Just west of the glittering Côte d’Azur lies a corner of France that feels like a well-kept secret. While the Riviera lures throngs of sun-seekers every year, Hérault (in South Languedoc) remains refreshingly unspoiled. Rich in history, alive with culture, and crowned by landscapes of staggering beauty, it is a place that stole my heart on an unexpected trip to Château Autignac.
Getting here couldn’t be easier. Four international airports – Béziers, Carcassonne, Montpellier and Toulouse – open the gates to this southern jewel. And yet, the moment you set foot in Hérault, the world slows down. Life here is all about simple pleasures, savoured without rush: wandering medieval alleyways, plunging into crystalline rivers, sipping a glass of wine under the shade of ancient plane trees.
Nature is Hérault’s most extravagant gift. Carved into its limestone plateau, the Cirque de Navacelles is a natural amphitheatre so breathtaking it leaves you speechless. Equally dramatic are the surreal red-rock landscapes surrounding Lac du Salagou, where the earth blushes crimson under the Mediterranean sun, and the Cirque de Mourèze, a maze of bizarrely sculpted rock towers that seem to belong to another planet. For water lovers, the River Orb offers canoeing adventures past steep gorges and vineyards that tumble down to its banks, while the beaches near Sète stretch endlessly, kissed by Atlantic breezes.
Lac du Salagou is famous for its unique “ruffes,” iron oxide-laden red soil and sediments that create stunning red and orange shores,
providing a stark and beautiful contrast to the blue water. © Hérault Tourisme – E. Brendle.
But this is France, and where there is nature, there is culture layered thick. The villages of Hérault read like a medieval fairy tale. Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, meanders along the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela, its golden stone houses clustered around the abbey of Gellone (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Minerve, dramatically perched on a rocky promontory, whispers stories of the Cathars who sought refuge here centuries ago. Pézenas, once home to Molière, is a place of winding streets where antique shops and ateliers spill their treasures onto the cobbles. And then there is Olargues – classified among “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” – with its 12th-century Ponte du Diable (Devil’s Bridge) arched elegantly across the river.
It is this perfect blend of nature and heritage that makes Hérault irresistible. One moment you are hiking in the Haut-Languedoc Natural Park, where eagles soar above forests of chestnut and pine; the next, you are browsing the stalls of a bustling weekly market, sampling goat cheeses, olives and tapenade still warm from the producer’s hands. Artists and artisans thrive here, feeding on the landscape’s inspiration: potters, painters, winemakers, sculptors – all welcoming visitors with an openness that is becoming rare in other, more touristed corners of France.
From our base at Château Autignac (@ Marie Caroline Lucat), we were ideally located to explore the area, including the long,
golden sand beaches around Sète (© Hérault Tourisme | E. Brendle).
My base for this long weekend was Château Autignac, a boutique hotel/wine estate at the edge of the natural park. With its whitewashed walls, sweeping surrounding vineyards and understated charm, it felt like stepping into a private dream in which I was lady of the castle.
From here, almost every highlight of the region is within an hour’s drive. One day I was drifting on the Orb by canoe in Roquebrun, the next wandering Béziers’ Roman amphitheatre and tree-lined boulevards, and the day after that, losing myself in Pézenas’ labyrinthine streets.
And of course, no trip to France is complete without feasting. Hérault delivers in spades, but the culinary high point of my journey was lunch at Fleurs d’Olargues. Perched beside the medieval bridge, the restaurant offers views so enchanting you could dine on bread and water and still feel transported. Thankfully, the food is every bit as divine as the setting. Ingredients are seasonal and as local as possible. Chef Kasper Bergh infuses them with Scandinavian and Asian influences (he is from Denmark and his wife, Fe, from the Philippines). From smørrebrød (Danish open-faced sandwiches) and salmon marinated in blueberry juice to mousse infused with local honey, paired with the crunch of almond tuile, his dishes are a celebration of both his inventiveness and the bounty of the region.
Left: The 12th century Pont du Diable and the village of Olargues, considered one of the prettiest in France (© Hérault Tourisme | G. Delerue).
Right: A popular starter by Chef Kasper Bergh (Fleurs d’Olargues), Danish smørrebrød with raw salmon marinated in blueberry juice on homemade rye bread with grilled and pickled onions, emulsion of horse radish and toasted buckwheat.
A long weekend in Hérault is only ever an introduction. You leave with the sense that there is always another hidden valley to explore, another vineyard to discover, another village to fall in love with. And that is the magic of this part of France. It doesn’t clamour for attention, it doesn’t try too hard. It simply is – quietly, beautifully, abundantly itself. And once you’ve tasted it, you will, like me, be planning your return before you’ve even left.
British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Montpellier four times per week from £190 (incl. taxes and carrier fees) each-way in Club Europe in the summer season.
Author: Julia Pasarón
Lead image: One of the most picturesque villages in all of France, Roquebrun is a medieval village on the river Orb. © Hérault Tourisme | E. Brendle.
Other destinations recommended by I-M Inquisitive Minds for a long weekend include our selection of outstanding golf resorts in Europe, a luxury cruise down the Danube and a stay in the Algarve’s most exclusive seafront retreat, Hotel Quinta do Lago.
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