Roquebrun travel guide

Visit Roquebrun (Occitanie, France)

Roquebrun is found in the Herault department of Languedoc, about 25km inland from Beziers.

Explore Roquebrun

France This Way review: Roquebrun is a charming small town in an attractive setting on the River Orb, known locally as the Nice of Herault and most visited for its Mediterranean garden.

You can enter the village by the arched bridge across the Orb, and then spend some time wandering uphill through the narrow streets, admiring the houses which are happily not yet over-renovated.

In the centre of the village you see the main square with the Monument aux Morts. Continue up the steep streets and alleys to the top of Roquebrun: once upon a time a grand castle stood poised above the village but now all that remains of the castle is one solitary tower, La Tour de Guet Carolingienne.

You can also see the old moulins (mills) along the river side in Roquebrun, perhaps before hiring a canoe to explore the stretch of river around the town. There is a pleasant sandy beach next to the bridge which is a popular place in the summer.

The soil in the vicinity of Roquebrun is very high in the mineral schist which retains water and absorbs heat during the day and releases it slowly at night. This virtue leads locals to claim that their grapes ripen even during the night! This rock and the sheltered position of the village has given it a microclimate which over the ages has been appreciated by troglodytes, Romans, cathares etc.

The microclimate as well as being good for the grapes has led to one of Roquebrun’s key attraction, a Mediterranean garden which has an impressive selection of plants. As well as a collection of mimosas there are lots of cacti and succulents growing up out of the rocky hillside. The views from the garden, which lies up above the village, are superb.

A Fete de la Mimosa takes place every year in the village around February and would be a good time to come and see the village and its garden.

Attractions nearby

After visiting Roquebrun there are two more villages in the area that we also recommend you visit at Minerve and Olargues. Both are listed among the most beautiful villages in France.

You can find more travel ideas in the Herault guide and the Languedoc-Roussillon guide.