Lodève
is set at the gateway to the l’Hérault National Park enjoying sunshine usually
for 300 days of the year. It is only about half an hour’s drive from the Cap
d’Agde Mediterranean resort area and about 40 minutes drive from the bustling
city of Montpellier with its hypermarkets, malls and historical sites.
The
town has a bustling market on Tuesdays and Saturdays with two well stocked
supermarkets. Everything is available in the town which has several good
“boulangeries” for bread and croissants and many restaurants catering for a wide
variety of tastes and pockets. Those who enjoy the ambiance of small French
towns should not miss Pézenas or Clermont l’Hérault especially on market day.
There are local vineyards and co-operatives, and, slightly to the east, are many
more wine producing areas. The l’Hérault is now reckoned to be one of the
largest wine producing areas in the world with some delightful wines at truly
remarkable prices.
There are English speaking doctors, dentists, pharmacists and all
the amenities which one hopes are never required. English newspapers are readily
available in the town centre where there is an English library, which means that
no English people need feel cut off in Lodève.
Lodève itself has a long history going back
beyond roman times to Neolithic remains. The cathedral of St Fulcran is medieval
as are many of the buildings in and around the town. There is a roman bridge and
fascinating museums and art galleries. The amount of historical detail visible
within the town is quite astonishing.
A
few miles to the south of the Lodève is Lake Salagou which has a wide variety of
water sports available for the more adventurous. For those wishing to walk or
cycle there are a great number of scenic routes to choose from.
If you prefer to visit places by car, then it would be a shame to miss the
Cirque de Navacelles, the village of St Guilhem le Désert and the village of
Mourèze. Golfers can also find a course to play near Bédarieux which is reached
via a beautiful drive through the hills to the west of Lodeve and then along the
River Orb valley which is a treat in itself.