Le Pouget: Wine-Growing Village and Circulade

Le Pouget is a wine-growing village laid out around its circulade. The fortified circular village is locally known as “Lou Piochet” and is now called a “circulade.” If you take historic settlement patterns into account when choosing a destination, this layout offers a clear starting point: the history of the centre can be traced through two defensive rings, a vanished keep and several churches.

Circular Village and Historic Architecture

The historic centre took shape in the 12th century with two successive defensive rings around a keep dating from the 11th century that no longer survives. The Romanesque Église Saint-Jacques was built at about the same time as the fortifications and was listed as a historic monument by decree of 24 April 1954.

The parish church of Sainte-Catherine was built in the 13th century. The sacristy was built in 1635 and completed in 1762; in 1866, a bay was added to the nave on the west side, and two side chapels were added in 1880. The fountain on Place du Griffe in Le Pouget was built in 1688. Unlike Saint-Jacques and the fortifications, which date from roughly the same period, Sainte-Catherine’s construction history spans several stages through the 19th century.

The Prehistoric Dolmen du Gallardet

The prehistoric Dolmen du Gallardet is located at Pas de Gallardet, a few hundred metres from the historic centre. The structure comprises a passage, an antechamber and a burial chamber. The dolmen extends Le Pouget’s historical perspective further back in time than the medieval fortifications and the churches’ later building phases. For travellers who take different historical periods into account when choosing a destination, prehistoric and medieval landmarks can thus be found side by side.

Route and Trail Status

The “Randonnée du Dolmen et du Fossé des Yeux” route passes through the plain of l’Estang. This former marshland was drained in the 9th century by an underground gallery, the Fossé des Yeux. The dated trail status is also important for planning: as of 6 February 2026, the last section at Chemin des Costettes was closed indefinitely because of the risk of collapse; the first section to the Dolmen du Pouget remained open as an out-and-back route. Check the current route status before setting out. Note the different destination names: the first section of the route leads to the Dolmen du Pouget, while the prehistoric Dolmen du Gallardet is at Pas de Gallardet.

Animal Attraction with Seasonal Access

The Ferme Pédagogique du Dolmen is an animal facility open to the public and school groups. There are 250 animals on 5 hectares of green space, and some roam freely. Access is seasonal, so check whether visits are possible before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Liausson, La Mausse, Mérifons, La Boissiere, Palavas-Les-Flots, Ceyras, Usclas-D'hérault, Félines-Minervois

Return to the regional travel overview: Hérault.