A shore Thing

Sunshine and sea set the pace of life in the towns on the shores of the Étang de Thau, Languedoc-Roussillon’s largest lagoon, as Sophie Gardner-Roberts discovers.

- Sophie Gardner-Roberts

When conjuring up images of the French Mediterranean coast, you perhaps think of the glitz and glamour of the French Riviera, the wild ruggedness of the calanques or the endless silver-sanded beaches stretching out between Cap d’Agde and Spain. But look a little closer and you’ll find the Étang de Thau, a little- known gem situated between Montpellier and Béziers in Hérault.

The French word étang translates as ‘pond’ or ‘pool’ in English, but with a surface of 7,500m2 – over 19 kilometres long and five kilometres wide – the Étang de Thau makes for a rather large pond indeed! Many refer to it as the ‘Thau lagoon’, and with its waters that are slightly warmer than the sea and its deep blue mirror-like surface, the word ‘lagoon’ sums it up best.

Dominated by Mont St-Clair and squeezed between land and sea, the Étang de Thau is the largest lagoon in Languedoc-Roussillon. It provides a wealth of natural resources to the towns clinging to its shores, whose activities are mainly fishing and shellfish farming. As a result, locals are fiercely proud of and passionate about gastronomy, with a wealth of mouth-watering fish specialities on offer in the area.

With one of the sunniest climates in France and picture-postcard scenery, it’s hardly surprising that the department of Hérault is so popular with holidaymakers and homeowners alike. The Thau lagoon reflects the department’s warm and sunny lifestyle, but offers a quieter alternative for buyers looking for a peaceful French retreat away from the crowded seaside resorts.

Of course, the summer months are busy with tourists, but no matter, it’s the sunshine and the sea that set the pace for people living on the shores of the lagoon.

And life around the Étang de Thau is everything you could possibly dream of, whatever the season.