Vineyards and garrigues | Montpellier Tourism

pic-st-loup-©Ch.RuizMontpellier3m-min.jpg

Vineyards and garrigues

There’s no lack of ideas for hikes in the Montpellier region and the myriad landscapes will enthral hardened ramblers and leisurely walkers alike.

Getting there

A few hiking suggestions in the area

Get away from it all in Baillargues, next door to Montpellier, on a 2.5 hr walk among manades (herds of bulls), garrigues and vineyards near Saint-Brès and Saint-Géniès-des-Mourgues.

Hortus mountain is quieter than neighbouring Pic Saint-Loup and it’s less steep too! There are lots of paths along the craggy cliffs. Why not head for Sussargues and unearth some hidden leafy gems?

Make a beeline for Domaine de Fondespierre in Castries with a 2 hr walk amongst vineyards, meadows and evergreen oaks. You could go for a shorter trail through the former quarries in a leafy setting along the River Bérange.

Le Sentier du Dragon wine hike trail was co-designed by the Héraut Hiking Federation and AOC Languedoc-Saint-Georges-d’Orques. It’s a fantastic walk through the garrigue, vineyards and old stones with the opportunity to meet passionate vine growers.

Climb to the top of the Pic Saint Loup

6km of signposted trails guide you to the top of Pic Saint-Loup in a land of iconic wine and beautiful nature. It takes around 2.5 hr there and back to hike the region’s iconic mountain. It’s worth it for the views at the top!

Pic-Saint-Loup towers 658m above the Montpellier garrigue. Hortus Mountain lies north with the Cévennes in the distance to the north west. The Nîmes Plain lies east with the Rhône Valley, Mont Ventoux, Alpilles and Luberon beyond and Camargue to the south east. Montpellier, the Mediterranean and its lagoon coast lie south. Last but not least, the Canigou and Corbières loom on the horizon to the south west. The diverse landscape will make the climb up feel like a breeze (wear good shoes).

Did you know ?

The north side of the mountain is a steep 150m cliff. There used to be a wooden cross on top of it which young women would stick a pin into and make a wish to be wed within a year. It was replaced by a metal cross in 1911 and young people still touch the brass nail at the bottom of it.

How to plan your Pic Saint Loup Hike?

Where to start?

We recommend parking on the village car park in Cazevieille on the D113. Start on the GT60 path with red and white markings.

Learn more

No car ?

Take the blue tram line 1 in Montpellier and get off at the Occitanie stop, at the tram car park take bus 615 (Montpellier > Quissac service: herault-transport.fr / +33 (0)4 34 888 999)
Get off at the first stop, Avenue de Montpellier, in Saint-Mathieu.

You can take the bus to Pic Saint Loup but it’s a longer and tougher hike than the path from Cazevieille! On the other hand, it’s quieter and shadier too.

Learn more

Useful Information

Don’t forget to bring bottles of water, sunglasses, a picnic, hats and suncream