Olargues

Olargues is a fortified citadel situated at the foot of the Caroux mountain, with picturesque narrow streets paved with pebbles and covered passageways. It is also a great location for outdoor activities...

Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, South of France

Olargues - villages south France

The site of Olargues, in the mountainous part of Hérault, on the banks of the Jaur, which has carved into the rock a steeply sloping gorge, has been occupied since Roman times.

The village is sheltered by a cliff at the foot of the Espinouse massif, surrounded by orchards and vines and overlooked by an 11th-century tower, all that remains of the old medieval castle. In the 15th century it was transformed into a bell-tower. You reach it by climbing the covered stairway of the Commanderie. Each stair is cut from a single block of stone.

Here you will find the church of St Laurent, built in the 17th century using stone from the ramparts of which some vestiges remain. The houses stand to the south of the cliff and extend down to the banks of the river, which is crossed here by the old 13th-century ‘Devil’s Bridge’. The houses are built of local stone, roofed with barrel tiles, and stand close together along the narrow streets paved with pebbles, with here and there picturesque covered passageways.

Tourist Office - Avenue de la Gare - 34390 OLARGUES - Tel: + 33 (0) 4 67 97 71 26 - Website

Hotels in Olargues