Visiting Marseillan France wasn’t really at the top of my bucket list, but it happened to be where my barge cruise sailed from. It’s a popular spot for boats and barges heading down the Canal du Midi. I was actually really happy to have extra time to explore this charming small port city in the south of France.
Not that South of France. The chi-chi one with all the fancy yachts and summer traffic jams. It’s in the Languedoc region – which is the other, less-expensive, less-fussy, south of France. All of the charm, none of the glitz and glamour.
You can spend a day on the water with a boat for hire or perhaps do a fishing trip, if that’s more your speed. If you crave some beach time, you can still get a laid-back experience at Marseillan Plage.
I honestly loved venturing past the port side and just wandering around the neighborhood, which is the larger, city side where people live.
Food lovers have a great reason to visit – the fresh local seafood. Being on the water, all manner of shellfish like mussels and oysters are plentiful. In fact, the oysters thrive in farms in the lagoon of the Bassin de Thau. Clusters of oyster beds are barely visible from shore; the unique way they are farmed results in larger, sweeter specimens which the area has become quite famous for.
As a result, there are no shortage of bustling cafes and restaurants offering them by the truckload. Lucky us. Make sure to wash them down with some of the local wines. Especially Picpoul-de-Pinet, which has a very citrusy zing – the perfect pairing for plump, briny and delicious crustaceans. Did you know Picpoul means lip-stinger!?
I could think of a worse way to spend a sunny, warm afternoon.
NOILLY PRAT
Another famous draw? Noilly Prat. You can visit, tour, taste, and learn all about the iconic vermouth. I honestly learned so much – the tour and tasting were one of the highlights of visiting Marseillan.
If you love seaside charm, but want to avoid the crowds, tourists and higher prices of the French Riviera – I suggest you put Marseillan at the top of your must-visit list.
And if those aren’t reason enough to visit, consider the sunrises, which are also pretty spectacular.
