When bookings go wrong – a serendipitous week at Vias-Plage
If you have read my previous posts, you will know that I spend a lot of time researching and planning our trips to France. When looking for accommodation, I have certain criteria but, in some parts of the French countryside, it can be difficult to tick all of the boxes.
Originally, I had found a wonderful self-contained accommodation through Airbnb, south of Béziers, which looked perfect. However, with further investigation on Google maps, we uncovered the nearby quarry and main roads.
After more searching, I had settled on a B&B in the village of Mont Blanc. Although not self-contained, it had a garden with a pool, a designated parking area, was set in a village with some essentials and, best of all, we could easily cycle from the door to explore the vineyards on small country lanes. We had spent hours poring over Google maps, dropping in and out of its street view to ensure that there was not a quarry or la déchetterie (the dump) in sight. Planning our cycling adventures, mixed with days at the beaches and markets … it seemed perfect.
Vineyards of the Herault region
Unfortunately, the accommodation was not perfect. Despite regular communication. the owners neglected to advise that the road outside their property was a turmoil due to extensive roadwork. There was no road surface, dust everywhere and the driveway of our B&B did not exist.
We found a parking spot and walked back to the property. Treading over wooden boards to access the front stairs, we were met by the owner. She welcomed us and showed us to the room that we had booked, which was pleasant enough but very small. We queried the road work. She explained that it had been taking place for close to a year! However, not to worry as we could park in the street behind and access the property through the back gate. She handed me the key, I left my handbag in the room and locked the door. She led us through the house via the filthy and messy kitchen, where her gruff husband could barely acknowledge us and we also had to negotiate bowls of pet food and the pets. The back garden, where we were going to swim and have barbeques, was a junk yard. Certainly nothing like the photos on the website. We had to pick our path, walking carefully past piles of building materials, broken chairs, and toys.
We did move the car but I could read Chris’ mind and wondered what we were going to do. This is not normal for us but, in a moment of desperation, I went back into the house and advised the owners that we were going to find some proper lunch. I went upstairs and retrieved my bag and left the key in the door. I hurried across that terrible garden once more and jumped into the car. Luckily, we had only paid a deposit of 90 Euros that we were prepared to sacrifice. Off we drove through the streets as I frantically entered ‘information centre’ into our GPS.
We were in luck. Nearby was a town called Vias-Plage and a lady at the Information Centre was very helpful. She strongly suggested that we go to the Hotel/Motel Miriam, only five minutes’ drive away. She said that the owners were very nice and that we would definitely find availability.
Oh … my … goodness … she was more ‘right’ than we imagined!
https://www.motelmyriam.com/en/
Vias-Plage is a seaside holiday town with a seasonal funfair and camping areas. We stayed in the motel section of the Myriam. The accommodation furnishings would be considered basic but everything was clean and our unit was quite spacious. It was not the type of place that we would normally choose but wonderful in the circumstances. Breakfast was included. We had our own refrigerator and access to a communal freezer for our cooler ice packs. There was a covered pool and a bar as well as an ice creamery. It was an easy walk to la plage (the beach), just 100 metres away. Nearby there were restaurants, a small supermarket, clothes shops, a laundromat and much more as we were to discover during the week that we spent there.
Amazing seafood platter
Feeling so relieved to escape a disastrous accommodation situation, we rewarded ourselves with an amazing seafood platter followed by desserts and a glass of limoncello. Later that evening, we wandered along the main street and stopped to listen to some musicians, including a very talented young boy, play and sing . It was Fête de la musique, an annual festival of music celebrated all over France on 21st June.
Sumptuous salad at ‘Le Copacabana’ bar
Our wonderful week included using the pool and terrace of our accommodation. Years later, we have learnt that board shorts should never be worn in the pool in France. Whoops!
We came to know the local proprietors at the supermarket, laundromat and cave à vins (wine shop). Here we saw, for the first time, that locals would arrive with empty PET bottles to have them filled with wine for just a few euros. We enjoyed live music, many of the ice cream flavours and evening walks on the beach. At the supermarket, we purchased ingredients for simple salads that we enjoyed on our own terrace as we watched lizards racing along the wall and marvelled at amazing pink and orange sunsets.
Lizard on the wall of our terrace
Sunset over Vias Plage
Vineyards near Cessenon-sur-Orb
Whilst it was so easy to stay in town, we ventured further on a few occasions that week. One morning, we were up super early and packed our bikes. With a quick stop at the local boulangerie for breakfast supplies, we drove to Cessenon-sur-Orb. After our outdoor breakfast, we cycled around a lovely circular route via Roquebrun.
Cycling near Roquebrun
The road was undulating with vineyards and river views and we crossed a sweet bridge along the way. Arriving back at Cessenon, we sat outside a bar in the village square and drank glasses of vin blanc for 1 euro each. Later, we headed off to find a picnic spot on the riverbank to enjoy the remainder of our boulangerie treats.
A glass of white wine in the village square of Cessenon-sur-Orb following our ride
Orb River at Cessenon-sur-Orb
Gorgeous village of Olargues
Our picnic was followed by a beautifully scenic drive along the quiet and windy road to Olargues, where we stopped at its Romanesque bridge, Pont du Diable. We purchased a wine jug from a local poterie. It’s a perfect souvenir of our summer days in the south of France that we relive as we sit sipping rosé poured from it in our garden at home.
Pont du Diable at Olargues
We drove to the long stretch of beach just south of Sète, eating lunch right on the beach at ‘Le Dôme’. On another morning, we walked to the old town of Vias. Chris had his most thorough haircut experience at ‘Loft Coiffure’, where the barber shared a story of another Australian couple who had sailed from Australia arriving in nearby Cap d’Agde. They had then cycled to Vias, where the husband had his haircut before they then cycled to Spain. It was market day and, right in the centre of the town, there is a large covered market area where food stalls were set up with protection from the weather. We were happy to sit back, watching people come and go, whilst having lunch at Shenanigan's Irish Pub, opposite the marketplace. It was here that we spotted our first French poodle.
Enjoying lunch on the beach near Sète at ‘La Dôme’ restaurant
This part of France has so much to offer. Béziers is the largest town in the area. It has fabulous architecture and famous plane trees that line the street, creating gorgeous shade on a hot summer’s day. The town sits on the bank of the Ord River with a lovely cathedral being its highest point. The surrounding countryside has lakes and vineyards. The coast has sandy beaches with a more relaxed feel than the Côte d’Azur. The famous Canal du Midi starts here and continues all the way to Toulouse. It is possible to take boat trips along the canal. It it was a fabulous week in a lovely area.
Next time we head to the stunning French Alpes. See you then.
Lac du Salagou, north of Béziers
Crossing the Canal du Midi near Vias
