The pretty medieval village of Gruissan is one of my local happy places. It is so hard not to be nostalgic for better times at the moment as travel is a distant (but no so distant) dream right now, I still want to share a little something that you can enjoy when the good times start to roll again…and they will.

It is a very pretty village that sits separated by the sea and a lagoon. La Tour Barberousse, Red Beard ’s medieval tower stands on the edge of Gruissan. It’s a circular fishing village home to many beaches, the most unusual and charming being la plage des chalets. There are rows of houses on stilts, quite particular to Gruissan. 

It is one of the closest beaches to Toulouse, and if you time it right you can be there in one hour and twenty minutes. It is the perfect daytrip destination when you find yourself needing to be by the sea. The film Betty Blue gave notoriety to the village ; Béatrice Dalle a fait pour Gruissan ce que Brigitte Bardot a fait pour St. Tropez.

There is a tennis club which is open to everyone and it’s a haven for kite surfing and wind surfing….if you know what you are doing as it can be very windy. The first time I visited there was very little wind and the second time I could barely open my car door after parking. Usually it is somewhere in between. 

Apart from a nice walking path around the lagoon and a little hike to the top of the tower for a lovely view,  you can also walk for ages along the sea front.  It is a great spot to meander around the marina,  where there are typical restaurants, cafés and shops but the spot to enjoy seafood has got to be La Cambuse du Saunier. 

Towards the outskirts of town are the vineyards of Pierre Richard, an actor who set himself up here years ago and has been making wine ever since. My other favourite eatery is l’Estagnol which is lakeside.

The drive through the wine routes to the village is also very pretty. The arid countryside is dotted with vineyards to visit and taste wine, notably Château Capitoul. 

Gruissan is lovely to visit even in the winter just to stroll around enjoy the impossibly blue skies and views that remind us of summer. 

for more information visit: http://www.gruissan-mediterranee.com

I hope you have enjoyed this post about Gruissan. Follow me to keep up with me on my travels around beautiful Occitanie. A bientôt…………………………………………Christina