Sightseeing without your car

What if, during your holiday, you simply left your car at the campsite? When you stay at Les Méditerranées (Camping Nouvelle Floride, Camping Beach Garden or Camping Charlemagne) in Marseillan, on the Mediterranean coast, you will quickly realise that you do not need the car. In fact, leaving it at the campsite allows you to discover the surroundings in a completely different way – on foot, by bike or from the water. From all three Les Méditerranées campsites, it is easy to head out with the whole family without getting in the car. And for places that are a little further away, you can always cycle or use public transport.

Here are a few ideas for a day out without a car, parking meters or traffic jams.

Start the day on the beach

The first outing is probably the most obvious one: simply walk from your accommodation to the beach and… that’s it! You really do not need much more.

From Camping Nouvelle Floride and Camping Beach Garden, all you have to do is go through the gate (using the access code) to reach the long sandy beach at Marseillan-Plage. If you are staying at Camping Charlemagne, you can also be by the sea within a few minutes. At Les Méditerranées, wherever you are staying, you have free access to the facilities, services and activities at the other two campsites including the direct access to the beach.

Marseillan has several other beaches too, including Plage d’Honneur, Plage du Pous, Plage des Embruns, Plage de Robinson and Plage des Dunes. Some are lively, while others are quieter. This makes it easy to choose a beach that suits the children’s ages and energy levels.

For families, the practical advantage is obvious: there is no need to fill the car with parasols, toys and a picnic for the day. Just take what you need, walk through the gate and head back to the campsite for lunch. With shops, restaurants, bakeries and other facilities across the three Les Méditerranées campsites, you have everything you need without having to drive anywhere. At the end of the afternoon, you can just head out for another swim.

Cycle to Pointe des Onglous

A couple of bikes can quickly change the way you experience Marseillan. From Marseillan-Plage, follow a cycle path to the centre of Marseillan, along the Canal du Midi and towards Pointe des Onglous. The cycle distance from Marseillan-Plage is around 5 kilometres.

You don’t have bikes with you? No problem. You can rent them at Thau Cycles at Camping Beach Garden.

At the end of the route is Pointe des Onglous, where the Canal du Midi flows into the Étang de Thau. A pier and a small lighthouse mark this special spot. From here, you have a panoramic view across the lagoon, the oyster beds and, in the distance, Mont Saint-Clair.

Are the children’s legs getting tired? Then the centre of Marseillan makes for a pleasant stop. You can have lunch or enjoy an ice cream before getting back on your bikes.

Take a boat trip from Marseillan-Plage

Fancy seeing the area from a completely different perspective? Head out onto the water by boat. You do not need a car for this either, as the boat trips depart from the resort.

Midicapthau, for example, offers small-group and private trips, with boattrips combining the Mediterranean, the Étang de Thau and the Canal du Midi. The activity is particularly suitable for families, and the operator has the Accueil Vélo certification, a bicycle friendly label.

For children, a boat trip is often a welcome change of pace and an adventure in itself. Discover the coast from the water, take in the scenery around the Étang de Thau and, depending on the trip you choose, see the oyster and shellfish farms that are such a distinctive feature of the Thau basin.

A great way to explore the area car free and without a bit more demanding walking or cycling trip.

Explore Marseillan-Plage on foot, from the market to the shops and beach

You do not need to seek out a spectacular destination to feel like you have really got away from it all. A day in Marseillan-Plage can simply mean a leisurely walk to the centre and stops along the way.

The market is a good place to start where you will find local produce. There are shops for everyday essentials, and the stroll will give you a different experience of the area which is quite different from simply visiting its beaches. Head for Avenue de la Méditerranée where you will find more shops, restaurants, ice-cream parlours and terraces for a drink.

There is a free bus or shuttle service running throughout the resort. It stops outside the Les Méditerranées campsites and takes you to places like the market.

For families, this is a particularly nice relaxing way to spend the day: you can combine different activities. Pick up a few things for a picnic, have an ice cream, go for a walk, spend some time on the beach and then head back to the campsite. During the high season, activities and events in the resort can also make the day festive.

Discover nature around Étang de Thau

By bike, you can also explore some of the quieter, less built-up areas around Marseillan. Some of the cycle paths run alongside the Étang de Thau, where you can spot birds and enjoy the local scenery. From Marseillan there are around 30 kilometres of cycle paths.

For families, there is no need to set out for a long circuit. The full cycle route around the Étang de Thau is around 50 kilometres and is better left to keen cyclists or those with electric bikes.

For a family with younger children the adventure is less about how far you cycle and more about taking the time to discover what you come across along the way: birds, boats, oyster beds, reed beds and the changing light on the water.

Head to Sète… without the car

You can get to Sète by public transport. Bus route 9 runs from May to September. From October to April route 915 takes over, with advance booking. The reception at Les Méditerranées will be able to help you with the up-to-date timetable.

Another option, particularly suitable for families with children or teenagers who enjoy cycling, is to take the train to Sète and then cycle back to Marseillan. The Lido Voie Verte (a traffic-free route for walkers, cyclists and other users) links Sète with Marseillan-Plage over a distance of 12.8 kilometres. The route is easy and almost completely flat. It runs alongside beaches and dunes before reaching Marseillan-Plage.

This final option does require a little more planning, especially with younger children. But it also gives you a real sense of adventure: a train journey, bikes, the sea stretching as far as the eye can see and, eventually, arriving back at the campsite without having driven a single kilometre by car.

A holiday where you take your time

One of the great things about staying at Les Méditerranées is that there are so many ways to explore the surrounding area. You can spend a day in the immediate surroundings of the campsite, cycle to the Étang de Thau, take a boat trip from the harbour or combine the train and a bike ride to Sète.

The outing becomes less about how far you travel and more about discovering the area along the way.

With the beach, cycle paths, Canal du Midi, Étang de Thau and the small harbours nearby, the three Les Méditerranées campsites make a convenient base for these little car-free adventures.

And after a day spent exploring Marseillan and the surrounding area, simply head back to the campsite and enjoy its many facilities, where you will the car exactly where you left it.