Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert – Hérault – Occitanie
About 1 hour by car from our accommodation
Looking for accommodation near Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert for your holiday? In Lunel-Viel, about an hour from the village, our accommodation with pool welcomes 4 to 12 guests: ideal for discovering Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert and the Hérault gorges, then enjoying Montpellier, Nîmes and the beaches.
Listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of France, in the heart of the Hérault gorges Grand Site de France, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is a stop on the Way of St James. Here are the places not to miss.
A jewel of Languedoc Romanesque art, Gellone Abbey holds the relics of Saint Guilhem. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela.
Admire its Romanesque apse set against the mountain, then continue your visit with the cloister, the museum and the village.
The museum, housed in the former refectory, tells the story of the cloister, part of which is now on display in New York.
Under the Romanesque arches, time seems to stand still: a peaceful moment to share with the family.
Romanesque façade, Maison Lorimy, the prison tower, the Giant’s castle: the medieval village is best discovered through its lanes and little shops.
On the village square, an imposing plane tree planted in 1855 gives shade next to a fountain: the village is said to have around fifteen of them, a sign of how present water is here.
Built in the 11th century and said to be the oldest Romanesque bridge in France, the Devil’s Bridge is also UNESCO-listed. Monks and pilgrims used it to travel between Gellone Abbey and Aniane Abbey.
Today it overlooks a beach at the mouth of the gorges, with lifeguard-supervised swimming in summer. Nearby, the Passerelle des Anges footbridge, designed by Rudy Ricciotti, leads to it along a footpath.
Between vineyards and olive groves, the Hérault gorges form a Grand Site de France, linked to the Salagou-Mourèze and Cirque de Navacelles sites.
Swimming, riverside walks and a tasty break at the Maison du Grand Site: plenty to round off your visit, with a glass of IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert or AOC Terrasses du Larzac for the grown-ups.
Famous for the abundance and variety of its formations, stalactites, straws and crystal draperies, the Clamouse cave is visited with a guide, with a sound and light show.
Children love the legend behind its name, told during the visit. The cave is served by the free Grand Site shuttles from the Devil’s Bridge car park.
Half a day in the village. Park at the Devil’s Bridge car park, take the shuttle to the village, visit Gellone Abbey and its cloister, then stroll to the square and its plane tree.
A full day. In the morning, the abbey and the village. In the afternoon, visit the Clamouse cave, then enjoy the beach at the Devil’s Bridge before returning to the villa, about an hour away.
By car, allow about an hour from Lunel-Viel. As traffic and parking are restricted in the village, park at the Devil’s Bridge car park (day rate) and take the free Grand Site shuttles to the village, the Clamouse cave and Saint-Jean-de-Fos.
By coach, from Montpellier, liO line 668 serves Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert.
The Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert – Vallée de l’Hérault tourist office can advise you on visits, shuttles and swimming spots.
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50 min by car
Looking for accommodation near Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer for your holiday? In Lunel-Viel, 50 minutes from the village, our accommodation with pool welcomes 4 to 12 guests: ideal for discovering the Camargue, then enjoying Montpellier, Nîmes and the beaches.
1 hr by car
Looking for accommodation near Avignon for your holiday? In Lunel-Viel, about an hour from the city, our accommodation with pool welcomes 4 to 12 guests: ideal for discovering Avignon and Provence, then enjoying Montpellier, Nîmes and the beaches.
25 min by car
Looking for accommodation near Aigues-Mortes for your holiday? In Lunel-Viel, 25 minutes from the walled town, our holiday homes with a pool sleep 4 to 12: ideal for discovering Aigues-Mortes and the Camargue, then enjoying the beaches, Montpellier and Nîmes.
Our accommodation with pool in Lunel-Viel, about an hour from Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, is the ideal base for discovering the Hérault, then enjoying Montpellier, Nîmes and the beaches.
In a villa sleeping 12 or an apartment sleeping 4 or 8, enjoy a peaceful stay.
Accommodation for up to 12 guests
from 100 € / night
