Palavas-les-Flots travel guide
Visit Palavas-les-Flots (Occitanie, France)
Photo Gallery Book a visitPalavas-les-Flots is a sea-side town in the Herault department, just six kilometres south of Montpellier, in the south of France.
Explore Palavas-les-Flots
The main centre of Palavas-les-Flots lies along the edges of the River Lez on a canalised section just before it enters the sea. The river splits the town into Rive Gauche and Rive Droit and along the edges of the canal you will find a selection of bars and restaurants making it a pleasant spot to stop for lunch or take a coffee.
In the centre of the town you will see the distinctive "lighthouse of the Mediterranean" with its revolving restaurant and, next to this, the church of Saint Pierre and its attractive garden.
The town then spreads out along the seafront and the sprawl of apartment blocks provides the back-drop to the beach for a distance either side of the centre. Whilst not especially attractive the beach is nonetheless a good stretch of sandy beach and the town's harbour is attractive.
There is a concrete pier from which you get some good views of Palavas-les-Flots and out across the bay to La Grande Motte - easy to recognise for its whacky triangular shaped buildings.
Palavas-les-Flots has seven kilometers of beach and with this all the water-related sports activities you could wish for.
On the other side of Palavas there are lots of natural ponds which attract an interesting selection of wildlife and you can follow various walks to see these. The flocks of flamingoes that live here make a visit to the ponds a real treat.
Palavas-les-Flots has morning markets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
There is a museum of Albert Dubout's paintings and cartoons.
Attractions nearby
You can take the four kilometer walk to the imposing cathedral of Maguelone, and the nearby Canal du Rhone offers the chance to hire a boat for half a day or longer.
Don't miss the chance to visit the nearby city of Montpellier, one of the most beautiful cities in France.
See more of the popular beaches and resorts in Languedoc
See more seaside resorts in France. You can find more travel ideas in the Herault guide and the Languedoc-Roussillon guide.
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Map of Palavas-les-Flots and places nearby
Visit near Palavas-les-Flots with France This Way reviews
Maguelone
The Cathedral at Maguelone stands on a small volcanic island on the southern edge of the Etang de Thau
Maguelone guide
Montpellier-Odysseum District
The Odysseum district of Montpellier is the vibrant modern new centre in the town, with the aquarium and the planetarium
Montpellier-Odysseum District guide
Montpellier-Antigone District
In the Antigone district of Montpellier you can see several exeptional examples of neo-classical architecture
Montpellier-Antigone District guide
Montpellier
The most vibrant city on the Languedoc coast, Montpellier is a very lively university town
Montpellier guide
La Grande-Motte
The 1960's architecture gives La Grande-Motte its unique character, and the long beach attracts the crowds!
La Grande-Motte guide
Le Grau-du-Roi
Le Grau-de-Roi is one of the most eastern, and one of the most popular, beach resorts in Languedoc-Roussillon
Le Grau-du-Roi guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Herault
Address: Palavas-les-Flots, Lattes, Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, 34250, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 43.5303, longitude 3.9314
Plan your visit to Palavas-les-Flots, Herault
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Étangs palavasiens: site of natural beauty (7 km)
- Mare Nostrum: aquarium (8 km)
- Parc et jardins du château de Flaugergues: remarkable garden (9 km)
- Montpellier: secteur sauvegarde (10 km)
- Parc zoologique de Lunaret: zoo or wildlife park (13 km)
- Pointe de l'Espiguette: site of natural beauty (16 km)
- Towers and fortifications of Aigues-Mortes: national monument (21 km)
- Etang de Thau: site of natural beauty (28 km)
- Sommieres: secteur sauvegarde (31 km)
- Camargue: grand site of france (33 km)
- Etang de Scamandre: site of natural beauty (36 km)
- Saint Jean de Fos pont du diable (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site (36 km)
Market days in Palavas-les-Flots, France
A seasonal market is held in Palavas-les-Flots on Sunday.
Regular market(s) are held in Palavas-les-Flots each Wednesday & Monday & Friday. (Markets are held in the morning unless stated.)
The French version of this page is at Palavas-les-Flots (Francais)