If you want to discover in 15 days one of the most beautiful regions of the South of France, namely the coasts of Languedoc Roussillon in Occitanie , here is my road trip with itinerary + Google map of my tourist circuit.
This road trip from Montpellier to Perpignan passes, among other places, through Béziers, Narbonne, Carcassonne, will allow you to discover the magnificent Catalan coastline , the breathtaking landscapes of the Corbières , vestiges of the Cathar era as well as the mythical Canal du Midi.
Road trip from Montpellier to Perpignan - How long?
The Occitanie region can't be explored in just one week, even if you limit your road trip to the coastline between Montpellier and Perpignan . To truly enjoy discovering the Languedoc-Roussillon coast and its hinterland, a two-week road trip in the South of France is ideal . Of course, if you have three weeks or more, this itinerary will be even more interesting, enjoyable, and relaxing. But for 15 days , this route is perfectly suitable.
Road trip South of France - My essentials
To establish a coherent tourist itinerary allowing me to discover the most beautiful sites in my region by the sea in 15 days , I first had to select only the sites in Occitanie that seemed to me to be essential in the Mediterranean :
- Montpellier
- Sète
- Béziers,
- The Canal du Midi
- Narbonne
- Abbey Fontfroide
- Carcassonne
- Minerva
- Perpignan
- Collioure
- Salse the Castle
- Gruissan
Road trip South of France - Map of my itinerary
Mediterranean coast tour - Montpellier - DAY 1
My road trip begins in Montpellier, where you can take a stroll through the city center, hop on the tram to explore its charming little streets, its 17th and 18th-century mansions, the Place de la Comédie, the Opera House, the Arc de Triomphe, Saint Peter's Cathedral… See my 1-day Montpellier itinerary or my 2-day Montpellier itineraries
Recommended hotel in Montpellier: Palace of the Kings of Aragon
Mediterranean coast tour - Sète - DAY 2
Port of Bouzigues and Etang de Thau
This morning, you'll drive to Sète, which is only 30 km from Montpellier. But before visiting the city of Georges Brassens, I recommend a short trip to the Thau Lagoon with a stop at the port of Bouzigues.
You can visit the Thau Lagoon Museum (located on the fishing port quayside) and learn about the lives of the fishermen, shellfish farming, and everything related to the fishing industry. You can also take a boat trip to discover the oyster beds.
For lunch, you can enjoy the famous oysters and mussels of Bouzigues , raw or cooked in many different ways, in the restaurants or tasting bars that line the pond.
Visit of Sète
In the afternoon, you can explore Sète (see my walking tour itinerary for visiting Sète ):
- The Georges Brassens Museum
- The marina
- The Môle Saint-Louis
- The marine cemetery of Sète
And of course, you can also enjoy the magnificent long beach which stretches for nearly 12km from Sète to Marseillan.
Recommended hotel in Sète: Hotel Port Marine
Mediterranean coast tour - Agde - DAY 3
Agde, Cap d'Agde, Grau d'Agde and Tamarissière are frequented by many French and foreign holidaymakers who appreciate these very lively seaside resorts and their beautiful beaches which naturists adore.
But, Agde is also an ancient Greek city unique in Languedoc whose architecture is worth a visit. You can walk from the ramparts to the marina, along pretty alleys and charming little squares.
Recommended hotel in Agde: Hotel Le Belle Vue
Road trip in Occitania - Béziers + Canal du Midi - DAY 4
The Canal du Midi at the 9 Locks of Fonseranes
Today, departure early in the morning towards the 9 Locks of Fonseranes which is a space dedicated to the Canal du Midi just next to Béziers.
To enjoy the Canal and its 9 successive locks , you can choose to:
- go for a walk or bike along the canal,
- inform you about the history of this work,
- witness a passage of boats through the locks of Fonseranes,
- or go on a cruise along the water to let yourself be carried along the canal in the shade of the hundred-year-old plane trees ...
Several cruise companies will offer you to embark for an hour, a half-day or a whole day.
Béziers,
In the afternoon, you can visit Béziers with its Cathedral of Saint Nazaire, its municipal theater, the Saint Jacques church and its arenas.
Recommended hotel in Béziers: La Villa Rosa
Road trip in Occitanie - Narbonne - DAY 5
Today, why not spend the day in Charles Trenet's hometown?
Here are the main sites to visit in Narbonne:
- Les Halles
- The Archbishops Palace
- The archaeological museum
- Saint Just and Saint Pasteur cathedral
- The Robine canal
- Horreum
- Charles Trenet's house
At the end of the afternoon, enjoy one of the many beaches suitable for swimming ...
Recommended hotel in Narbonne: Hotel de France
Road trip in Occitanie - Fontfroide Abbey - DAY 6
In the heart of the Fontfroide massif, this Cistercian Abbey is a must-see tourist site. With its Romanesque, Gothic and classical architecture, its gardens and its isolated location in the Fontfroide massif, it is a real movie setting! Moreover, many films, documentaries and advertising campaigns are filmed there regularly.
You can visit it on your own or with a guide, discover its terraced gardens, the Saint-Fiacre enclosure and the rose garden. And to finish, why not a tasting of the AOC Corbières wines produced by the 40 hectares of vines of the abbey.
Your day can continue with a hike in the mountain range (free Fontfroide Insolite app to download).
Then at the end of the afternoon, you can take the road to Carcassonne where you arrive in 1 hour of journey.
Recommended hotel in Carcassonne: Hôtel de la Cité
Road trip in Occitanie - Carcassonne - DAY 7
Carcassonne
Another must-see site in Occitanie: The city of Carcassonne!
You can spend the morning visiting the largest fortress in Europe: the Count's Castle, the Saint-Louis bastide, the Saint-Nazaire basilica, the Théâtre de la Cité, the ramparts and the Porte Narbonnaise.
Minerva
In the afternoon, why not explore Minerve, which is an hour's drive from Carcassonne? Perched on a rocky spur overlooking the gorges of the Cesse and Brian rivers, the town of Minerve is magnificent.
This Cathar city, which gave its name to the Minervois region, is classified among the most beautiful villages in France.
Then you will come back to Carcassonne to spend the night there.
Road trip in Occitanie - Les Corbières - DAY 8
The Corbières massif stretches from the gates of Carcassonne to Leucate and from the foothills of the Pyrenees to the foot of the Montagne Noire. It is a region of vineyards, with a great diversity of landscapes and Cathar vestiges.
Today, we will head towards Limoux , then discover the Cathar fortresses of Peyrepertuse and Puilaurens , picturesque villages with narrow streets like that of the famous Curé de Cucugnan and the Château de Quéribus.
When you leave, why not stop at an estate to taste the famous Corbières wines.
You will arrive at the end of the day in Perpignan where you will spend the night.
Recommended hotel in Perpignan: Best Western Plus Windsor
Mediterranean coast tour - Perpignan - DAY 9
A day spent visiting the city of Perpignan, which Salvador Dali called the Centre of the World . Rich in a strong Catalan cultural identity and a heritage designated as a City of Art and History , Perpignan is a city that I am particularly fond of.
To visit it, start from the Promenade des Platanes then head towards Casa Xanxo, one of the rare Gothic houses in Perpignan. You will then visit Saint-Jean Cathedral and the Museum of Fine Arts, not to mention the Palace of the Kings of Majorca.
If you have some time left, you can take the car to discover the small village of Tautavel, 30 kilometers from Perpignan.
If the Roussillon region and the Catalan coast appeal to you, discover my 1-week tour around Perpignan!
Mediterranean coast tour - Collioure - DAY 10
Early departure to discover a little gem of the Mediterranean coast 26 km from the Spanish border: Collioure.
Adored by painters, its decor is charming and picturesque: royal castle overlooking the sea, small beaches, café terraces, colorful facades, a small port nestled in a cove and a pretty bell tower with a pink dome!
Recommended hotel in Collioure: Hotel Le Bon Port
Road trip South of France - Salse le Château - DAY 11
Today, the ideal will be to enjoy Collioure a little more, to have lunch there on the terrace of a restaurant and to hit the road at the beginning of the afternoon.
Salses-le-Chateau
It will take you around 1 hour drive to get to Salses le Château. Along the way, I advise you to stop at Rivesaltes to buy some of its AOC natural sweet wine.
Arrived in Salses, you can visit the castle which dates from the 15th and 16th century. The only example of Spanish architecture on French territory, it is very well preserved and constitutes a beautiful military fortress.
Beaches of La Franqui and Coussoules
Then you will take the road again towards the beaches of La Franqui and Coussoules, which in my opinion are the two most beautiful on the Languedoc coast (be careful, there is usually a lot of wind).
Recommended hotel in La Franqui: Hotel de la plage
Road trip South of France - Reserve of Sigean - DAY 12
From La Franqui, the Réserve Africaine de Sigean is only a half-hour drive away. The best thing is to go there for half a day and return in the afternoon to La Franqui to enjoy the sun and the beach ...
This reserve, which has more than 3800 animals, covers approximately 300 hectares. It can be visited by car following a "safari" circuit which allows you to see the animals as if they were in their natural environment.
Road trip South of France - Gruissan - DAY 13
Gruissan
Gruissan is a seaside resort that Jean-Jacques Beinex's film 37 ° 2 le matin has made known to the general public. The beach of the chalets where the film was played stretches over 2 km of fine sand with lines of wooden chalets on stilts.
But, Gruissan is also an old village with its Barbarossa tower which stands in the middle of the ponds facing the Mediterranean and which is worth the detours.
La Clape
If you don't want to be lizards all day, I recommend a short hike in the Massif de la Clape right next to Gruissan (10-15 km).
Protected area, natural and wild, this massif of the Clape is a marvel. Depending on the trails, you can gain height and have a panoramic view of the entire coast, the ponds and the village of Gruissan.
Recommended hotel in Gruissan: Alcôve Marine
Road trip South of France - Return to Montpellier - DAY 14
To finish this route and return to Montpellier, it will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes by car. But if you have time, you can continue with my little road trip in the Camargue!
Hotel in Montpellier
Recommended hotel in Montpellier: Palace of the Kings of Aragon
Need other road trip ideas in France?
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Occitania in unusual accommodation
The Arcachon basin and Cap Ferret