The safe sandy beach stretches for miles and is approximately a 500 m. walk down a traffic free path, from the house. Windsurfers, catamarans, pedaloes and sailing boats can be hired here. Jet skis can be hired at Valras Plage.

Pubs, bars, restaurants and takeaways are plentiful in the local town and a wine cave here sells a varied selection of local wines.

There is a market here 3 times a week from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check with the local tourist office for exact days.

A daily bus service runs from the village into Beziers.

Pony trekking, fishing, walking and off road cycling can all be enjoyed in the immediate area.

50 m. from the house is a nature reserve (etang) teeming with flora and fauna of all description. Here egrets and flamingoes can be seen wading and Coypu can be seen hiding in the weeds. A good circular walk or cycle ride is to take the path along the nature reserve, returning along the canal du midi.

The canal du midi is ½ km. from the house.

Bikes can be hired locally, just about 3 minutes walk away in the village.

Beziers (About 8 km. from the house). Good shopping centre, remains of a roman amphitheatre, cathedral with its cloisters and 4 Romanesque churches. A small tourist train runs round the edge of the city for sightseeing. Also has a main train station. A service bus runs from here to Portiragnes Plage.

If its nightlife you are seeking, head out on the Beziers road from Portiragnes for Toto Loco nightclub. There is a bowling alley here also.

Canal du midi ½ km. from the house. Alongside the canal is a wide well maintained path, perfect for cycling, walking, jogging and roller blading, passing by Beziers and other places of interest.. Construction started on this great waterway c 1666 by 12,000 men. A 369 km. network of navigable waterways linking the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, going through 328 structures (locks, aquaducts, bridges and tunnels) on the way. A printed guide is now available (purchase from Geant Supermarket) on cycling the whole length of this great canal.

Cap d'Agde For the adventurous souls try scuba diving, or take the kids to Aqualand or karting. A tourist train runs round the town. Good selection of nightlife places and also hosts a casino.

St. Guilhem le desert Stunning landscape. Good location for canoeing and mountain walking. The Grotte de Clamouse nearby is well worth a visit. Plenty of canoe hire places on the Herault river but get there early, well before lunch, otherwise you won't have time to canoe the length of the river. Single seater and family canoes available, The cheaper canoe establishments take your passport for identification and security for the canoe.

Carcassone Largest medieval fortified town in Europe. Walk around the ramparts while soaking up the history and stroll through the narrow streets to see how the inhabitants used to live. A busy restaurant is in the middle of the town if you feel peckish. Plenty of tourist shops within the ramparts.

Montpellier is about an hours drive away. Good selection of shops, museums and restaurants. Consider taking the tram around the perimeter for an interesting way to enjoy the architecture of this interesting city.

Portiragnes About 2 km. from the house. Easy cycle ride down the canal du midi to here. Centuries old village where Languedoc farmers settled 7,000 years ago. Overlooks the famous canal du midi. For 3 days around 18th July in the old village there is a bull running festival where bulls are run through the streets escorted by the famous camargue horses and their riders. Travelling minstrels accompany a band of local people dressed as Bakers who dance around the streets throwing flour at the unwary spectators, this is to celebrate the old links with the town when Portiragnes was famous for its flour milling. Also hosts a wine fair in October. A local market (seasonal) is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Check with the local tourist board in case the days have changed).

Sete Second largest fishing port in France. Worth a visit just to try the local delicacy, fish soup. The canal du midi emerges here into the sea. Good cycle ride from the house, probably about 50 km. round trip.

Valras Plage 5 km. Good sandy beach. Jet skiing, windsurfing, sea parachuting and plenty of nightlife.

Herault National Park about 45 minutes drive away. Absolutely excellent place for wild walking, climbing and superb views. Let the smell of the wild berries and herbs assail your nostrils as you stroll through the countryside. You can walk for miles and not see anyone, but watch out for the wild pigs - don't worry, they always seem to flee when they hear us, well they have done so far anyway! Invest in a good walking book and certainly don't venture out without maps and compass. All necessary ordnance maps can be bought in France. For the walking here you will need good walking footwear and it should not be tackled by the inexperienced or fainthearted. The terrain here can be formidable bearing in mind the vastness of the place.

For any of these activities, places of interest and more, visit the tourist office in the local square