Beaches In Montpellier
The coastline at Montpellier offers gently sloping beaches and a temperate climate with fishing villages, resorts and lagoons in beautiful conservation areas which help to preserve the shoreline.
La Grande Motte is large seaside resort which attracts a very large number of holidaymakers during the summer months.
It offers every amenity including bars and restaurants, water sports and activities for children.
Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone is just a few minutes from Montpellier and has one of the best kept and unspoiled stretches of coastline on the Mediterranean. It has a very large and fine sandy beach with clean sea water which offers an ideal environment for swimmers, sunbathers and water sports enthusiasts. During August there is a Fete de la Mer when fun and sports activities for the entire family are organized on the beach.
Espiguette is a huge beach which has kilometres of fine sandy dunes which enable you to find your own secluded space. The further you walk from the car park the more open space you will find. There are no buildings nearby, but the odd drinks seller will pass by during the summer months. An ideal way to end your day on the beach at Espiguette is to have a drink at nearby Aigues Mortes and watch the world pass by.
Between Palavas-Les-Flots and Carnon over the road from the beach, Palavas is in beautiful countryside on a strip of land surrounded by water with pink salt marshes, canals, and walled towns. It is a small and busy little port full of excellent bars and restaurants which is a great favourite with the French.
La Grand Tavers is a long and flat strip of beach situated between the big urban beaches at La Grande Motte and Carnon. Le Petit Travers is the end closest to Carnon and is the closest beach to Montpellier. It is popular for joggers during the winter months and does have several restaurants on the beach and night clubs which are open between May and September.
Further down the coast away from the more built-up beaches of Palavas and Carnon is Maguelone. It is a narrow and quite long strip of sand with a bar and restaurant popular with nude bathers and gay men. Parking is free a bit away from the beach or there is paid parking close by. A beach bar/restaurant offers sun loungers and umbrellas for a price.
Fontignan is Languedoc’s narrowest beach as it is only ten metres wide in some stretches. It is quite pebbly but away from it all and quite wild and remote. It is popular with anglers who line up their rods along the shore.
Just below Sète is La Corniche North which is a large, wide beach with excellent views of the promontory. There is a large, free car park and at least three restaurants on the beach which are open during the summer months.
As the wide beach at La Corniche North narrows running along the road between Sète and Cap D'Agde it becomes La Corniche South. This has fine sand a slightly wilder atmosphere than its northern counterpart with no buildings or civilisation in sight.
