The best walks and hikes around Bessan

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.

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 debates among historians. While it was sometimes attributed to the Roman era, the most recent research now 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.

The round lock of Agde is the most original on the canal. Built in 1675-1676. It was put into operation in 1678 when the canal from Béziers to the Étang de Thau was opened to navigation. A particular situation, an original response: it was decided to build a round lock with three gates. The first opens towards the city of Sète and the Étang de Thau via a short passage on the Hérault; the second opens onto the canal coming from Béziers; the third opens onto the small canal which allows small boats to reach the city of Agde and its maritime port and then Grau d'Agde. The round lock was commissioned in 1678 when navigation opened between the Étang de Thau and Béziers. It originally measured 30 meters in diameter with a depth of 5.20 meters in the center. Thanks to this round lock and the low canal, small maritime boats can come onto the canal!

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.

The spillways are 17th-century dressed stone structures located along the Canal du Midi, which allow the canal's water to be discharged during heavy rainfall or to be emptied for dredging work. Unlike the Canal du Midi, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, these structures benefit from no protection measures. In order to protect them, the Agglo Hérault Méditerranée has been undertaking significant restoration work on these hydraulic structures in the municipalities of Agde, Vias, and Portiragnes for about twenty years.