Travel guide Hérault

The department of Hérault is part of Occitania, the leading European region for agriculture. Everything is grown here, from green olives to white asparagus, apples and sweet onions. All these products are present on the stalls of the numerous markets of the territory and enrich the plates with taste.

Occupied by man since prehistoric times, the Hérault region has been the subject of excavation campaigns for several decades. Thanks to these campaigns, archaeologists have discovered dinosaur eggs, Roman remains, the remains of buildings from the Middle Ages... An incalculable number of treasures now housed in museums.

From Lunel to Olonzac, different styles of architecture blend and cohabit for the simple pleasure of the eyes. Religious, civil and military monuments, sometimes thousands of years old, remind us of the importance of this crossroads of influences. Take the time to admire the facades, they are full of wonders.

L'Ecusson is the historic center of Montpellier, the prefecture of the department. Bounded by the Place de la Comédie, the Esplanade du Peyrou, the Quais du Verdanson and Avenue Gambetta, this famous, picturesque district is home to hundreds of stores, restaurants and historic monuments that contribute to the city's appeal.

The Hérault coastline has everything to seduce: families will find all the facilities they need for a comfortable holiday, sports enthusiasts will take advantage of the excellent weather conditions to try their hand at board sports, and nature lovers will settle down on the few wild beaches to admire the local biodiversity...

Whatever your level, here you're bound to find a circuit to suit your criteria. Thanks to the diversity of the Hérault's terrain, there's a wide range of difficulties and layouts to choose from. As an added bonus, the views are always breathtaking. Don't miss the Pic Saint-Loup, Mourèze or Navacelles cirques.

The Hérault is a paradise for birds. Several nature reserves and protected areas have been created to protect them and ensure their preservation. And they are not alone! You only have to pay attention to the little noises to see that the sky, the land and the waterways of the territory are home to many specimens.

With nearly 300 days of sunshine per year, the Hérault is one of the sunniest departments in France. Ten months of the year, the sun comes to illuminate this thousand-year-old land. In summer, its presence is sometimes a little too much felt, but we are very happy to find it again in October or March, when the rest of the country is still suffering from grey skies.

This land of old stones and ancestral cities is turned towards modernity and youth when it comes to art. As well as street artists who express themselves in the wild, the department is home to established artists, frequently hired by local authorities. They bring color and creativity to the streets.

The Etang de Thau is the largest body of water in the region. Separated from the Mediterranean Sea by a simple spit of sand known as a lido, it is now world-renowned for the oysters and mussels it produces. All around the pond, Sète and its pretty fishing villages soak up the sun.

The Hérault has kept some of the traditions of the many civilizations and peoples that have influenced its development. These are revealed in numerous events as well as in local gastronomy, music and sport. The most emblematic are the jousting tournaments, the totemic animal parades and the Camargue races.

Wouldn't that be Hérault's greatest treasure? Located in the Languedoc vineyards, the department's winegrowing estates benefit from superb climatic conditions, producing thousands of bottles every year to enrich the shelves of wine merchants with good noses and top-flight restaurants alike.