Heritage, Nature and Fine Sand

Saint-Gilles rose to prominence as a pilgrimage site in the 11th century, centered around the cult of Saint Giles. It became the fourth most important pilgrimage destination in the Christian world, after Rome, Jerusalem, and Santiago de Compostela. Today, its magnificent abbey church,listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site,is well worth a visit, along with the Romanesque House Museum.

In the heart of the Camargue, meet herds of free-roaming bulls and horses. Visit a local ranch to learn about the work of the “manadier” and his guardians.

At the heart of the Camargue Gardoise, near the Costières vineyards, Gallician offers access to the Scamandre Nature Reserve with boardwalk trails through the marshes.

Dock your boat beneath the majestic 13th-century ramparts of Aigues-Mortes, a fortified medieval town between land and sea. Stroll through its 1,640-meter-long walls with five towers, including the famous Constance Tower. Discover its religious heritage, taste a glass of “Vin de Sable” on a sunny terrace, or try the local fougasse bread. Nature lovers will be captivated by the pink waters of the Aigues-Mortes salt marshes.

Only 6 km from Aigues‑Mortes’ river port. Though navigation via rental boats isn't allowed in the channel, you can cycle along the canal. Le Grau‑du‑Roi is mainly known for its Plage de l’Espiguette,a 10 km stretch of sandy beach with 12‑m dunes, evoking a “beach at the end of the world.” The seaside resort offers family-friendly activities: visit the harbour and old lighthouse, enjoy nautical sports, visit the Seaquarium, maritime museum, Palais de la Mer, and the Salins du Midi salt ponds.

Family-friendly sandy beach swimming With preserved dunes and coastal flora and fauna typical of the Languedoc shoreline, Carnon’s beaches offer a rare natural setting for your boating vacation by the sea.

In Sète, the Rhône to Sète Canal joins the waters of the Thau Lagoon. Nestled at the foot of Mont Saint-Clair and connected to the mainland by two sandy strips, the town charms visitors with its canal-lined districts and colorful facades. From the Thau Lagoon to the Mediterranean, fishermen, sailors, and oyster farmers keep this maritime city vibrant. From the heights of the Quartier Haut to Pointe Courte with its tiny clustered houses, and along the quays, discover historic and modern Sète: the Richelieu Citadel, the International Museum of Modest Arts, the Georges Brassens Center, and the famous water jousting on the royal canal. While there, expand your culinary vocabulary by sampling local specialties like tielle, macaronade, monkfish tray, cuttlefish stew, zezettes, and fescati on sunny restaurant terraces.

In Agde, you can experience a one-of-a-kind lock aboard your license-free boat. The only round lock on the Canal du Midi,and the only one of its kind in the world at the time of construction,this engineering marvel functions like a traffic roundabout, with three exits: one toward Toulouse, one toward the city of Agde and the sea, and one toward the Thau Lagoon. While in the area, visit Agde, a former volcanic Greek city nicknamed by Marco Polo “the black pearl of the Mediterranean.” From Agde, you can also reach the beaches of Cap d’Agde (4 km away).

Pass through the spectacular 9 Locks of Fonseranes,an engineering and artistic masterpiece on the Canal du Midi. This dramatic water staircase is the third most visited site in Languedoc-Roussillon, after the Pont du Gard and the Cité of Carcassonne. In summer, take a break here and hop on the tourist train to visit Béziers.