The best walks and hikes around Bessan

This Benedictine abbey has its roots in the 8th century. Around 770, a monastery is said to have been founded here by Attilio, a disciple of Benoît d’Aniane, near the tombs attributed to three Christian martyrs: Thibéry, Modeste, and Florence. The site then became an important place of pilgrimage. The abbey occupies an even older site: it is located at the foot of the ancient oppidum and on the presumed site of the ancient town of Cessero. Beneath the parvis of the abbey church lies the "Gleizette", a small primitive underground chapel traditionally dated to the 9th century. The current abbey church, largely marked by Gothic architecture, bears witness to the numerous transformations of the abbey during the Middle Ages and the following centuries. In 1639, the abbey joined the Congregation of Saint Maur and received the title of royal abbey from Louis XIII. The Maurists then undertook a major reorganization of the monastery, the conventual buildings of which still retain elements.

It is nicknamed the "Bridge of Three Eyes". Three openings designed within the logic of the Canal du Midi: navigation, water drainage, and continuity of local circulation. A work from Pierre-Paul Riquet's project, to be discovered in the landscape between Vias and Agde.

You have to look twice to realize that many of the windows are painted on the facade, a nice example of street art.

From vineyards to beaches, from age-old villages to seaside resorts, the Canal du Midi links all the wonders of the region. Peaceful, natural and friendly, it reflects our lifestyle and traditions. Between nature and culture, no matter how you cross it, it promises beautiful adventures in complete serenity.

Classified as a Historic Monument since 1862, this bridge offers a dive into the past and testifies to the know-how of medieval builders. Despite the centuries that have passed and the sometimes violent floods of the Hérault, it retains a robust elegance, the result of ancient engineering and solid construction. The exact origin of the structure has long fueled debate among historians. Although it has sometimes been attributed to the Roman era, the most recent research today confirms its medieval dating.

Old wheat mill converted into a hydroelectric power station. (1988). The 11th-century "Bled" mill is in a perfect state of preservation. It supplied the local population with wheat and barley flour. The motive force of the water drove a heavy wheel that crushed the millers' grain. This medieval mill has ceased its activity but bears witness to the economic activity of this small commune in Bas-Languedoc.

The Saint-Etienne Cathedral, built between 848 and 872, is one of the most beautiful fortified Romanesque buildings on the Languedoc coast. Built with local volcanic stone, this church, which has all the appearance of a medieval fortress, will take you back in time. It features a keep structured with battlements and machicolations, 35 meters high.

It is the « Pont Saint-Joseph », but for a long time everyone has called it « The Three Eyes Bridge ». It sounds more poetic. The Three Eyes Bridge is a very pleasant structure: a main arch to let boats pass, and two smaller ones, one of which lets water through, and the other the towpath. It must not have been easy in the time of bargemen (towing by horses) because it was necessary to detach, then reattach when the obstacle had been passed. Here it is obvious, but it is the case for almost all the bridges on the Canal du Midi. It must be said that most of the time, the boat continued on its momentum and was reattached on the other side. Another peculiarity of this place is that there are two spillways on either side of the bridge.