Laroque combines medieval fortifications and religious buildings with the landscape of the Massif du Thaurac. This gives you different starting points for a stay: the history of the village spans several periods of construction, while nature and water activities offer a different focus. Rather than trying to fit everything into a single itinerary, you can decide in advance whether you are more interested in historic buildings or activities involving rocks and water.

Castrum, keep and silk mill

Laroque’s medieval Romanesque castrum remains completely intact and is surrounded by a high defensive wall. The lower fortification walls were built in the 14th century to protect the village from robbers. Rue du Château provides access to the feudal castrum and a clear point of reference for finding your way around the historic structure. The keep of Laroque Castle dates from the period between the 9th and 13th centuries. Together with the lower walls, built in the 14th century, it offers a broad overview of the history of the fortifications. The Valmalle silk mill adds a different aspect to this history of buildings: it was built by the Valmalle brothers in 1838.

Saint-Jean Chapel and Église Sainte Madeleine

The castle chapel of Saint-Jean is an example of the first Romanesque style, dating from the 11th century. It was donated to the Diocese of Maguelone in 1155 and extended into the castle courtyard in the 14th century. It was listed as a Historic Monument on 22 January 1979. The dates mark different milestones: construction, donation, extension and, later, its listing as a monument. Église Sainte Madeleine was built outside Laroque’s town walls at the end of the 12th century. It was raised in 1898 following floods. The two churches therefore differ both in their dates and in their subsequent building histories: Saint-Jean brings together its Romanesque origins, donation and extension; Sainte Madeleine’s history is shaped by its location outside the walls and its raising following floods.

The Massif du Thaurac

The Massif du Thaurac rises to nearly 500 metres above the river in the upper Hérault valley. Garrigue vegetation and rocky cliffs define the landscape. Its height and location connect it to the river, while the garrigue and cliffs are other characteristic features of the massif.

Activities between rocks and water

The Massif du Thaurac has at least 610 climbing routes, ranging in length from 10 to 120 metres. At the Base Nautique de Laroque, canoes and kayaks are available for hire, with or without supervision. This gives you different choices to consider: for climbing, the number of routes and their range of lengths are specific features; when hiring a boat, you can choose the boat type and whether you want supervision. The two activities address different planning questions: how wide is the range of routes, and what kind of supervision would you like when hiring a boat?

Discover more destinations: Caux, Berlou, La Salvetat-Sur-Agout, Montpeyroux, Saint-Vincent-de-Barbeyrargues, Mèze, Saint-Jean-De-Fos, Hérépian

Go to the main travel overview: Hérault.