A few pockets of nature in Cap d'Agde

Park on Avenue du Gagnas, in a gravel car park at the bend to the right of the road near the Naturist Village.

(S/E) Set off along the path to the north-east and you will immediately pass the sign marking the entrance to the Bagnat National Nature Reserve.

(1) Further on, take the path on the left and you’ll soon reach the edge of a vineyard plot. Turn left along the plot and continue alongside it. Turn left at a sort of footbridge over a dry stream bed and veer slightly left to follow the lane leading into the housing estate. Continue straight on, between the properties, along paths of varying widths, some of which are lined with pine trees. At a junction of paths near a boules court, veer slightly to the right. You will come out onto a street (Avenue de la Méditerranée).

(2) Turn left, then walk along the roundabout on your right and cross at the first pedestrian crossing. Follow the slightly gravelly path opposite for about fifty metres, then turn onto a grassy track to the right. You will come to a path running alongside the arena. Turn left, cross a tarmac path and continue along the path opposite, straight ahead until you reach the car park for the church and the Musée de l’Éphèbe. Sign for Mont d’Agde Protected Natural Site.

(3) In front of the museum entrance, turn back and follow the signs pointing towards the Embronne archaeological remains. Go round the church to the right, then walk across the grass to reach the ruins of a 2nd-century villa (information sign). Go round the ruins to rejoin a path alongside the road and turn right (casino and conference centre on the other side of the road). Shortly afterwards, there is another archaeological site on the right (a short detour from the route). Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, and take the concrete path opposite (towards the Mont Saint-Loup cycle route). It leads to the casino. At the casino entrance, before the bust of Père Gilbert, turn right to go up a concrete path, making more than two complete turns (the route isn’t just a scribble!).

(4) After going round in circles for 330 m, take the footbridge to cross over a flyover. Continue along the concrete path as it continues, then at the junction, follow the cycle path to the right. When the path begins to veer towards the road, you can go straight up a dirt track. You’ll rejoin the track further on; follow it to the left for about 60 metres. Take the second path after the bend, which climbs to the left. At the T-junction, turn left, and at the next T-junction, go right. At the next junction, follow the path climbing to the right and head towards the large reservoir perched at the summit of Mont Saint-Martin.

(5) Walk past the reservoir, then veer slightly to the right and head straight down. Before reaching a wider path, two tracks branch off to the right: take the one furthest to the right. Stay on this track, ignoring those branching off to the right, and gradually head towards the road below. Continue along the cycle path to the right, then onto the road.

(6) Go through the tunnel under a busy road; on the other side, follow the wide path on the right that runs parallel to the road. Stay on it to make a wide right-hand bend between two noisy roads and a roundabout, solely to go round a golf course (not the most picturesque part of the route!). Go round a roundabout on the left and cross the avenue carefully at the pedestrian crossing.

(7) On the other side, head slightly left then take the second path on the right. Further on and higher up, you’ll reach the foot of the Tour des Anglais. Walk a few more metres then take the fairly steep path that climbs to the signal box and the summit of Mont Saint-Loup.

(8) Panoramic view with orientation boards and benches. At the orientation board facing north-east, take a path that goes round the signal box to the left, following the fence. Then turn left to reach, via a gentle slope, the path below. Follow it slightly to the right, then, a few metres from the green benches, take a sharp left onto another path. Further on, ignore a path on the left. Continue along this path, which curves to the left, then runs alongside a tourist complex, before reaching a T-junction. Turn left to immediately reach a road. Follow it straight on.

(9) At the crossroads, where the road opposite is one-way, turn right. Further on, go through the tunnel under a busy road. On the other side, follow the path to the right and, at the next fork in the path, head slightly left.

(10) Turn left at the next junction. Then follow this path, which winds several times and runs alongside fields of grain and then a vineyard. It eventually leads onto a small road, which is no longer used by motor vehicles.

(11) Follow this road to the right. It runs alongside the Bagnas marsh and is a good spot for birdwatching with binoculars.

(1) Leave the path you took on the way there on your right and continue straight on to return to the car park (S/E).

Easy hike, standard hiking gear required.

The Visorando app is highly recommended as the green spaces, with the exception of the Bagnat marsh, are criss-crossed by paths that are mostly not shown on maps.

Photo gallery here

Discover more hikes in this area, complete with descriptions or the Visorando app, here

Panoramic views of the surrounding area with orientation tables at the summit of Mont Saint-Clair. You can visit the Musée de l'Éphèbe. You can spot birds in the wetland area (binoculars recommended).