Surroundings
Surroundings
Agel is located in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon, in the departement Hérault. In this region you will find many fisherman’s villages and harbor towns – as well as modern marinas. Hérault is full of adventures and surprises.
The region is known for its excellent route du vins, horseback riding, hiking and (mountain) biking trails. It’s the perfect destination to discover the great outdoors of southern France.
Sometimes it’s not the destination, it’s the journey. If you are looking for a beautiful and quiet rest stop on your travels, Agel is a central location for all travelers to Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.
The town of Agel offers idyllic French elements in its cultural history and architecture.
Food and drink
In our “Maison Le Jardin” you will find the “Honesty bar” concept with delicious local wines, cold beers and ice creams and caprison for the little ones. You will also find a mini store with local delicacies such as olive oil!
Feel like barbecueing? Ask us about our policy!
The bakery in Aigues Vives is open on Sundays for freshly baked bread, croissants and baguettes! Looking for a delectable cake to celebrate something? Look no further, this bakery makes divine cakes! On Fridays and Saturdays, the bakery offers delicious homemade pizzas. Closed on Mondays.
Fancy an afternoon on a cozy terrace or a dinner out? The nearby town of Bize Minervois (10 minutes by car, 30 minutes on foot) offers cosy waterfront terraces and a varied selection of restaurants.
Strolling along the Canal du Midi and looking for a place for a drink (or two)? At only 15 minutes from NOUS you can find Le Somail. This place is a true gem!
https://www.lamaisondepetitpierre.fr in Beziers
At Lo Caragol in Aigne you can enjoy the traditional French cuisine. The idyllic terrace is like a scene from Emily in Paris. They serve classic dishes like foie gras and scallop skewers. Recommendation: the gratinated oysters. If you want to have dinner at Lo Caragol, it is advisable to make a reservation. Aigne is less than a 10-minute drive from Agel.
Table ‘O’ in Beaufort and Le Pied de la Lune in Villespassans are highly recommended, both reachable within 15 minutes.
Le chat qui pêche in Argeliers. Beautiful location along Canal du Midi and delicious French food to share.
Fancy a beautiful walk in our backyard forest and afterwards enjoying a fresh baguette and warm croissants? La Boulangerie Au pain D’oc can be reached through the forest in 30-40 minutes. We go on this walk every Sunday with our children, there is no better start to the day.
Buvette de Cabezac -> Be among the locals and eat the most delicious oysters and prawns for a small price! Every Wednesday and Friday.
The market at Gruissan on Saturdays is great!
Nice restaurants if you want to finish Gruissan plage de mateille in a culinary way:
https://laperlegruissanaise.fr/
https://www.lemamamouchi.com/
https://www.gruissan-mediterranee.com/restaurant-gruissan/le-plan-b/
In low season it is an oasis of calm and in high season it is advisable to book: Check the site https://villagecastigno.com/fr/ and be surprised by the special offer in the small village of Assignan, reachable within 15 minutes. You’ll also find a luxury spa resort here!
In Assignan lies village Castigno who have a Michelin star restaurant – la Table.
Are you near Carcassonne? We highly recommend: https://www.facebook.com/coteresto/.
Near Narbonne – Gruissan? Then be sure to book here: https://chateau-lebouis.com/
Harvest your own fruit and vegetables? 15 minutes from NOUS you’ll find https://www.top-fruits.com/. This is a popular outing with the kids!
Https://www.facebook.com/lametairie.carcassonne/
Head to the tiny village of Caunes Minervois for delicious tapas https://www.lacantineducure.com/
In the coastal towns you have countless restaurants. We always search via tripadvisor, they can recommend something for everyone!
Languedoc Roussillon
The former provinces of Languedoc and Roussillon, of which the bustling student city of Montpellier was the capital, together cover an area that runs from the foothills of the Pyrenees to the mouth of the Rhône.
Since the regional division of January 2016, the region has been part of the Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées region. Since 24 June 2016, this part of France has been officially called Occitania.
The coastal area was the first part of Gaul to be conquered by the Romans. The great amphitheater of Nîmes and the magnificent Pont du Gard still bear witness to their domination. The monasteries of St-Martin-du-Canigou and St-Michel-de-Cuxa are examples of early Romanesque architecture, untouched by the Gothic style from the north.
The Languedoc-Roussillon region is also the territory of the Cathars, a movement that sought a pure faith in the south of France in the 12th and 13th centuries. As a result, they clashed with the Roman Church, for whom power and money were the most important. The remnants of the Cathar castles and the perfectly restored Cité of Carcassonne are telling relics of bloody medieval wars.
The flat beaches and lagoons form an area specially created for tourism that attracts millions of visitors every year. In between lies a dry and sunburnt land that produces great quantities of wine.
In the past, the emphasis in wine production was on quantity, but in recent decades this has changed: the winegrowers are increasingly striving for quality. Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest wine region in France, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and Spain.
This vast area has more than 25 microclimates. This means that Languedoc consists of more than 25 different wine regions, each with its own type of soil, temperature, rain and hours of sunshine.
In addition, the winemakers in this area, much more than in the rest of France, can determine the characteristics of their wine themselves. This often makes it difficult to distinguish quality wines based on the label. To make it even more difficult, they also use a huge number of different grape varieties. Yet this often leads to surprisingly beautiful wines.
In short: the attractive climate, the fascinating history and culture, the beautiful architecture of the cities, not to mention the viticulture of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, are attractive elements for spending a longer period of time in this part of Occitania.
Bize Minervois
Bize minervois is a village 8 minutes away and one of our favourites.
There is a beautiful walking route through the forest from NOUS to Bize Minervois of about 45 minutes. You pass a real French petting zoo and you can even walk in the morning to the best Boulangerie we have discovered so far!
There is a small town river where the children can play, swim and catch fish.
You can linger on one of the terraces, our favourite being café du midi, located on a real French courtyard!
You will find 2 pizzerias and there is a local supermarket.
La grange and La Salette are also highly recommended for a good dinner moment.
For your diary: The 3rd weekend of July is the Festival of the Olive Tree in Bize Minervois. This is the day that brings the most people into the village. A crowd of traders display their local products, a competition is organised aioli and a delicious meal
Culture
Narbonne Cathedral. *Free to visit. There are beautiful gardens surrounding the cathedral.
1. Extra: Walk up into the tower (Donjon) overlooking Narbonne + a treasure room where you can speak to each other in the 2 far corners: 6€.
You can also visit the floodgate of Beziers.
Fun to visit as well: Historic monument Château de Sauveterre
Beaches & Beach clubs
Combine the historic port town of Gruissan with a beach visit: Plage des chalets. It is one of our favourite beaches. You’ll also find a lot of creative cottages on stilts and trendy beach bars!
Another fun beach is Le Gruissan beach in Mateille, which offers a long stretch of wide sandy beaches with a stunning view of the mountains behind you. A great plus is the parking at Le Gruissan beach. It’s easy to find a parking spot. Another plus is that the water is very shallow, which makes this an excellent beach for kids. It also has a hip little beach café for a drink in the sun!
Plage de la roquille
The best beach to look for the most beautiful shells among the rocks of the pier.
Other beaches:
Valras plage
Beach clubs
Cap Agde
Manovi Plage
Plage de la Roquille
Mango beach club
Port Leucate
https://ohlala-beach.fr
https://www.instagram.com/playaamorleucate/
Pilgrimroute
As of 2019, Beaufort is officially included in this route as a stage location for pilgrims. Beaufort is a beautiful village less than 10 minutes away from NOUS. From this village, you get to the GR 77 or the camino to Santiago de Compostela. This is a new variant of the Chemin d’Arles or Via Tolosana, the southernmost of the four pilgrim routes (Montpellier-Toulouse-Santiago de Compostela).
Agel
In the historic center of Agel you will find the beautiful heritage listed Château d’Agel.
For more information on its rich history and on other cultural sights, the restaurants and cafés of Agel and its surroundings, please visit www.chateaudagel.fr
In the town square by the fountain, you will find a post office, a small tourist office and the pizza baker!
La p’tite epicerie SRV van: every Tuesday around 10.30 at the fountain
Domaine Olea/M & Mme Gérard Matet. Visits to the orchards by appointment. Organisation for groups of “Picnic under the olive trees” and “Botanical walk around the olive tree”.
Fresh olives and delicious olive oil you will find at this lovely couple’s place: http://www.domaineolea.fr/. Each year in May, they organise a picnic in their vineyard!
https://steveandcaroleinvence.com/agel-a-quiet-patch-of-paradise-in-the-minervois/
La Pêche forest
Right behind NOUS, you will find the La Pêche forest.
With great hiking and (mountain) biking trails, La Pêche offers everything you’re looking for to escape the rush of life and to find yourself in the pristine elements of nature.
Minerve
The town of Minerve is only a twenty-minute drive from Agel and is listed as one of the 153 most beautiful villages of France!
In Minerve, the Briant river and the Cesse river harmoniously come together. This town is a must see when you visit us at NOUS. Largasse and Olargues are also listed and in the near of your holiday at NOUS.
Cesse river
If you’re planning on taking a walk through the beautiful countryside, you will most likely come across the Cesse river.
In Agel, the river resurfaces from the bowels of the earth, which makes it a great spot for cooling off in the filtered, clear waters that run for 30 kilometers.
Going down the course of the Cesse from Agel, you will discover picturesque bathing areas. Swim in the clear waters, sunbathe on the rocks and shower under the waterfall.
You can’t come closer to nature than to literally bathe in its beauty
Bike
https://www.minervois-caroux.com/en/outdoor-active/mountain-bike-path.html
https://www.minervois-caroux.com/fr/
https://www.komoot.com/nl-nl/guide/1296837/de-mooiste-attracties-rond-aigues-vives
https://nl.francevelotourisme.com/fietsroute/passapais
https://www.minervois-caroux.com/fr/bouger/voie-verte.html
https://www.komoot.nl/tour/1172634697?Ref=avs&share_token=anu3beyyqhfbnariy3edzz5ro89fuwqdxdy1rs5xivvcbism8k
Https://www.komoot.nl/tour/1184634586?Ref=aso
Https://www.lesvelosdumidi.com/
Https://maps.app.goo.gl/mr9ziozvzszzswak6?G_st=iw > Capestang bike rental
- 25 min away, great ebikes.
- No deposit, but ID card required.
- 40 euros per bike for a whole day.
Motorcycling
Https://www.herault-tourisme.com/fr/activites/itinerance-slow-tourisme-herault/itinerance-a-moto/balade-moto-du-larzac-a-la-mediterrannee/
Https://sacavoyage.fr/nl/road-trip-sud-de-la-france-itineraire-de-montpellier-a-perpignan-carte/
Https://www.motowhere.com/maps/route/Hell-day
Https://www.routeyou.com/fr-fr/location/routes/47263579/minerve?Route-type=45
Http://www.carcassonnemotorbiketrails.com/tours.html
Https://www.capitole-gentlemen-motorcycle.fr/fr/actualites/article/road-trip-a-minerve
Https://www.rideandrest.com/recommened-routes/routes/experience/78
Https://liberty-rider.com/en/roadbooks/occitanie/herault/montpellier/1645/de-lherault-aux-corbieres-et-au-minervois
Hike
From dense forests to vast lakes, from lovely mountain valleys to jagged canyons, you’ll find it in the Haut-Languedoc. This sparsely populated region is ideal for hikers and cyclists. For example, discover the voie verte Passa Païs, or go hiking in the Monts de Lacaune and the Monts de l’Espinouse.
The Albine waterfall in Colombières sur Orb: Reserved for experienced sportsmen and trail runners, it is spectacular waterfall, also known as the “Voile de la mariée” (bride’s veil), reaches a drop of about 80 m
https://www.routeyou.com/nl
https://www.ga-eens-wandelen.be/wandelingen/buitenland/frankrijk/minerve-languedoc
https://www.ga-eens-wandelen.be/wandelingen/buitenland/frankrijk/laprade-basse
https://www.ga-eens-wandelen.be/wandelingen/buitenland/frankrijk/gorges-d-heric-haut-languedoc
https://frankrijkpuur.nl/haut-languedoc-wandelen-leuke-dorpjes/
https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-le-sentier-des-capitelles-de-laure-miner/
Https://www.minervois-caroux.com/en/outdoor-active/greenway-passa-pais.html
Https://www.herault-tourisme.com/fr/activites/dans-la-nature/via-ferrata-et-aventures-verticales/
Https://www.herault-tourisme.com/fr/activites/dans-la-nature/via-ferrata-et-aventures-verticales/
Paddle / Kayak
Routes du vin
We have carefully curated a list of beautiful wine routes for you, including their distance from Agel.
These wineries are highly recommended by locals. Some wineries have special offers in the high season of July and August, with attractive offers on local wines.
- Domaine La Provenquire | La Provenquire 34310 Capestang | 22 km
- Les Caves des Saint Chinian | Chemin de Sorteilho 34360 Saint Chinian | 20 km
- Chateau Paul Mas | D5 Route de Villeveyrac 34530 Montagnac | 69 km
- Chateau MIre L’ Etang | La Clape wines | 11560 Fleury D’Aube | 51 km
- Domaine La Baume | Route Pezenas 34290 Servian | 52 km
- Cave de Fontes | 16 Bd Jules Ferry 34320 Fontes | 60 km
- Cave L’ Estabel | 20 Route de Fontes 34800 Cabrieres | 61km
Roadtrip
Taking a road trip with NOUS as a stop?
Get inspired:
https://sacavoyage.fr/nl/road-trip-sud-de-la-france-itineraire-de-montpellier-a-perpignan-carte/
You can be in Spain within 1.5 hours!
Go to Figueres, the birthplace of Salvador Dali. On the way there you will pass too many beautifull cities!
Make it a cultural road trip…
https://spainist.com/costa-brava/figueres/
Cities around the corner
Agel is very centrally located if you wish to visit surrounding towns and cities in southern France and Spain. We have created a list of beautiful places for you to visit during your stay at NOUS – Petits Lofts.
Minerve | 9 km Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
Narbonne | 21 km Historical Centre & Shopping
Beziers | 29 km Historical Centre & Shopping
Gruissan | 32 km Beach & Culture
Roquebrun | 33 km River & Culture
Lagrasse | 33 km Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
Carcassone | 43 km Historical Centre & Shopping
Olargues | 48 km Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
Agde | 50 km Beach & Nature
Port Leucate | 55 km Port town
Sète | 68 km Beach & Nature, French Venice
Perpignan | 71 km Historical centre & Shopping
Montpellier | 89 km Historical Centre & Shopping
Collioure | 92 km Our favourite, truly idyllic town!
Toulouse | 117 km Historical centre & Shopping
Figures | 145 km Spain
Girona | 185 km Spain
Barcelona | 280 km Spain
Tips for a day trip
Planet Ocean in Montpellier is an underwater dreamworld for kids as well as for adults!
The Safari Park in Sigean is a beautiful drive-through wildlife park, which additionally offers a walk-through Zoo. There’s a great chance you will see an elephant or a bear crossing the road!
At Le Somail you can hire a boat for a day on the Canal du Midi + don’t mis out: https://velorailducanaldumidi.fr/a-decouvrir/
In the area there are many markets, from vintage and antique markets to garage sales, which are called vide grenier! Keep an eye out for the road signs and have a look at this website:
https://brocabrac.fr/34/agel/
Are you into cycling? On the website www.komoot.nl you will find the most beautiful routes of the region.
There are many weekly markets in the area. Have a look at this website:
https://www.minervois-caroux.com/fr/savourer/calendrier-des-marches.html
Within a 2.5-hour drive from Agel, there is a fantastic region for skiing:
https://www.skiresort.nl/skigebieden/languedoc-roussillon/
Or go on an adventure with your gravel- or mountainbike and find your perfect route on:
https://www.vtt-salagou.com/decouvrir/circuits-et-plans/circuits-vtt/circuits-vtt-salagou/
On this website you will find a regional activity calendar and also many walking and cycling routes:
https://www.minervois-caroux.com/en/outdoor-active.html
In our village you can do wine tasting at 2 locations:
http://www.domaineduboscrochet.com/
https://chateaudagel.fr/fr/
Every first weekend of the month (except for July and August)
https://www.laregion.fr/En-Occitanie-le-train-a-1-euro-gagne-du-terrain
Active
Http://www.o2aventure.com/en/
Https://www.akila-centers.com/nautique-gruissan/
Https://www.tripadvisor.nl/attractionproductreview-g660465-d11460738-3_Hour_of_Sea_Kayak_Trip_in_the_Creeks_of_Sete-Sete_Herault_Occitanie.html
Http://www.canyoc.com/
https://www.espritglisse34.com/
https://www.kayakmed.com/kayak_med/fr/locations/
https://www.bessan-aventure-herault.fr/contact/
https://paddleescapagde.com/
https://www.herault-tourisme.com/fr/activites/autour-de-leau/canoe-et-kayak-herault/
NOUS’s surroundings are perfect for geocoaching enthousiasts.
Out and about with the kids?
Explore our play chest for fun games for young and old!
Http://www.aquapark-capdagde.com/]
Https://pangaeaventure.fr/
Http://www.beziersaventure.com/la-mini-oerme/index.php/cpath/13/myeboutsid/064d80b946fdfa9eb927d6457d14eb1d
Https://www.aqualand.fr/cap-d-agde/captain-jako/
Https://www.piratesworld.fr/
On this website you will find plenty of inspiration for a fun outing https://www.lepetitmoutard.fr
Museum of speleology of the cave “la fileuse de verre” in Courniou (40min from Agel)
Museum of regional prehistory in Saint-Pons-de-Thomières (30min from Agel)
Visit underground caves https://lafileusedeverre.fr/
The coast that goes down: 17 kilometres east of Caunes-Minervois (40 km from Carcassonne), there is a strange phenomenon called “la curiosité de Lauriole! On this road that goes up, if you put your car in neutral, it should go in reverse… But that’s not the case, it goes forward. Some people think it’s a gravity mistake, others think it comes from magnetism, in short it’s a curiosity of the region.
Visit the chateau of Ventenac and from there enjoy a boat trip along the Canal du Midi.
Swimming in the orbieu river Ribaute – Lagrasse > https://www.tourisme-corbieres-minervois.com/en/explorer-nos-incontournables/rivieres-lac-et-baignade/baignade-en-riviere-a-ribaute/
https://velorailducanaldumidi.fr/en/ In Colombiers near Capestang
In Roquebrun the best place for canoeing is canoe Roquebrun. Nearby you can also rent these cool electric scooters at Deval’trot.
In Saint-Chinian the Cave Cooperative does this cool thing called l’Art en Cave. Each year they get a different artist to come and paint over the whole place, apart from this you can go and taste their wines and check out the frescoes. In the summer they usually have food trucks and music once a week.
Le Comptoir Nature is a restaurant on the edge of the Canal du Midi in Le Somail who rents out electric boats for a few hours.
Other day trips:
https://www.gouffre-de-cabrespine.com
https://occitanietravel.com/nl/de-9-sluizen-van-fonseranes/
https://www.herault-tourisme.com/fr/activites/dans-la-nature/speleologie-herault/
Find some more inspiration or ideas on:
https://www.tourisme-corbieres-minervois.com/
https://www.cotedumidi.com/vos-programmes-de-lete/
https://www.chambresdhotesenfrance.com/
https://wandelvakantiefrankrijk.nl
https://www.minervois-caroux.com/fr/
https://www.minervois-caroux.com/en/outdoor-active/mountain-bike-path.html
https://laramoneta.com/to-know/10-hikes-herault/
https://nl.france.fr/nl/occitanie-zuid-frankrijk/lijst/wandelen-katharenpad
https://nl.france.fr/nl/occitanie-zuid-frankrijk
https://www.tourisme-corbieres-minervois.com/
https://www.minervois-caroux.com/en/inspire-me/the-must-sees.html
https://www.herault-tourisme.com/fr/decouvrir/nos-tops-plein-de-decouvertes
https://www.tipsfrankrijk.nl/ziendoen/middellandse-kust/herault/
Big events: https://www.cotedumidi.com/les-grands-evenements/