Discovering the Towns of the Camargue
The Camargue is home to France’s most beautiful nature reserve. The salt lagoon, the Etang de Thau, is home to a variety of Mediterranean flora and fauna species. The Camargue is known for its flocks of pink flamingos, White Camargue horse breed, many fish and the rare beaver. Along the lagoon, there are many holiday resort towns offering amazing getaways with fantastic food and wine offerings. Explore early settlements, medieval castles and enjoy the scenic natural beauty of the Southern France.
Agde
Agde was founded by a Greek colony in the 5th Century and eventually became a port in the Mediterranean. Its rich salt sifts and volcanic rocks provided much of the town’s wealth and eventually led it to become the wellness and leisure retreat it is today.
Agde literally lies between the lagoon and sea, making water sports a prime activity here. A top site to visit is the Plage de la Grande Conque covered in black volcanic sand. The Old Agde part of town has a unique medieval layout in which the buildings are all built from black volcanic rock. Take a trip to the nearby vineyards and enjoy a rose with some of the fresh seafood dishes.
Marseillan
Beautiful Marseillan is often rivalled to that of its close and more glitzy sister town of St. Tropez. Offering the same beautiful coastline along the Languedoc, Marseillan is a town that is known for its laid back ambience and natural beauty. The streets are lined with white washed buildings, while a sleepy port helps contribute to its relaxed atmosphere.
You can explore two of the Languedoc’s distinct natural habitats in Marseillan. The Etang du Thau is filled with beautiful flora and fauna all round, while beautiful white sandy beaches lie just kilometres on the other side. Go out birdwatching for pink flamingos, herons and other species along the lagoon and The Bagnas. You are sure to find excellent restaurants serving the best seafood from the French Mediterranean while sipping on the town’s signature Picpoul de Pinet wine!
Meze
Meze is another port town along the Etang de Thau, and offers visitors fantastic culinary experiences. Besides fish dishes, Mezes is known for its excellent shellfish namely Oysters and Mussels. Further in from Meze you can explore some of the Languedoc vineyards or travel to the Vlamagne Abbey. The Valmagne Abbey was once a popular monastery and its cellars were used to age wine. The abbey now offers wine tasting inside the church!
Frontignan
Towns built upon such a salt rich lagoon, makes for perfect wine farming. The Languedoc undoubtedly has some of the best wines to sample and Frontignon is home to the world famous Muscat grape. Wine lovers will delight in its offerings and will definitely want to stock up on these fine wines.
Palavas Les Flots
Palavas Les Flots is a wonderful entertainment stop and filled with lots of fun summer activities for the whole family. There are wonderful fireworks displays in the summer evenings and an opportunity to witness a Camargue bull fight. These bull fights are family and animal friendly, where the matador tries to snatch a flower that is placed on the bull. Enjoy markets, restaurants, museums or a Languedoc jousting match!
La Grande Motte
La Grande Motte is a popular leisure resort area with beautiful beaches. It is more commercialised than the other towns along the lagoon, but offers some fast-paced summer fun. The unique Mexican pyramid –inspired architecture all house modern apartments for holiday goers. In summer, La Grande Motte is alive with water sports, pink flamingos swooping in on the lagoon and horse riding along the seashore.
