Located about ten kilometers from the town of Béziers, Colombiers is a commune in the department of Hérault in the Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées region. The village, which is particularly welcoming in summer, seems just the place for a short break full of charm and relaxation.
From Colombiers
Colombiers is enhanced by a charming marina where all the village's activities are concentrated. Restaurants, shops, theaters and various businesses are located side by side. The marina definitely adds a lot of charm to the city. Short trips on the Canal du Midi can be organized. Give in to the temptation of a yacht charter in Colombiers and discover its landscapes at your leisure. Set a course for Poilhes and then Capestang and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.
You can also reach Sérignan via Vendres and Valras. Sérignan beach is ideal for a quick dip, but also for more energetic activities such as diving, sailing and even sea kayaking. If you choose to stay in Colombiers, treat yourself to a little gastronomic break. Sample the bourride sétoise, the Tielle sétoise or the petit pâté de Pézenas in one of the harbor restaurants. For a cultural and natural discovery, opt for a hike to the Ensérune archaeological site. You will walk along the old Montady pond, which promises a magnificent change of scenery. From the oppidum of Ensérune, a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside awaits you. In addition to Ensérune, the Cirque de Mourèze, located 40 km from Colombiers, is a natural site not to be missed. Its beautiful panoramas are well worth the detour!
Visiting monuments
The village of Colombiers also has a number of interesting historical sites to visit. The church of Saint-Sylvestre-Sainte-Colombe is particularly interesting, with its Visigothic altar, which is listed as a historical monument. The altar bears witness to the Visigothic, Romanesque and modern periods that have left their mark on the church. The cellar of the Château de Colombiers, built in 1870, will give you an insight into the richness of the Languedoc vineyards. In short, nature lovers and those with a penchant for beautiful old architecture will quickly find what they are looking for during their stay in Colombiers!
France river navigation Colombiers towards West: 7
Colombiers (in Occitan Colombièrs) is a commune located in the department of Hérault at the foot of the ancient oppidum of Ensérune and in a meander of the Canal du Midi. This small town has many tourist and cultural attractions to offer: the cellar of the castle, the Col du Malpas (three tunnels, including the famous Tunnel des Moines), the dry pond of Montady-Colmbiers and the church of Saint Sylvestre.
Practical information
- Starting point: Colombiers
- Arrival point: Colombiers
- Total km: 200 km
- Total Hours: 2 h 42 min
- Total Locks: 22 Locks
Summary of your itinerary
Colombiers >>> Malpas Tunnel (1 km / 0 hr 07 min / 0 locks)
The Malpas tunnel was dug in 1679-1680 under the hill of Ensérune in the Hérault, to allow the passage of the Canal du Midi. It was the first tunnel to be dug to allow the passage of a canal. Length: 73m Width: 8.5m Height: 6m Beneath the Malpas tunnel are two other tunnels whose paths cross (at different levels), a gallery dating from the 13th century that was dug to allow for the drainage of themontady pond and a railway tunnel dug in the 19th century to allow passage of the Béziers-Narbonne railway line.
Malpas Tunnel >>> Poilhes (5 km / 0 hr 38 min / 0 Locks)
Poilhes is a small French village located below the Ensérune oppidum. Close to the Capestang lake, the landscaped banks in the heart of the village provide an opportunity to take a break in an authentic setting. You can see the Sully elm (a venerable shaft planted in 1608), as well as Roman remains. Curiously, there are two English cannons on display on the bank of the Canal du Midi.
Poilhes >>> Capestang (6 km / 0 hr 45 min / 0 Locks)
Capestang is an Occitan and rugby land, but it is also the jewel of the Languedoc wine-growing plain. The castle of the archbishops of Narbonne (their summer residence) and the collegiate church of Saint Stephen are other attractions of the town. The town's bell tower rises to a height of 43 meters and dominates the town. Its ambitious construction was scaled back after the terrible epidemic of the Black Death that ravaged France during the Middle Ages.
Capestang >>> Cuxac-d'Aude (19.5 km / 2 hrs 26 mins / 0 locks)
Cuxac-d'Aude is a French commune located in the department of Aude. The church of Saint-Martin, classified as a historic monument in 1983, is an interesting place to stop.
Cuxac-d'Aude >>> Le Somail (2.5 km / 0 hr 18 min / 0 locks)
Le Somail is a hamlet that gained its reputation in conjunction with the construction of the Canal du Midi. It was developed as a stopping place, in particular with the hamlet's inn, and a port specifically for this use. There is an old horseshoe-shaped stone deck, as well as the "glacière", a vaulted circular building with two levels separated by a floor (the only one remaining on the Canal du Midi).
Le Somail >>> Paraza (9 km / 1 hr 07 min / 0 locks)
Paraza is a small village, but you can visit its very beautiful church in its small historic center: Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption as well as the Répudre canal deck.
Paraza >>> Roubia (2 km / 0 hr 15 min / 0 Locks)
You pass the Canal du Midi at Roubia via the Argens lock (which is the busiest on the canal). Because after the Canal is characterized by the absence of locks until Béziers. You can also see the Répudre aqueduct.
Roubia >>> Argens-Minervois (4 km / 0 hr 45 min / 1 lock)
Argens-Minervois is a French commune, located in the department of Aude and the Languedoc-Roussillon region. The village is crossed by the Canal du Midi. Its inhabitants are called the Argenais. Commune located in the Minervois on the Canal du Midi.
Argens-Minervois >>> Homps (6 km / 1 hr 45 min / 4 locks)
Homps is a small, friendly village in Languedoc, a former stop on the Roman road. It is renowned for its wine and is also home to the Maison du Vin Minervois. The Roman heritage is therefore present, but there is a significant legacy of the orders of the Hospitallers and then the Knights of Malta (the tower and chapel of the village). The Lac de Jouarnes and its water sports center provide an opportunity for relaxation and family fun.
Homps >>> La Redorte (6 km / 1 hr 00 min / 1 locks)
A commune in the Minervois on the Canal du Midi at the confluence of the Aude and the Argent-Double. This village is built around its 18th-century castle. You can also discover the Argent-Double weir, which allows the hydraulic functioning of the canal, and the Dînée, a former stop for boatmen and travelers.
The return trip > Marseillette (12 km / 2 hrs 45 mins / 5 locks)
Marseillette is located in the urban area of Carcassonne between Trèbes and Puichéric. You can visit the Clock Tower which dominates the village.
Marseillette >>> Colombiers (127 km / 11 h 51 min / 11 locks)
Colombiers (Colombièrs in Occitan) is a commune in the Hérault department at the foot of the ancient oppidum of Ensérune and in a meander of the Canal du Midi. This small town has many tourist and cultural attractions to offer: the cellar of the castle, the Col du Malpas (three tunnels, including the famous Tunnel des Moines), the dry pond of Montady-Colmbiers and the church of Saint Sylvestre.
France river navigation Colombiers towards East: 7
Practical information
- Base of departure: Colombiers
- Arrival base: Colombiers
- Total km: 160 km
- Total Hours: 26 hrs 42 mins
- Total Locks: 30 Locks
Summary of your itinerary
Colombiers >>> Béziers (8 km / 3 hrs 00 mins / 8 locks)
Béziers is a French commune located in the department of Hérault (Languedoc-Roussillon). Béziers is famous for its wine, rugby union and the feria, a festival that takes place every August around the 15th and attracts around a million participants. The main tourist attractions in Béziers are the historic center and the 9 locks of Fonséranes, which have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Béziers >>> Villeneuve-Lès-Béziers (6 km / 1 hr 40 min / 3 Locks)
Villeneuve-Lès-Béziers has retained its authentic charm while being a dynamic town, very close to its big sister Béziers. The town is close to the Cévennes and the Haut Languedoc Regional Nature Park. The town hall organizes weekly activities for residents and visitors, ideal when you are short of ideas.
Villeneuve-Lès-Béziers >>> Portiragnes (8 km / 1 hr 15 min / 1 locks)
In Portiragnes you will appreciate its heritage, its beach, its folklore and its traditions, which make it a village where life is good. Don't miss the archaeological museum (remains dating from the Neolithic period).
Portiragnes >>> Vias (5 km / 0 hr 37 min / 0 Locks)
Vias is a French commune, located in the department of Hérault (Languedoc-Roussillon). Vias is located close-hauled to Béziers, and is practically linked to Vias-plage, which touches the seabed. Located about 10 minutes from Agde by car, Vias is a small wine-growing village with a strong historical heritage and six beacon-marked mountain bike trails.
Vias >>> Agde (4 km / 0 hr 30 min / 0 Locks)
Agde is a French commune located in the department of Hérault and in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. The town of Agde, sometimes nicknamed "the black pearl of the Mediterranean" because of its monuments built in basalt stone, has a long history. Founded in the 6th century BC by Phocaeans from Marseille, it was the seat of an bishopric from the year 500 until the Revolution. Faced with the bishop, who had held the temporal power of the viscount of Agde since the 12th century, the city was very early, around the beginning of the 13th century, administeredby Consuls, a forerunner of the modern municipalities. A port city since Antiquity, favored towards the end of the 17th century by the opening of the Canal du Midi, Agde derived most of its income from maritime trade and fishing for a long time. The town suffered the decline of its port on the Hérault, five kilometers from the sea, outclassed by that of Sète from the arrival of steamships.
Agde >>> Les Onglous (8 km / 1 hr 44 min / 3 locks)
The Pointe des Onglous is a place in its own right, where the canal joins the lagoon. A lighthouse beacons the exit from the canal, and for good reason, as there are a number of shipwrecks whose sunken hulls have been taken over by mussels. For nature lovers, a hiking trail runs along the Pointe des Onglous.
Les Onglous >>> Marseillan (1 km / 0 hr 05 min / 0 locks)
Marseillan is a typical fishing village in the region because it is located on the side of the Thau lagoon while retaining its Mediterranean characteristics. The history of the village is marked by the settlement of the Greeks on the coast, then by Roman rule and all the other forms of cultural mix that the region subsequently experienced. Its inhabitants have been able to take advantage of the natural resources offered by the lake or the vineyards. In summer, pleasure boaters come to the shores of the pond to relax and enjoy the milder weather.
Marseillan >>> Méze (9 km / 0 hr 45 min / 0 locks)
Mèze is the oldest town in the Bassin de Thau, and was founded by the Phocaeans in the 6th century BC. Having successively been a refuge, a trading post and a place of residence, the town has had a number of occupants. For a long time limited to agriculture and fishing, the economy of Mézoe opened up to maritime trade around the 16th century. There is an unparalleled wealth of heritage here, and you can take advantage of it (recent archaeological excavations, museums) as well as tasting local wines.
Méze >>> Bouzigues (5 km / 0 hr 25 min / 0 locks)
The birthplace of shellfish farming, Bouzigues is a charming little village that lives mainly from the farming of oysters and mussels and from the growing tourism industry. A small, typically Mediterranean fishing village, Bouzigues has managed to retain its traditions and its old-world charm. Don't miss a visit to the Étang de Thau museum.
Bouzigues >>> Sète (2 km / 0 hr 10 min / 0 locks)
Sète was founded three centuries ago around the port created by Colbert's decision to open up Languedoc to the Mediterranean. The port is magnificent, with its cargo ships, trawlers and sailboats; it is located in the heart of the city. As you walk along the quays and cross some of the fourteen decks, you will encounter the entire Mediterranean. Sète is also famous for its marine cemetery and its illustrious guests, not to mention the Nationale road that connects it to Paris. Entrance to the port from the west
Sète >>> Frontignan (6 km / 0 hr 45 min / 0 locks)
Frontignan-la-Peyrade and its inhabitants have been intimately and passionately anchored to the Mediterranean for several centuries, first as a fishing port, then as a commercial port and now as a marina. 600 berths
Frontignan >>> Palavas les Rising Tides (18 km / 2 hrs 25 mins / 0 Locks)
An extraordinary port of call, located in the bay of Aigues Morte, 10 minutes from Montpellier, the port of Palavas is at the heart of the resort. The canal lives to the rhythm of the sun and traditional fishing is still present. The Port of Palavas is at the point of environmental concerns, labeled as a "clean port", it offers boaters all the necessary equipment to respect the environment.
Palavas les Rises >>> Colombiers (80 km / 13 hrs 21 mins / 15 locks)
Colombiers (Colombièrs in Occitan) is a commune in the Hérault department at the foot of the ancient oppidum of Ensérune and in a meander of the Canal du Midi. This small town has many tourist and cultural attractions to offer: the cellar of the castle, the Col du Malpas (three tunnels, including the famous Tunnel des Moines), the dry pond of Montady-Colmbiers and the church of Saint Sylvestre.
Good to know
| Number of boats available | 1 190 |
|---|---|
| Average price per week | $2,436 |
| Minimum weekly price | $794 |
| Maximum price per week | $4,662 |