentless chant of the sur-
It s difficult to imagine how a meander of rounding cicada-infested garrigue, a half-day
today s thin, relatively languid River Vis could spent watching gliders swooping overhead
ever have scoured this breathtakingly deep gives a true taste of what this region is about.
bowl, for all the world like some giant lunar Aspiring pilots must be at least 55kg, but there
crater, all the way from the Causse du Larzac are the Pégase (%06 64 31 30 98; Trucq de Guiraud, Mas
to its south to the Causse de Blandas on its de Londres; hmid-Mar early Dec) stables next door
northern side. for younger kids to explore on horseback.
There s an information office (%04 67 44 63 10), To continue the scenic drive through this
staffed between Easter and early November, at parched, rocky and heavily scented landscape,
the BelvédÅre de la Baume Auriol viewpoint follow the D122 west to Causse de la Selle, a pop-
on the south side of the cirque. From here, ular base for canoeing along the velvety waters
the route descends vertiginously until, near of the River Hérault. See p111 for details.
the bottom a side road drops to the hamlet Bus 108 (%08 25 34 01 34) links St-Martin
of Navacelles. Surrounded by green meadow, de Londres with Montpellier (five or six daily,
it sits at the base of a mere knob of a hill that 35 minutes).
MONTPELLIER AREA
© Lonely Planet Publications
lonelyplanet.com SOUTH TO MONTPELLIER 113
2010) and head to the aqueduct on the town s
SOUTH TO MONTPELLIER
northern edge, built between 1670 and 1676
to feed the chateau water. To end your trip on
From St-Martin de Londres, the D986 flits
a high, duck under the giant arches and drive
south to Montpellier. For more scenic motor- north along the N110 for 1km to Disini (%04
ing, get off this road and delve east into the
67 41 97 86; www.disini-hotel.com; 1 rue des CarriÅres;
scented garrigue, where cicadas buzz (p55)
d Ź 150-290; as), a boutique hotel with an
and a rash of medieval villages Cazevieille, Les
exotic interior shipped from Bali and a spa
Matelles, St-Vincent de Barbeyrargues, Assas et al specialising in tasty massages. Try a rub-
have made their wealth from wine.
down in Russian caviar, or chocolate, acacia
In Castries (population 5000), skip the
and chestnut honey, or basil, or yoghurt and
Renaissance chateau (under renovation until
salt perhaps?
© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
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