Picpoul Wine & Oysters Tasting: Béziers to Thau Pond

Oyster farmers still use the same maturation methods their families perfected centuries ago.

A morning activity in Béziers combining wine tasting at a Languedoc winery and oyster farming at Thau pond, with a live guide in English or French. You visit Picpoul de Pinet estate, taste their wines, then travel to the lagoon to meet a local oyster farmer, observe traditional farming techniques, and eat six fresh oysters with a glass of white wine overlooking the water. Choose between a shared tour (maximum eight people) or a private one. The experience runs about four hours with hotel or office pickup and return by early afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wine tasting and oyster experience

• Meet at Béziers tourist office
• Drive 40 minutes to Picpoul de Pinet winery
• Visit winery and taste Picpoul wines
• Drive 20 minutes to Thau pond oyster farm
• Learn oyster farming and taste oysters with wine
• Return 40 minutes to Béziers

The experience

The morning starts at the Béziers tourist office at 10 a.m., then a 40-minute drive takes you inland to Picpoul de Pinet, a winery in the heart of Languedoc. You walk the estate with your guide, Laurent de Oc Wine Tours, who explains the region's winemaking traditions and history. The tasting focuses on Picpoul itself (a fresh, fruity white wine designed to pair with seafood), and lasts about an hour before you head back to the vehicle.

From there, a 20-minute drive brings you to the edge of Thau pond, where an oyster farmer meets you at the water's edge. You watch how oysters are matured in the lagoon using methods passed down through generations, then sit facing the pond with six oysters and a glass of white wine. The farmer's garden spreads out in front of you, and on clear days you can see across to the city of Sète. This part of the morning lasts roughly 80 minutes before the return journey to Béziers, arriving around 1:30 p.m.

The tour runs with a maximum of eight people if you choose the shared option, or as a private group if you book that package instead. Your guide speaks English or French, and the air-conditioned vehicle handles all the driving. Arrive ten minutes early at the meeting point. The operator requires a minimum of four participants for shared tours to run, and will offer an alternative date or experience if that threshold is not met.

What’s included

• Wine tasting at Picpoul de Pinet estate.
• tasting of six oysters and a glass of white wine at Thau pond.
• live guide in English or French.
• air-conditioned vehicle and driver throughout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Wine and Oysters: Shared TourGuide in English or French · 10:00Lasts 4 hours. Visit and tasting: a visit to a winery with a wine tasting, and a visit to an oyster farm with a tasting of 6 oysters and 1 glass of wine. Air-conditioned van: a shared tour in a small group of up to 8 people. Bilingual local guide. Meeting point at the Béziers tourist office.

Wine and Oysters: Private TourGuide in English or French · 10:00Lasts 4 hours. Visit and tasting: a visit to a winery with a wine tasting, and a visit to an oyster farm with a tasting of 6 oysters and 1 glass of wine. Private transport: a comfortable, air-conditioned recent vehicle, a van with 2 to 8 seats. Exclusive private local guide. Pickup from your residence or inn. Bilingual driver-guide.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday and ThursdayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Oc wine tours

Is this one for you?Choose the shared tour if you enjoy meeting other travelers and want a smaller group experience, or book private if you prefer the flexibility and exclusivity of a tour built around your schedule and pace.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

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 Picpoul wine and why does the tour focus on it?

Picpoul is a fresh, fruity white wine from the Languedoc region, grown specifically around Pinet. It pairs naturally with seafood, which is why the tour moves directly from the winery tasting to oyster farming at the pond. The wine and the food are built for each other.

How do oyster farmers work at Thau pond?

Oyster farmers mature their oysters in the lagoon using traditional methods that have been refined over centuries. You observe the farms from the water's edge and learn directly from a local farmer how the process works and why the pond's conditions make it ideal for oysters.

Can I book this as a private tour instead of joining a small group?

Yes, you choose between a shared tour (up to eight people) or a private tour at checkout. Both follow the same itinerary and include the same wine tasting and oyster experience.

What time does the tour end and how do I get back to my hotel?

The tour returns to Béziers around 1:30 p.m. after roughly four hours. The driver brings you back to the tourist office where you started, or to your hotel if you arrange pickup in advance.

Is there a minimum age or fitness requirement for this tour?

The tour requires a minimum age of 18. It is suitable for all fitness levels, as you spend most of the morning either tasting wine indoors or standing at the pond's edge.