Le Grau-du-Roi – Gard – Occitanie
About 25 min by car from our accommodation, to combine with the Aigues-Mortes salt marshes
Looking for accommodation near Le Grau-du-Roi for your holiday? In Lunel-Viel, 25 minutes from the resort, our holiday homes with a pool sleep 4 to 12: ideal for enjoying its beaches, then discovering the Camargue, Montpellier and Nîmes.
Between the Camargue and the Mediterranean, Le Grau-du-Roi was born around 1830 around the “grau”, Occitan for a channel between sea and lagoon, where fishermen settled, most of them from Italy. Fishing village, marina, lighthouses and the wild Espiguette beach: here are the places not to miss.
The fishing port is the heart of Le Grau-du-Roi, the leading trawler port on the French Mediterranean. Whatever the season, the return of the trawlers is always a sight to see.
Along the canal, small-scale fishermen sell their catch straight from the quays every morning of the year. Also try the local speciality, rouille graulenne, made with octopus, potatoes and aïoli.
The canal separates two atmospheres: on the right bank, the old-time holiday resort feel, with its 1930s façades and the Villa Parry, home to the tourist office; on the left bank, the fishing village spirit, with its shopping streets, market square and pedestrian lanes.
Built in 1827 and lit in 1829, the old lighthouse is the oldest in the region. Restored in 2019, it houses at its foot the Maison du Phare, a fun discovery space about the lighthouse and fishing, to share as a family (€3 from age 5).
With dunes up to 12 metres high and 10 kilometres of fine sand free of any building, the Espiguette is an exceptional wild beach, 10 minutes from the town centre. It is part of the Camargue Gardoise Grand Site de France.
Its 534 protected hectares are home to 109 bird species, 25 of them rare and protected: stay on the boardwalks and do not climb the very fragile dunes.
Recognisable by its square shape and black colour, the Espiguette lighthouse was first lit in 1869, 150 metres from the shore. With the wind and the build-up of sand, it now stands more than 700 metres from the sea.
It is reached on foot from the Baronnets natural car park, along a wooden boardwalk through the dunes. At the top of its 111 steps, the 360° view is spectacular.
With 5,000 boats moored all year round over 172 hectares and 10 kilometres of pontoons and quays, Port Camargue presents itself as the largest marina in Europe. Inspired by Florida, the architect Jean Balladur designed marinas where you moor your boat in front of your terrace.
A stroll along the quays, to the sound of clinking masts, is a must during your stay. Children will also love the Seaquarium, where seals and sea lions are fed in public.
About ten minutes away, the Aigues-Mortes salt marshes offer a spectacular landscape shaped by salt, wind and water, with pink expanses depending on the season. The salt marsh train offers a guided tour of about 1 hr 15 min.
An ideal outing to combine with a visit to the nearby medieval town of Aigues-Mortes.
Half a day between harbour and canal. Stroll along the canal from the fishing port to the old lighthouse, cross from one bank to the other, then treat yourself to a fish lunch on the quays.
A full day. In the morning, follow the same walk and stop by the fishermen’s stalls. In the afternoon, head to Espiguette beach and climb to the top of the lighthouse, then end with a stroll around Port Camargue before heading back to the villa, 25 minutes away.
By car, allow about 25 minutes to the centre of the resort. For the Espiguette, park at the Baronnets natural car park.
By train, Le Grau-du-Roi is lucky enough to have a station in the heart of town, linked to Nîmes, with a €1 ticket from Nîmes. From Lunel, take a TER to Nîmes, then the line to Le Grau-du-Roi.
The tourist office is at the Villa Parry, on the right bank. Two beaches in Le Grau-du-Roi allow dogs, and the arena hosts Camargue-style bull games from Easter to October.
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30 min by car
Looking for accommodation near Nîmes for your holiday? In Lunel-Viel, 30 minutes from the city, our holiday homes with a pool sleep 4 to 12: ideal for discovering Nîmes and its Roman monuments, then enjoying the Camargue and the beaches.
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.
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 holiday homes with a pool in Lunel-Viel, 25 minutes from Le Grau-du-Roi, are the ideal base for enjoying the beaches, then discovering the Camargue, Montpellier and Nîmes.
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
