Tourbes – History, Wine and Walking Trails

Tourbes brings together historic buildings and a winemaking tradition with trails where seasonal plants can be seen. If you are planning a stay here, you can focus on your own interests: local history, nature, outdoor activities or an event in August.

Discover local history through its buildings

Tourbes was first mentioned in 990. A walk takes you past numerous houses dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. A later change to the layout of the village can be seen in the former ditches: they were filled in and turned into boulevards, along which elegant winegrowers’ houses were built in the 19th century. The walk therefore brings together different periods of history. The Église Saint-Saturnin adds to this picture as a 14th-century church in the style of southern French Gothic architecture.

Chapelle Saint-Roch and the winemaking tradition

Chapelle Saint-Roch stands on one of the hills of Tourbes, surrounded by vineyards. A path lined with fig trees leads to it. A mass is celebrated there in mid-August, and residents of Tourbes make a pilgrimage to attend. If you are planning to travel for this occasion, check the exact date in advance.

Wine tastings are another of the activities available in Tourbes: they take place at the wine estates or at the Cellier Saint-Roch, the local winemakers’ cooperative. These two options offer a clear choice between a wine estate and the cooperative. Check visiting and opening arrangements before setting out.

Circular trail and seasonal plants

The “À la découverte de l’orchidée sauvage” circular trail is three kilometres long and takes about an hour. It is classified as very easy. Depending on the season, several species of orchids and other plants can be seen along the way. Nature observation is therefore linked to the time of your visit: which plants you can see depends on the season. If you are choosing the trail mainly for its plants, take this seasonal aspect into account when planning. As route information may be updated, it is a good idea to check the latest details before setting out.

Outdoor activities

The Tourbes pump track is suitable for riding bicycles and scooters, as well as skateboarding and roller skating. The Parcours santé focuses on different types of exercise: its various training stations are designed to build endurance, flexibility and strength. It is near the village and is freely accessible all year round. The main difference between the two options is the activity itself—wheeled sports on the pump track or station-based exercises on the Parcours santé.

August events and getting there

Tourbes O’ Jazz is an annual cultural festival held in August, which began in 2012. The programme dates vary from year to year. Together with the mass held at Chapelle Saint-Roch in mid-August, it gives you an overview of two different events taking place in the same month; check the specific dates before travelling. This lets you coordinate your visit with the event calendar, rather than assuming that an annual event takes place on a particular date.

For your journey, the full interchange on the A75 motorway serving Tourbes is relevant. It is just a few minutes away. When planning your specific route, take road conditions into account, as they may change. This travel information complements the topics of local history and nature, but says nothing about the location of individual hotels.

If you are looking for accommodation, you can decide whether Tourbes suits you based on which aspects of your stay matter most: historic houses and religious architecture, seasonal plants along the trail, outdoor exercise, wine tasting or an August event. If you are travelling for a specific occasion, it is worth checking the date first; for the trail, the approximate duration and seasonal plant life are more relevant. You can then search for hotels in Tourbes for your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Vérargues, Le Bosc, Le Caylar, Aniane, Montpeyroux, La Grande Motte, Mons, Pézènes-Les-Mines

For the broader travel overview: Hérault.