Montpellier Day Trip: Devil's Bridge & Lake Salagou Tour

Two of Hérault's most striking landscapes in a single morning and afternoon

A full-day guided tour from Montpellier visiting two great sites of the Hérault: the Devil's Bridge and Saint Guilhem-le-Désert with its UNESCO-listed Gellone Abbey, plus the circus of Mourèze and Lake Salagou. The tour runs 8 hours with a local guide, air-conditioned vehicle and all site entries included. You bring your own lunch and water. A guide fluent in English or French leads the group through narrow medieval streets, gorge viewpoints and a lakeside break with provided seating.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Grands Sites de l'Hérault

• Visit Mourèze village and Belvedere
• Break and lunch at Lake Salagou
• See the Devil's Bridge and gorges
• Stroll Saint Guilhem-le-Désert village
• Discover Gellone Abbey UNESCO site

The experience

You're picked up in Montpellier and driven into the Hérault Valley, where the day splits between two distinct landscapes. The first stop is the village of Mourèze, built into a cirque of strangely shaped rocks. You climb to the Belvedere for a view across the formation and the stone houses below. Then comes Lake Salagou, where the water shifts between red and blue depending on the light and the mineral content of the surrounding earth. A table and chairs are set up for your lunch break (bring your own food and water), and the landscape here is unusual enough that most people linger longer than they planned.

The afternoon centers on two sites that anchor the region's reputation. The Devil's Bridge is an 11th-century stone span that crosses the Hérault Gorges. The structure itself is the draw, along with the wild gorge it frames. Then you walk through Saint Guilhem-le-Désert, one of France's officially designated most beautiful villages, with narrow streets that feel genuinely medieval. The Gellone Abbey sits at the heart of the village and holds UNESCO World Heritage status. The guide walks you through it and explains what makes it significant. The whole day moves at a pace that lets you stand still in each place rather than rushing between them.

Your guide grew up in the area and speaks either English or French depending on the group. The vehicle is air-conditioned, which matters on warm days in the Languedoc. All entry fees to the sites are included in the price. The only thing you arrange is your own lunch and water to carry. Wear good shoes (there is walking on uneven ground and village streets), and dress for sun and heat.

What’s included

• Local guide fluent in English or French.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full 8 hours.
• entry to the Devil's Bridge, the circus of Mourèze, Lake Salagou and the Gellone Abbey.
• a table and chairs at Lake Salagou for your lunch break.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Wednesday and FridayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (5 to 14 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by WISUD

Is this one for you?If you're staying in Montpellier without a car, this tour solves the logistics of reaching two of the region's most striking sites in a single day. The pickup and return are built in, and the guide's local knowledge means you're not navigating between them yourself or wondering which stop is worth the detour.

Traveler reviews

4.93★★★★★★★★★★

85 verified traveler reviews

5 ★80

4 ★4

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 14 years); Infant (under 5).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Devil's Bridge and why is it worth seeing?

The Devil's Bridge is an 11th-century stone structure crossing the Hérault Gorges, a wild and well-preserved natural site. The bridge itself is the main draw (it's an architectural work steeped in local legend), and the gorge views from it are the kind of landscape that justifies the trip alone.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

You walk through the narrow streets of both Mourèze and Saint Guilhem-le-Désert, climb to the Belvedere viewpoint above Mourèze, and explore the Gellone Abbey. The walking is moderate but spread across 8 hours, and you have a seated lunch break at Lake Salagou. Wear good shoes for uneven ground and village streets.

Is lunch included, and what should I bring?

Lunch is not included, but the tour stops at Lake Salagou with a table and chairs set up for you to eat. Bring your own food and water. The break is long enough to sit and enjoy the view of the red-and-blue water and the surrounding landscape.

What makes Saint Guilhem-le-Désert special?

Saint Guilhem-le-Désert is one of France's officially designated most beautiful villages, set in the Hérault Valley with medieval-looking stone houses and narrow streets. The Gellone Abbey at its center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the guide explains both the village and the abbey's history as you walk through.

Does the tour operate if I don't have a car in Montpellier?

Yes, the tour includes pickup in Montpellier and returns you there at the end of the day. You don't need your own transport. The air-conditioned vehicle is part of the package, and the driver handles all the routing between the four sites.