Tourism Cap d’Agde
On the Languedoc coast in southwestern France, Agde is a town with two faces. There is a historic center on the left bank of the Herault, while Cap d’Agde by the sea is a timeless vacation destination, with beaches and fun for children and adults alike.
Agde is also synonymous with naturism. Nudists have a whole village for them, hidden discreetly away from the modern resort. Located at about twenty minutes of the Cap d’Agde, the 4 stars campsite in Vias will be ideal to visit the famous seaside resort of the Herault!
WHY VISIT CAP D’AGDE ?
Cap d’Agde is one of the most popular seaside destinations on the Mediterranean coast. This attractiveness does not date from yesterday. Cap d’Agde tourism really started to develop in the early 1960s.
Prior to that, the resort was primarily a weekend getaway for locals. As the city develops as a major tourist resort, more and more international visitors are coming.
Cap d’Agde is above all a family resort with beautiful beaches and all kinds of aquatic leisure activities. The beach of the Grande Conque is undoubtedly the best known and most popular with holidaymakers, especially those who come with children.
Luna Park is also a must-see for a day of family fun. This fairground attraction offers twenty rides for adults and more than a dozen family rides for young children.
Ideas for activities in Cap d’Agde
THE 9 BEST THINGS TO DO IN CAP D’AGDE
What are the places not to be missed during a stay in Cap d’Agde? We have selected nine of them:
The Marine Aquarium
The Aquarium of Cap d’Agde delights young curious minds during a visit of one or two hours. Admission is free for children under six years old.
The well-lit tanks capture the colors and iridescence of octopus, seahorses, jellyfish and clownfish… Visitors will also be able to see black tip sharks and sea turtles.
Luna Park
L’île des Loisirs is located in the middle of the Luno lagoon of Cap d’Agde, near the marina. The name says a lot about what you can find there, namely a casino, bars, restaurants and discos.
This island is overlooked by Luna Park, a fairground-style attraction where admission is free. However, there is a charge for the rides and individual entertainment.
The amusement park welcomes different audiences depending on the time of day. In the early evening, families come with their children to enjoy the slides, carousels or bouncy castles.
Later, the park is “besieged” by young adults who, among other things, take bungee rides before heading to the discos.
Nautical jousting
Each year, in mid-May, the Nautical Festival is an opportunity to observe this age-old spectacle common to several towns in the Hérault, including Béziers, Marseillan and Balaruc. The nautical jousting is also practiced in Le Grau-du-Roi, in the Gard.
The origins of this sport go back at least five hundred years.
Visitors and locals alike descend on the quays of Cap d’Agde to watch the spectacle, during which two crews compete on boats.
Balancing on elevated platforms, two men armed with a wooden shield and a pike, confront each other. Their goal is to make the other lose his balance.
Water sports
Agde’s marina is equipped for almost any maritime activity one can imagine.
Scuba diving is one of the most popular water activities for visitors.
Adventurers will dive underwater to explore shipwrecks, including the most recent ones. Several five-star PADI centers offer introductory and advanced courses in scuba diving. Agde is also the right place to get a boat license easily.
The beach of the Grande Conque
It is one of the most famous places in Cap d’Agde tourism. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Grande Conque is a volcanic beach in a perfect horseshoe shape, with grey-black sand and fine pebbles.
The beach is located at the foot of the cliffs called Les Deux Frères, which break into two, right on the south side. In calm weather, it is a good place to swim. The sea is protected by the promontories, and the low slope of the beach keeps the water below knee height.
The beach of the Mole
The Môle beach is located in the north of Cap d’Agde. It is the first of a succession of family beaches in the resort. Made of sand and small pebbles, the beach is perfect for moments of idleness in the sun. Many restaurants and bars are also installed on the beach of Môle.
The beach is protected by two large breakwaters which, on clear days, give rise to lagoon-like pools of clear, shallow water. Many people sunbathe on the narrow sandy spurs between the bays, which are bathed on both sides by the sea.
Aquapark
Another place not to be missed in Cap d’Agde tourism, this floating course is located just next to the Ile des Loisirs, in the fresh waters of the Luno lagoon.
The aqualand opened in 2015 and has a series of inflatable ramps, bridges, climbing walls, trampolines, slides and swings…all of which are more challenging than they appear.
When the surface is wet, it will be almost impossible to keep your balance. However, there is no risk to the public since the water is shallow and there is no current.
Children as young as six years old can try to tackle the course for an hour of fun.
The Agatha Museum
If the Ephèbe museum is dedicated to archaeology, the Agathois museum is dedicated to the smallest details and explores the daily life in Agde through the ages. In short, a perfect place to learn with your family.
In what was the hospice founded by the bishop of Agde in 1699, we discover the regional arts and traditions: there are reconstructions of traditional houses and stores, and with the help of scale models, we understand how the port grew up after being created by the Phoceans in the 6th century BC.
You can get acquainted with the local dress and the emblematic sarret, a delicate lace bonnet still worn by women on feast days.
The naturist village
It is called a “village”, but the term is somewhat misleading. This seaside resort at the northern limit of Cap d’Agde is in fact practically a town in its own right.
The village can in any case welcome fifty thousand naturists at any time.
Independence is the rule in the village. There are stores, restaurants, discos and all kinds of leisure facilities.
THE BEACHES OF CAP D’AGDE
The beaches naturally occupy a central place in Cap d’Agde tourism. They all have numerous parking spaces, even if they are full in high season.
In any case, they are ideal for walking or cycling. We will talk here about the most beautiful beaches of the resort, except for the Grande Conque and the Môle, already mentioned above.
The beach of La Roquille
This fine sand beach is one of the family beaches of Cap d’Agde. Swimming is supervised in season. There are two straw huts and some shops, but also restaurants, games for children, toilets and showers.
Richelieu Beach
It is one of the longest sandy beaches of Cap d’Agde. It is also the largest and one of the most frequented of the resort, with its private beaches, its children’s games, its skatepark, water sports like jetskiing …
Rochelongue Beach
This beach is located between the cliffs and the Aquarium of Cap d’Agde. It is characterized by its big black sand. It offers a peaceful setting for swimming, being protected from the wind by the cliff. Rochelongue beach is accessible via a small stone staircase.
La plagette
This small beach is located after the cliffs, a few steps from the Old Port. It is not very frequented, which makes it a peaceful and somewhat wild place. It is however close to restaurants and bars.
THE CULINARY SPECIALTIES OF CAP D’AGDE
The visitors have the chance to taste different culinary specialties whose fame sometimes goes beyond the borders of the region. As far as pastry is concerned, the taste buds can enjoy the escalette, the zézette of Sète or the frescati.
We also take advantage of the stay to taste the shellfish of the region. One thinks in particular of the oyster of Bouzigues and the mussel brasucade. The clam and the clam are also the happiness of the holiday makers, as well as the mussel of Bouzigues or the mussel “à la sétoise”.
In addition, there are meat specialties such as macaroni, sweets such as licorice or Montpellier grisette, not to mention vegetables such as asparagus sands.
