Discover Laurens and find hotels

Those looking for a hotel in Laurens can plan their stay around a range of interests: the town’s history is reflected in the Château and the Église Saint Laurent; the “Laurens Sauvanès” hike has a clearly specified duration. At Château de Grézan, the focus is on architectural history, the park and wine.

Château and local history

The Château in Laurens was built in the 12th century by the lords of Fouzilhon and now serves as the town hall. It is a rectangular, two-storey building with an inner courtyard. Next to the Château stands the bell tower: it first served as a watchtower for the lord of the manor and later as the village belfry. These different functions offer insight into the history of the building and the community.

If you wish to visit the municipal areas of the town hall, check access in advance, as it may vary.

The Église Saint Laurent opened for worship in 1786. From 1923, the former church was converted into a “Maison du peuple” (conference hall). Its history therefore encompasses both religious use and a later function as a conference hall.

Another historic site nearby is the Grange monastique de Sauvanès, three kilometres northeast of Laurens. It was an agricultural outbuilding belonging to Sylvanès Abbey in Aveyron. This connection adds a monastic and agricultural dimension to the area’s architectural history.

Château de Grézan: history, park and wine

Château de Grézan was a former hospital commandery founded in the 12th century and transformed into a fantasy fortress in the 19th century. It is listed as a historic monument and surrounded by crenellated defensive walls. Its architectural history thus combines medieval origins with a later, imaginative transformation.

The park at Château de Grézan covers three hectares and includes a bamboo grove and century-old palm trees. If you wish to visit the park, check its condition and visitor arrangements before travelling.

Visitors can tour the wine cellars at Château de Grézan and take part in tastings in the tasting cellar throughout the year. Wines from the AOC Faugères and Vins de Pays d’Oc are presented there. As visitor arrangements and the wine selection may change, check the current conditions in advance.

Hiking and traces of history

The “Laurens Sauvanès” hike is nine kilometres long, rated easy and takes about three hours on foot. Its distance, approximate duration and difficulty rating describe different aspects of the route and help you estimate the time required. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

The route invites you to discover traces in Laurens of the development shaped by winegrowing and the railway era. From 1857, the Béziers–Graissessac railway line was crucial to Laurens’s development. This gives the hike’s historical theme a specific timeframe without limiting the route to a single period.

This makes it possible to choose a destination based on the topics you would like to explore more closely during your visit.

Discover more destinations: Cabrières, La Livinière, Assas, Nézignan-L'evêque, Saint-Bauzille-De-Montmel, Montady, Saint-Just, Saint-Gély-Du-Fesc.

For the broader travel overview: Hérault.