Clermont-l'Herault travel guide
Visit Clermont-l'Herault (Occitanie, France)
Photo Gallery Book a visitThe town of Clermont-l'Herault is 48 kilometres from the vibrant city of Montpellier and 40 kilometres from the sea. The town sits in a pleasant location surrounded by vines and olive trees and gentle rolling hills.
Explore Clermont-l'Herault
The centre of Clermont-l'Herault is dominated by its large church. The church of Saint-Paul was begun in the 12th century and completed in the 14th century. It is built in the Gothic style and has a huge rose window in its front facade.
There is also a chapel in the town, 'Les Penitents', which is built in the southern gothic style and is now home to a cultural centre for Clermont-l'Herault.
The town centre is pleasant rather than remarkable with a reasonable smattering of bars and restaurants. It is not really a tourist destination in itself but is a useful base for exploring the Cirque de Moureze and the Lac du Salagou nearby.
Above the town you can see the remains of the town's 12th century feudal castle. It is one of the best preserved castles from this period in the Languedoc area.
The Guilhem tower, a donjon, was also a key part of the town's defences as were the ramparts, parts of which still exist along with several fortified gateways.
The town's war memorial caused some controversy when it was errected. Its sculpture by Paul Dardé shows a soldier, dead from the war, with a nude female figure, thought to depict a cabaret dancer, watching over him. Some explain this as having a pacifist significance.
Eighty per cent of the olive oil production in the Herault department is produced in the mill at Clermont l'Herault. If you wish to learn a bit more about the production of olive oil so vital to the local economy you can visit the 'Maison de l'Olivier' on Avenue Wilson. You also get a chance to buy some of the delicious local olive oil.
Places to visit nearby
The beautiful Cirque de Moureze with its strange and wonderful rock formations is just eight kilomètres to the west of Clermont l'Herault. Huge limestone dolomites are scattered throughout this lovely landscape.
Also nearby is the Lac du Salagou with its strange red soil around the edges of the 750 hectare lake. It even has a 'ghost' village - abandoned as it was supposed to be flooded along with several other villages when the valley bottom was flooded, but this one, Celles, escaped the water.
Villeneuvette is a village which was built to house the workers of the factory creating sheets. (For Clermont l’Herault and the area around the town, sheet making was a key industry.) Above the gateway as you enter the village you will notice a huge sign announcing ‘Honneur au travail’ (Honour in Work)!
You can find more travel ideas in the Herault guide and the Languedoc-Roussillon guide.
Photos of Clermont-l'Herault
Click any picture to start the gallery
Arrange a visit to Clermont-l'Herault
Hotels in Clermont-l'Herault
Booking.com: best prices
For great prices on car hire throughout France and Corsica please visit our recommended partner at RentalCars.com
Map of Clermont-l'Herault and places nearby
Visit near Clermont-l'Herault with France This Way reviews
Villeneuvette
Villeneuvette is a pretty small village, interesting because it was originally built as a cloth factory with housing for the workers
Villeneuvette guide
Cirque de Moureze
The Cirque de Moureze is one of the loveliest scenic spectacles in northern Languedoc-Roussillon
Cirque de Moureze guide
Le Lac-du-Salagou
The Lac-du-Salagou is a popular leisure lake with a wide range of activities and several places of interest close by
Le Lac-du-Salagou guide
Lodeve
It is undoubtedly the Saint-Fulcran cathedral that will form the centre of your visit to Lodeve
Lodeve guide
Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert
Even as you approach Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert along the Gorges de l'Herault you can see it is rather special - and you certainly aren't disappointed when you arrive!
Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert guide
Pezenas
The wide range of architecture and its unspoiled character make Pezenas one of our favourite towns in the region
Pezenas guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Herault
Address: Clermont-l'Hérault, Lodève, Languedoc-Roussillon, 34800, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 43.6281, longitude 3.4331
Plan your visit to Clermont-l'Herault, Herault
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Cirque du Moureze: site of natural beauty (6 km)
- Cirque de Mourèze: site of natural beauty (6 km)
- Valle du Salagou: grand site of france (6 km)
- Céressou: site of natural beauty (10 km)
- Grotte de la Clamouse: site of natural beauty (13 km)
- Saint Jean de Fos pont du diable (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site (13 km)
- Lodeve: recommended detour (15 km)
- Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert: most beautiful village (15 km)
- St Guilhem le Desert ancienne abbaye (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site (15 km)
- Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert / Gorges de l'Herault: grand site of france (15 km)
- Parc et jardin du château de Margon: remarkable garden (19 km)
- Pezenas: recommended detour (19 km)
The French version of this page is at Clermont-l'Herault (Francais)