Hotels in Agde

Agde is two towns in one. The original is among France's oldest, founded by Greek traders some two and a half thousand years ago on the Hérault river, with a dark old quarter built from local volcanic basalt and a fortress-like cathedral to match. A few kilometres south sits Cap d'Agde, a purpose-built resort from the late twentieth century with a large marina, long sandy beaches and Europe's best-known naturist village, which gives the place a reputation that precedes it.

Between them, the fishing harbour at Le Grau d'Agde and the round lock on the nearby Canal du Midi add some low-key charm. Be honest: Cap d'Agde is largely concrete holiday architecture, heaving and noisy in July and August and very sleepy out of season, and the old town can feel neglected in places despite its history. Stay in Cap d'Agde if beaches and summer nightlife are the point, or in old Agde for a quieter, more authentically southern French base.