Nature, outdoor activities and heritage offer different reasons to explore Peyriac-De-Mer. The Étang du Doul is a particularly striking feature, alongside hiking and cycling routes and archaeological and architectural landmarks. These different themes can help you weigh up your own interests when planning a trip.
Landscape around the Étang du Doul
The Étang du Doul covers 37 hectares and is the saltiest of the French Mediterranean lagoons. Another distinctive feature is its ecological importance: the lagoon and the salt pans lie along a migratory corridor and provide important refuge and breeding grounds for birds. This means the focus is not only on the waterscape, but also on the role these areas play for birds.
A walk around the Étang du Doul crosses a wooden bridge over the water and offers views of a former salt pan. The bridge forms a specific part of the route over the water, while the views also take in the site of the former salt pan. This walk therefore combines the waterscape with a glimpse into the history of salt production, while the migratory corridor offers another perspective on the same landscape.
Hiking Stages and Cycling Route
A 7 km stage of the GRP Sentier du Golfe Antique runs from Port la Nautique via Bages to Peyriac-de-Mer. Another stage starts in Peyriac-de-Mer and continues via Portel-des-Corbières to Sigean; its distances are given as 8.3 km plus 7.7 km. The order of towns makes the difference between the two stages clear: Peyriac-de-Mer is the destination of the first, and the starting point of the second, which continues via Portel-des-Corbières to Sigean.
A cycling route is also described with specific distance figures: “Étang de Bages-Sigean depuis les collines” includes a 9.2 km section from Bages to Peyriac-de-Mer. This section has 139 metres of ascent and 143 metres of descent. Unlike the hiking stages, the cycling route also includes ascent and descent figures. This makes it possible to distinguish the options by mode of travel and by the route figures provided for each. Check local conditions for hiking and cycling routes before setting out.
Archaeology and Architectural History
The Oppidum du Moulin was a pre-Roman settlement inhabited by the Elisyken from the 6th century BC until the beginning of the 3rd century BC. The Église Saint-Paul dates entirely from the 14th century. Machicolations and part of the original battlements remain on its south side. The two sites offer different insights: the oppidum focuses on pre-Roman settlement, while the church preserves specific architectural features.
A varied collection of amphorae bears witness to the exchange of salt and grain for wine, pottery and trinkets.
Food and Local Crafts
La balade des 5 sens is held in Peyriac-de-Mer in even-numbered years in spring as a gastronomic walk through the vineyards. If you would like to include this event in your trip, check the dates for the year you plan to travel.
Another way to discover regional products is at L’Épicerie Vigneronne, where you can explore wines from the Corbières and Languedoc-Roussillon, as well as regional specialities. Locally made handicrafts are also on display. While the walk combines nature and gastronomy among the vineyards, the focus here is on wines, specialities and local crafts.
Discover more destinations: Gruissan, Roquefort Des Corbières, Saint Jean De Minervois, Sonnac Sur L'hers, Marseillette, Villespy, Belcastel-et-Buc, Belcaire.
For the broader travel overview: Aude.
