Things to See in the Languedoc:   The Mediterranean Coast

Four of the five Departements in the Languedoc-Roussillon border the Mediterranean Sea: the Aude,  Gard,  Hérault, and the Pyrénées-Orientales.  

The 110 miles of coastline is rich and varied, with long sandy beaches, marshlands and rocky outcrops.  The coastal plain is low and flat, so most of the litoral consists of sandy beaches. In places, salt water lagoons called étangs have formed, providing sites for wildlife and water sports.   In the Roussillon you will find cliff inlets of pink rock called calanques.

Coastal areas include

• the Camargue
• the Radiant Coast (Côte Radieuse)
• the Vermilion Coast (Côte Vermeille)

The Rhône delta influences not only the Camargue but most of the Languedoc coastline.   Only at Séte and Cap d'Agde do the mountains extend to the coast and create cliffs. Elsewhere, from the Pyrenees to the Rhône, beaches are sandy.   The coastline is dotted with fishing villages and former fishing villages of varying sizes.  

In the sixties a few purpose built holiday towns were built to challenge Spanish domination of the North European tourist business.   These towns demonstrate 60's architecture in its full horror.  La Grande Motte is a good (ie appalling) example.

For more on the Meditteanean coastal cities, towns and villagescoast, click here     
For Languedoc-Roussillon naturist beaches, click here
For Languedoc-Roussillon marinas, click here