The market town of Lodève lies in a valley surrounded by vineyards (our house is on the site of a former vineyard). There are several restaurants in the town as well as bars, cafes, and take-aways. There are butchers, a fishmonger, excellent bakers, and shops selling locally sourced produce. There are several supermarkets, including a useful 8 a Huit in the centre of Lodève, Netto, a SuperU, a new Intermarché a five minute drive away, and a HyperU at Clermont l’Herault.
Lodève market fills much of the town centre on Saturday mornings and is an excellent place to buy seasonal local produce. You can buy paella to take back for lunch, and there are specialist charcuterie and olive stalls. Several wine makers put in an appearance.
Lodève is becoming an important cultural centre, with an art gallery (the Musée Fleury) with exhibitions of national calibre, and an annual poetry festival. There are concerts at many venues around the area in the summer.
Around and about
- Clermont l’Herault, a 20 minute drive away, has a 13th century Gothic cathedral and a Wednesday morning market.
- Nearby is the Lac du Salagou which offers a range of water sports.
- To the north lies the Cévennes National Park, to the south Montpellier and the coast, to the west the hills of the Haut Languedoc with the Massif de l’Espinouse.
- Visit the nearby Pic St Baudille, Cirque de Navacelles and the Cirque du Bout du Monde for spectacular views.
- You are 40 minutes from the Mediterranean with resorts ranging from the custom-built La Grande Motte to fishing ports such as Palavas-les-Flots, Marseillan Plage or Sète. Aqualand at Cap d'Agde is great fun.
- There is canoeing on the River Hérault
- There are walks of varying lengths and difficulty in the area - Lodève is on the GR7, and was a stage on the ancient walks leading on the pilgrimage of St Jacques of Compostella
- There are golf courses nearby.
Historical interest
- There are many churches and monasteries dating back to the Middle Ages,and ruins of Cathar fortresses.
- Picturesque old villages and towns to discover include Pézenas (home of Molière), Béziers, St Guilhem le Desert and St Martin de Londres. Many people prefer the nearby medieval village of La Couvertoirade to Carcassonne.
- Le Prieure Saint-Michel de Grandmont, a XIIth century monastery, is on the hills above Lodève.
- Find out more in the books that are in the house.