The best walks and hikes around Frontignan

At the place called “ Le Badaud ”, several Gardiole trails converge around this cistern, a true landmark in the heart of the garrigue. From this crossroads, the trails allow access to different sectors of the massif: to the north, the Saint-Félix-de-Montceau abbey; to the south, the ridges overlooking the coast and the Vic-la-Gardiole lagoon.

At the turn of the paths of La Gardiole, the ruins of the ancient abbey Saint-Félix-de-Montceau appear. The site, attested as early as 1104, was occupied for several centuries by a community of nuns, first Benedictine and then, for a period, Cistercian. The Gothic abbey church, built at the end of the 13th century, is today the most spectacular remnant of this medieval complex. Abandoned as a monastic site after the transfer of the community to Gigean in 1514, the site was long left to ruin before an association undertook its preservation in 1970. Today, the stones of the abbey church stand in the heart of the garrigue, on the northern slope of the limestone massif with the plain of Gigean in the background.

From Frontignan to Palavas-les-Flots, the route follows the Canal du Rhône à Sète through one of the major lagoon areas of the Languedoc coast. After the Étang d'Ingril and the Aresquiers, the canal successively crosses or runs alongside the Étangs de Vic and de Pierre-Blanche, then passes between those of Arnel and Prévost before reaching Palavas. The canal itself is a major historical element of this landscape. Its construction began in 1701 under the name Canal des Étangs, to ensure continuity between the Royal Canal of Languedoc — today the Canal du Midi — and the Rhône. The route, completed in 1829, passes through Frontignan, Maguelone, and Palavas before reaching Aigues-Mortes and then Beaucaire. In Frontignan, its opening in the 18th century profoundly modified the landscape: the canal notably separated the former Étang de Frontignan into two parts, giving rise to the Étang d'Ingril and that of La Peyrade.

This wooden footbridge or "Passerelle d'Ingril" allows you to cross part of the wetlands bordering the étang d'Ingril. The trail rises slightly above the marshy ground, offering direct contact with the different coastal environments of Aresquiers: lagoon, marsh, sansouïre, and pine forest. This landscape is closely linked to the history of the former salt pans of Frontignan, exploited for three centuries until 1968.

This wooden footbridge or "Passerelle d'Ingril" allows you to cross part of the wetlands bordering the Étang d’Ingril. The trail rises slightly above the marshy ground, offering direct contact with the different coastal environments of Les Aresquiers: lagoon, marsh, sansouïre, and pine forest. This landscape is closely linked to the history of the old salt pans of Frontignan, exploited for three centuries until 1968.

This wooden footbridge or "Passerelle d'Ingril" allows you to cross a part of the wetlands bordering the Étang d'Ingril. The path rises slightly above the marshy ground, offering direct contact with the different coastal environments of Aresquiers: lagoon, marsh, sansouïre, and pine forest. This landscape is closely linked to the history of the old salt pans of Frontignan, exploited for three centuries until 1968.

The Étang d'Ingril belongs to the vast complex of coastal lagoons of Frontignan. Between the Bois des Aresquiers, the old salt pans and the lido that separates it from the Mediterranean, it forms a landscape where lagoon environments, sansouïres (salt marshes) and pine forests mingle. This protected natural area hosts a rich diversity of birds and plants adapted to salty environments. In summer, the pond can also experience episodes of "malaïgue", a natural phenomenon linked to the proliferation of algae and heat, which can give the water a characteristic odor.

The étang d’Ingril is part of the vast complex of coastal lagoons of Frontignan. Between the Bois des Aresquiers, the old salt marshes and the lido that separates it from the Mediterranean, it forms a landscape where lagoon environments, sansouïres (salt marshes) and pine forests mingle. This protected natural area hosts an important diversity of birds and plants adapted to salty environments. In summer, the pond can also experience episodes of “malaïgue”, a natural phenomenon linked to the proliferation of algae and heat, which can give the water a characteristic odor.