The best traffic-free bike rides around Mèze

The Étang de Thau is the largest lagoon in Occitania and a species-rich inland sea, separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow sandbank. The waters are the center of South French oyster farming, whose hanging mussel beds shape the landscape. As a nautical hub, the lagoon also connects the famous Canal du Midi with the Canal du Rhône à Sète. Along the shore, charming towns line up, such as the fishing town of Sète, the vermouth town of Marseillan, and the oyster towns of Bouzigues and Mèze, which can be perfectly explored via the 53-kilometer-long cycling route around the basin.

One of my favorite cycle paths in the area. It's just fun to whizz along the canal with a mountain bike. The path goes up and down in parts and has some potholes. It's also quite dusty in the summer. If that doesn't bother you, you're in the right place 😁

The path that crosses the Catonnière is developed and secured. Between Bouzigues and Balaruc-le-Vieux, this greenway partly follows the old railway line that once connected the two towns. It then gradually reaches the wetlands on the edge of the Thau lagoon. As you approach the Crique de l’Angle, the route becomes particularly unique: the path advances through the water, with ponds on either side. This wetland is a refuge for many birds, especially flamingos. Further on, the greenway returns to dry land in the direction of Balaruc-le-Vieux.

From the greenway, the gaze plunges over the Thau lagoon and its immense checkerboard of shellfish farming tables. These regular alignments are the breeding facilities where oysters and mussels from the lagoon are produced. Bouzigues holds a special place in this history: in 1925, Antoine Louis Tudesq and other Bouzigues oyster farmers developed the «Pyramide» technique, which contributed to the development of shellfish farming in the lagoon.

The voie verte runs here along a narrow strip of land between the étang de la Moulière to the north and the Crique de l’Angle to the south. The latter is a natural cove located at the eastern end of the étang de Thau, where the fresh waters of the Vène join the brackish waters of the lagoon. This wetland, classified as Natura 2000, is home to numerous water birds, among others. Beyond, the view also opens up onto the étang de Thau, then onto Sète, dominated by the silhouette of mont Saint-Clair (183 m).

Between Bouzigues and Balaruc-le-Vieux, this greenway partly follows the old railway line that once connected the two towns. After crossing landscapes of scrubland and vineyards, it gradually joins the wetlands on the edge of the Thau lagoon. As you approach the Crique de l’Angle, the route becomes particularly unique: the path advances through the water, with ponds on either side. This wetland is a refuge for many birds, especially flamingos. Further on, the greenway returns to dry land in the direction of Balaruc-le-Vieux.

The greenway runs here on a narrow strip of land between the Étang de la Moulière (to the north) and the Crique de l’Angle (to the south). The latter is a natural cove located at the eastern end of the Étang de Thau, where the fresh waters of the Vène meet the brackish waters of the lagoon. This wetland, classified as Natura 2000, hosts numerous water birds in particular. Facing south, the gaze crosses this cove to embrace the Étang de Thau, then Sète, dominated by the silhouette of Mont Saint-Clair (183 m).

The view plunges over the Thau lagoon and its immense checkerboard of shellfish farms. These regular alignments are the breeding facilities where the oysters and mussels of the lagoon are produced. Bouzigues holds a special place in this history: in 1925, Antoine Louis Tudesq and other Bouzigues oyster farmers developed the "Pyramid" technique, which contributed to the development of shellfish farming in the lagoon. Thus, the panorama allows us to read the landscape differently: behind this vast expanse of water lies a real production area, shaped for over a century by the work of the "sea farmers".