Biking to Palavas-les-Flots

Back in Montpellier, the next day we rent bicycles at Ville & Vélo to travel the short 10 km (6.2 miles) to Palavas-les-Flots on the Mediterranean.  The path follows the River Lez with a scenic journey through fields and along the banks of the river.

Along the River Lez

We see flocks of wild flamingos, which always delight us (and all the other tourists) and everyone stops to take pictures.

Flamingos hanging out

Just before Palavas-les-Flots, we turn right along a canal, following a new route (new to us) that leads toward Maguelone Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Maguelone) which is located on an isthmus near the Mediterranean.  Built in the 11th century, much of the cathedral main building remains for us to explore.

Along the canal

Passing a digger reinforcing the dike

More flamingos

Houseboats on the canal

Vineyards surrounding the cathedral

Archaeological excavations in the 1960s discovered the foundations of a church destroyed in the 7th century on the site of the cathedral.  The Visgoths took over the Maguelone region in the 5th century, after the fall of the Roma Empire and Christianity spread in the area, with a bishop established on the island in 533.

Approaching the cathedral

Sky above the cathedral

Inside the cathedral

View of the cathedral on the isthmus

From the cathedral, we bicycle a short distance to the Mediterranean and then continue along the beaches toward Palavas-les-Flots

Stopping to admire the beaches

Soon, the beaches start to enter the city and we ride along the boardwalk toward the center of town.

Along the beach toward town

Sky above the beaches

Arriving at the harbor

After all the riding, we're thinking about lunch and find a restaurant on the harbor where we and enjoy mussels and seafood salad and some sharing with the local wildlife.

Mussels, seafood salad

Local interest in our meal

View from our table

After lunch, we bike from the harbor through Palavas-les-Flots toward the River Lez and Montpellier, admiring the views of the fishing boats tied up in the harbor and the scenic beauy of the town.

Ships and harbor in Palavas-les-Flots

On our way out of town, we pass more flocks of flamingos and can't resist a few more pictures.

More flamingos in the wild

What a great bike ride, exploration, and lunch!