A bell tower in Laurens has served two purposes: first, it was a watchtower for the lord of the manor, and later it became the community’s belfry. The town offers further perspectives on its history: a 12th-century château, a church whose use changed over time, and a marble deposit discovered in 1885. There is also the park at Château de Grézan, wine tastings and a hike. You can choose different focuses for your trip, from architectural history and wine to an active route.
Château and Local History
Laurens Château now houses the town hall. It was built in the 12th century by the lords of Fouzilhon. The rectangular building has two floors and a courtyard. Next to the château stands the bell tower, whose function changed from the lord of the manor’s watchtower to the community’s belfry. If you plan to visit municipal interiors, check access locally, as it may vary.
Église Saint Laurent also has a history with several chapters: it opened for worship in 1786. From 1923, the former church was converted into a “Maison du peuple,” or conference hall. Both its religious use and its later transformation are part of the building’s history.
Another chapter in the town’s history is the marble deposit in Laurens, discovered by Pierre Anglade in 1885. The stone was initially intended for bridges, building foundations and funerary monuments. Alongside religious and municipal buildings, this brings the town’s industrial history into view.
Château de Grézan: History, Park and Wine
Château de Grézan was a former hospital commandery founded in the 12th century. In the 19th century, it was transformed into a fantasy fortress. It is listed as a historic monument and surrounded by crenellated defensive walls. Its former function and later transformation give the building two clearly distinct historical layers.
The château’s park covers three hectares. It includes a bamboo grove and century-old palm trees. These garden features offer a different focus from the defensive walls and the history of the commandery.
Visitors can tour the wine cellars and take part in tastings in the tasting cellar throughout the year. The wines presented include AOC Faugères and Vins de Pays d’Oc. Before your trip, check the current visiting arrangements for the park and wine cellars, as well as the wine selection, since these may change.
Hiking and Surroundings
The “Laurens Sauvanès” hike is easy, nine kilometres long and suitable for walking; it takes about three hours. Allow roughly this amount of time for the route and check current trail conditions before setting off. The route invites you to discover traces of Laurens’s development, shaped by winegrowing and the railway era. The Béziers–Graissessac railway line, which was crucial to Laurens’s development from 1857 onward, provides historical context.
Three kilometres northeast of Laurens lies the Grange monastique de Sauvanès. It was an agricultural dependency of Sylvanès Abbey in Aveyron. Its former function connects it to the history of the abbey and adds a regional context to the architectural and industrial history of Laurens.
Discover more destinations: Fraisse-sur-Agout, Montbazin, La Salvetat-Sur-Agout, Saint-Drézéry, Prades-Sur-Vernazobre, Pézènes-Les-Mines, Hérépian, Saint-Félix-de-l'Héras.
For the regional travel overview: Hérault.
