Overlooking the Domitian Way and the marvellous Hérault valley, Castelnau-de-Guers, a land of escape and outdoor sports, will delight the most sporty holidaymakers and nature lovers.
Charming town located in the balcony of the Hérault valley, Castelnau-de-Guers is 8 kilometres from the Etang de Thau and only 30 minutes from the most beautiful and lively beaches of Cap d'Agde. A land of history and nature, the commune's origins go back a long, long way, as the presence of men on its territory has been attested as far back as Prehistory, as proven by the many treasures unearthed during excavations. Among these treasures, you will notably find Etruscan white marble tombs dating from the 6th century BC, now exhibited in the Louvre and whose exact copy can be found in the town hall of the village. But what will undeniably have most marked Castelnau-de-Guers is the Middle Ages. From its rich past, this medieval village keeps above all the outlines: established at the foot of its castle, the village was once protected by a thick wall, of which it still preserves some beautiful vestiges today, which you can discover by walking through its tangled alleys. The Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower) topped by its 1609 bell, but also the Sainte-Anne gate and the Minerve gate are the current witnesses of this ancient enclosure. It is impossible to talk about Castelnau-de-Guers without mentioning its castle: a very old feudal building, rebuilt many times over the centuries, it preserves from its original structure the remains of its doors, its drawbridge, its superb mullioned windows, its loopholes and its crenellated facade. Attached to the castle, the Romanesque castral church is an architectural marvel to be seen: with its splendid ornate façade and interior decorations, it is one of the jewels of the castle. Moreover, and this is not negligible, it offers its curious visitors, day and night, incredible views of the fertile plains of the Hérault below.
During your stay, and to complete your discovery of the local heritage, we also recommend that you stop off at the 14th-century Saint-Sulpice church, built in southern Gothic style, or hike towards the ruins of the Saint-Antoine du Lac hermitage: a well-known walking site in the region, it is particularly worth the detour for its magnificent panoramas. Not far from the latter, the site of the "fairy's lodge" is also worth a visit: a lunar landscape as if straight out of the imagination, this geological formation more than 50 million years old fascinates for its astonishing beauty. Made of several layers of sandstone with rounded shapes, the red rock of this site, as if speckled, gives it a mystical air, which over the centuries has inspired many legends. One of these legends says that on full moon nights, fairies would come and wash their clothes in the reddish water of the stones, before drying them on the rocks. Who knows... Maybe you will meet them during your stay!
Finally, after hiking along the banks of the Hérault river and on the "Circuit Saint-Antoine" through the pine forest and the garrigue, after visiting its neighbour of Pézenas, take a tour through the Dinosaur Museum and the magnificent Abbey of Sainte-Marie de Valmagne. The Thau Lagoon and the beaches of Cap d'Agde will complete your stay, allowing you to practice many water activities ranging from kayaking to kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing and scuba diving.
