Towns, Herds and Wild Camargue

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.

Located between the Mediterranean Sea and wild lagoons, this fishing village has retained its old‑world charm. In the morning, watch fishing boats return and unload their catch along the canal. Don’t miss the famous joutes languedociennes tournaments. Also see the Albert Dubout humour museum, the steam‑train museum, and the casino.

Littoral and preserved historical heritage Villeneuve‑lès‑Maguelone boasts a pristine 9 km sandy beach, reachable on foot via a footbridge over the Rhône‑to‑Sète canal or by free tourist train. Near the sand dunes, the Island of Maguelone and its majestic Romanesque cathedral,seat of a bishopric for a millennium,create a must-see ensemble within a lush park bounded by vineyards, sea, and lagoon.

Nestled among vineyards, garrigue, the forests of the Gardiole Massif, lagoons, and protected wetlands, Frontignan is a place where land meets sea. On land, enjoy beautiful walks through the Muscat vineyards, old salt marshes, or along the charming narrow streets of the town center. On the seaside, seven kilometers of uninterrupted beaches await you.

In Sète, the Rhône-to-Sète Canal meets the Thau Lagoon. Set at the foot of Mont Saint-Clair and linked to the mainland by two sandbars, the town charms visitors with its canal-lined neighborhoods and colorful facades. From the Thau Lagoon to the open sea, fishermen, sailors, and oyster farmers bring this maritime town to life. Explore everything from the heights of the Quartier Haut to the quaint Pointe Courte district, and stroll along the quays to discover both historic and modern-day Sète: the Richelieu Citadel, the International Museum of Modest Arts, the Georges Brassens Center, and water jousting tournaments on the Royal Canal. Don’t forget to expand your culinary vocabulary by tasting local specialties on the restaurant terraces: tielle, macaronade, monkfish platters, rouille de seiche, zezettes, and fescati.

The oldest town on the Thau Basin, Mèze has been home to Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans. It developed around its port, and its conchylicole (shellfish) harbor, Le Mourre Blanc, is the largest in the Mediterranean. Sample oysters in waterfront restaurants, stroll the lively market, explore winegrowers’ homes, the Chapel of the Penitents, and the Château de Girard. Its beaches on the lagoon offer warmer, shallower waters than the sea, with stunning views of Sète and Mont Saint-Clair. Families can also enjoy the nearby Dinosaur Park,Europe’s largest dinosaur museum.