Where to go canoeing in Hérault

Sites où faire du canoë/kayak dans l'Hérault

Canoeing near Montpellier: here’s our guide to where to kayak in the Hérault!

When you live in Montpellier or come to the Hérault for a vacation in the sun, you’re not necessarily a beach lover, especially when you see how crowded they are in summer. Fortunately, the Hérault offers a great alternative: rivers! Canoeing or kayaking in the peaceful waters – beware of storms that can turn rivers into untamable torrents – of the Hérault, between sea, deciduous forests, oaks and garrigues, is a great idea for excursions with friends, as a couple or as a family. In the Hérault, rivers and streams abound: Hérault, Orb, Vidourle, Vis, Salagou, Agout and more. But where to go to rent and kayak in Hérault?

Canoeing in the Hérault will give you the chance to enjoy some great outings while visiting typical Midi villages and taking a break for a swim. Here’s our selection of some twenty sites where you can kayak in the Hérault.

Where and how to canoe in the Hérault?

Faire du canoë/kayak dans l'Hérault

Sail the Hérault River in complete tranquillity, between Montpellier and the Cévennes? Or cruise between the Parc du Haut Languedoc, Béziers and the Mediterranean Sea? Between the sea and the mountains, the Hérault is a department with no shortage of water sports activities. You’ll come across the unmissable gorges de l’Hérault and its magnificent viewpoints, and 7 to 15 kilometer trails where you can enjoy lush nature, admiring the vestiges of a bygone era (mills, dykes, stone buildings and mas), all in a region bursting with sunshine.

Temperatures often exceed 30°C between May and September, so be sure to pack a hat, remember sunscreen and drink several liters of water to avoid sunstroke! And don’t forget to limit your electronic equipment: even if the rental company often gives you an airtight container in which to store your belongings on the canoe or kayak, don’t overload yourself!

The Hérault gorges

The gorges de l’Hérault are a canyon carved out between Saint Bauzille de Putois and Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, a village listed as one of France’s most beautiful villages. Located 45 minutes west of Montpellier, the site allows you to navigate between garrigues and Mediterranean hills. You’ll discover typical Midi villages and the famous Pont du Diable in Aniane, one of the oldest Romanesque bridges in France, built in the 9th century. Here’s where to kayak in the Gorges de l’Hérault:

Canoeing on the Orb

Would you like to explore the western Hérault region by canoe or kayak? Follow the Orb River through the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut Languedoc, with the Escandorgue massif to the east, the Montagne Noire to the west and north, and the Monts de Faugères before entering the Béziers plain. The 135-kilometer-long river takes you all the way down to Béziers, literally « going green », as they say. Departing from Poujol-sur-Orb, we pass the Colombières slide, a few rapids at the base of Tarassac with views of Mont Caroux, the Vieussan and Ceps footbridges, Roquebrun, Cessenon sur Orb and Reals. A really nice spot for kayaking in the Hérault: the gorges d’Héric, on the Orb. Here’s where to rent a canoe:

Club canoeing and kayaking

You can also contact a kayaking club or base nautique in the Hérault. We have listed a number of clubs between Béziers and Montpellier:

Main Photo Credit – Wikimedia, Stefanobasta (Stefan Fink).