The Herault is a spectacular Department in the Languedoc Region of France. It gets it’s name from the beautiful River Herault, which meanders through it.
The French, when it comes to where they would most like to live, permanent or retirement, opt for the Herault, it’s their favorite location in all of France! Many buy homes in the area and house prices are rising steadly. Lots of foreigners have also discovered this and bought vacation or permanent homes in this tranquil area, where the main concern of the day can often be “what will I do today?” The pace is slower, the food healthier, life expectancy is longer, the worries are less…yes it’s tough.
Real estate prices are still pretty reasonable, in the Languedoc region, making it a good time to buy. You can choose from a chalet, apartment, village/town house, or luxury villa with swimming pool. Prices vary, depending on how close to the sea or a particular town or village. Each village or town has Estate Agent’s Offices (Immobiliers) with plenty of photos in their windows, call in and have a chat, more than likely they’ll show you properties that same day.
When buying real estate in France you can save paying the agents fee’s. Just travel around and find properties being sold privately by their owners. In most cases you will see a hand written sign saying “A Vendre”. If you have the time, travel from town to village looking for your potential dream home, if possible staying overnight, meeting the locals and experiencing the place.
It’s easy to understand why the Herault is so popular. Montpellier is the major city in this department, with it’s international airport and first class train service, this beautiful historical and modern city, offers an abundance of places to see and things to do, it’s a great base and starting point to commence your exploration of the area, be it by car or rail.
The major towns and villages of Beziers, Marseillan, Sete, Agde, Meze, Pezenas and lots more, each with their own unique style and character are all within an hours journey by rail or car.
You can experience the breath taking landscape of small villages nestled and embraced by dramatic mountains and vineyards. Take a stroll along the many rivers and canals, relax on the banks of the Canal du Midi watching the colorful barges quietly float by. Let the day drift along, picnicking on the shores of serene lakes.
The Herault Department is well known for its miles and miles of clean, sandy, sun drenched Mediterranean beaches. With over 300 days of sunshine per year it’s a magnet for holiday makers, especially the French themselves, (need I say more?)
Every village and town in the Herault has at least one market a week, selling breads, cheeses, meats, fish and vegetables along with clothes, bric a brac and the kitchen sink. They are lively and colorful events with plenty of bargains. No matter how small the village or town you’re in, you’ll find copious amounts of shopping malls, nearby or a short distance away.
For the young and not so young, there’s plenty of things to keep you occupied. Theme and safari parks, water sports, cycling/walking trails, museums, galleries, golf, tours, bullfighting and the best cuisine and wines in the world. Visit some super ancient castles, forts and chateaux, marvel at the original roman viaducts bridges and towers, still in a state of great preservation. Walking around the villages your sense of smell will be charged by the local cuisine…bon appetite.
The Herault in the South of France is certainly well worth a visit and is definitely a great place to buy a home!
By: John Keating
Posts Tagged ‘Languedoc Region’
Life in the South of France
October 27th, 2009Buying A Home In South France
October 21st, 2009The South of France is a popular place to buy a home. It’s easy to understand why…it has so much to offer!
A problem for many is deciding where to buy. A really good choice at the moment has to be the Languedoc Region. It oozes charm! In Languedoc a wonderful place to buy in is Agde.
So let’s discover why Agde is a great place to buy a home in or just to visit…
Agde is the 2nd. oldest city in France and is situated on the banks of the River Herault, in the Languedoc Region, in the south of France. This beautiful city was first inhabited, by the Greeks, 2600 years ago. 2 miles from the Mediterranean sea, Agde is situated just below “Le Mont Saint Loup”, an ancient volcano. The basalt rock, quarried from here, was used to build most of the buildings in the narrow roads and lanes. It was also used for the dramatic fortress cathedral, “Saint Etienne”, which was built in the 12th. century on the foundations of a 5th. century Roman church.
The old city, is steeped in tradition and culture. It has an abundance of “good value for money” restaurants and cafes, with bustling outdoor weekly markets and fetes. The city is colorful and alive with atmosphere, especially during the summer months when there’s plenty of wonderful things to see and do, you’ll be spoiled for choice! People buying homes here love the ancient and rustic character of the place. Many buy property needing total renovation – there are grants available for restoration of the ancient buildings – check with the local Mairie.
On the other side of the volcano, sits the area known as Cap d’Agde, it’s the largest purpose built holiday resort in Europe (Built in 1970’s). It consists of holiday apartment blocks, all types of restaurants, shops, night clubs, hotels and plenty of attractions for children. Many sun drenched fine sandy beaches grace this scenic spot and it attracts 1000’s upon 1000’s of visitors from all corners of the globe each year. This is an ideal spot to buy a vacation home. Cap d’Agde also has Naturist Quarter popular with visitors from all over Europe.
Two miles from the old city, up the River Herault (still in the commune of Agde) you will find Grau d’Agde, a small holiday village. With plenty of restaurants, shops, bars, markets and a super clean beach, it’s a calm mini holiday area to relax and let the day drift slowly by. This area is also popular for holiday homes.
Across the river (2 minutes by ferry) lies the tranquil village of La Tamarissiere. This village is unique, it has its very own pine forest along its golden beach. The village has camping sites, restaurants, bars, shops and markets. This is an exclusive part of Agde, still relatively undiscovered, perfect for those seeking quality. Property prices are likely to rise steeply here over the coming years.
Agde, with its 22000 inhabitants, has much to offer. Many wonderful sea, river and canal boat trips depart from Agde. Water sports, horse trekking, bus tours, walks, fine hotels and restaurants emitting mouth watering aromas, catering for every taste. It is also an ideal base if you wish to travel and see some of the most fantastic cities, towns and villages in this beautiful region of France. From Agde Train Station, you can be in Montpellier in 30 minutes, Beziers in 10 minutes. Narbonne, Carcassonne and Perpignan cities, are a little further on and if you wish to visit Paris, it’s only 4 hours by fast train. If you’re traveling by car, you’ll find the roads in super condition and well sign posted. It is also within easy distance of Spain.
Visiting Agde will be an experience and you’ll leave with a lot of fond vivid memories. Maybe you’ll return and buy your dream home there!
By: John Keating
