Food destinations within easy reach of Montpellier, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Montpellier, worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for Tielle sétoise, macaronade, bourride de baudroie and the quayside seafood restaurants of the Canal Royal
Sète is the Italian-accented fishing port half an hour from Montpellier, home of the tielle, the octopus and tomato tourte that defines the Hérault coast.
Direct TER from Montpellier Saint-Roch to Sète, roughly every half hour, about 25 to 30 minutes
Famous for Bouzigues oysters and mussels eaten at a working mas on the lagoon with a glass of Picpoul
The Étang de Thau spreads oyster tables across 7,500 hectares of tideless lagoon, and the mas between Bouzigues and Marseillan sell them from the water.
Drive the A9 then the D613 towards Mèze; TER to Sète or Balaruc then a short local bus or taxi
Famous for Petits pâtés de Pézenas, the sweet-and-savoury lamb pastries, plus the striped berlingot sweets
Pézenas bakes 250,000 petits pâtés a year, spool-shaped lamb pastries sweetened with lemon and brown sugar, a recipe the town has held since the 1700s.
Drive the A9 to Pézenas, or take the regional bus from Montpellier towards Béziers
Famous for Noilly Prat vermouth aged outdoors in oak, plus oyster tables along the Marseillan shore
Noilly Prat has aged vermouth in the open air at Marseillan since Louis Noilly built the chais in 1850, and the tour ends at a bar pouring all four.
Drive the A9 then the D51 to Marseillan; TER to Sète then a local bus around the lagoon
Famous for Shellfish straight off the lagoon at the port, plus the conchylicole zone that supplies Montpellier
Mèze is the working shellfish town of the Étang de Thau, a port where the oyster and mussel boats unload and the quayside kitchens cook the catch.
Drive the A9 then the D613; regional buses run from Montpellier towards Mèze and Bouzigues
Famous for Beach-front seafood, grilled fish and plateaux de fruits de mer on the canal quays
Palavas-les-Flots is the seaside village Montpellier treats as its beach, a canal lined with seafood terraces twenty minutes from the city centre.
Tram line 3 to Pérols Étang de l'Or then bus 131, or cycle the 12 km riverside path along the Lez
Famous for Terrasses du Larzac reds from the limestone terraces below the causse, tasted at village domaines
The Terrasses du Larzac appellation climbs the limestone shelves north-west of Montpellier, cool-night reds tasted at village cellars 45 minutes out.
Drive the A750 towards Lodève; the appellation villages spread between Aniane, Jonquières and Saint-Privat
Day trip · 5 hours
Discover the charm of Pic Saint Loup on this guided tour from Montpellier. Taste local wines, visit two wineries (only one if it is sunday) and savor a delicious meal ...
Day trip · 3.5 hours
In a typically Mediterranean landscape, discover two of the region’s greatest treasures on this unforgettable half-day experience combining fine wines, fresh oysters, ...
Musement · 4 hours
Explore the Bassin de Thau, the largest lagoon in Occitanie, on a 1-hour walking tour through the picturesque fishing district of Pointe Courte in Sète and enjoy a bre...
