Mont Saint-Loup, an ancient volcano

Departure from the Cap d'Agdetourist office . Parking available in the vicinity.

(S/E) From the tourist office, take the path up to the Palais des Congrès, then turn left to climb up to the viewpoint, which offers a panoramic view of the two ancient volcanoes, Mont Saint-Loup and Mont Saint-Clair, as well as the Port of Capd'Agde.

(1) Go back down and stay on the same path until you pass under the road. Then follow the cycle path to Domaine Saint-Martin. Do not take the tunnel, turn left towards Domaine Saint-Martin and walk to the estate's car park.

(2) Go up the small steps on the left to reach the tree-top adventure course. Follow the small dirt track to the path. Turn right towards the next viewpoint. In the foreground is the 27-hole international golf course of Cap d'Agde and in the background is the magnificent view of the Mediterranean Sea with Fort Brescou, built in 1856 by Viscount Guillaume de Joyeuse during the religious wars with the Spanish.

(3) Cross the Guy Tourreau footbridge on the D612 and take a path on the right twice to reach the road. Go straight along the road and leave the roundabout on the right to go towards the pedestrian crossing on the opposite exit.

(4) Cross the road carefully towards Mont Saint-Loup. Bear slightly left to take the dirt track (quite wide), which takes you around the loop to a building designed by the engineer Mareschal.

(5) Go up the track on the left, then keep left again. Continue along the track until you reach a cypress avenue.

(6) Leave the main path and turn slightly right, following the cypress avenue to reach the tarmac climb.

(7) Go back down the road and cross at the junction to reach the pedestrian crossing.

(4) Cross the road carefully and continue straight ahead along the same path you took on the way there until you reach the tunnel under the D612. Take the tunnel on the left and you will reach the car park of the Saint-Martin accommodation centre.

(2) Go straight ahead, then quickly turn left to return to the tourist office via the same route you took on the way there (S/E).

Please note! This route is partly on dirt tracks, so wear suitable footwear.
If you are doing this route in hot weather, also bring a bottle of water and a hat.

three viewpoints at different heights overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. An ascent from sea level, near the marina, to the summit of Mont Saint-Loup at Cap d'Agde.

(4): a building designed by the engineer Mareschal, director of fortifications in Languedoc in 1742. This pyramid-shaped monument, built in basalt in 1750, is a veritable observation post for signalling the enemy and keeping them at bay. It bears the name "English" following an attack by the English at that time. Equipped with a platform on which the guards lit a large fire when enemy ships were visible on the horizon, it has a "twin" tower, the Tour du Castellas, located between Agde and Sète. Today, this tower has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1939 and belongs to the State.

(7): at the top of Mont Saint-Loup, the French Navy's semaphore tower dominates the Agde coast and offers a superb view of Cap d'Agde. This semaphore tower with its rotating lighthouse, built in 1836, was an excellent landmark for sailors and provided visual, radio and radar surveillance along the entire coast. Decommissioned by the Navy many years ago, it was used by the Maritime Affairs Department and Cross-Med for rescue operations in the western Mediterranean. To its left, you can see the Bagnas National Reserve, a lagoon area located in the municipalities of Agde and Marseillan, classified as a national reserve since 1983 and covering an area of 561.3 hectares. Protecting the Bagnas ponds and surrounding wetlands, it is home to a mosaic of natural environments typical of the Mediterranean coastline: to the north, the Grand Bagnas with a brackish freshwater pond surrounded by reed beds. To the south, a temporary lagoon dotted with salt marshes, known as sansouïres, is bordered by pastures and salt meadows called Petit Bagnas. This green space, separated from the sea by a strip of dunes, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to preserved flora and fauna, with more than 10,000 birds present at the end of summer and more than 400 species of invertebrates. In the distance, you can see the Thau lagoon, where you can spot the oyster farming tables. You can taste the oysters in Bouzigues or around the Sète region.
On your right, the orientation table allows you to enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Mediterranean Sea with a view of Cap d'Agde, its ports and the Pyrenees on a clear day.