Swim, Read, Relax

The beaches of Montpellier on the Mediterranean, halfway between Nice and the Costa Brava in Spain are long stretches of sandy beaches perfect for swimming, strolling, yachting, sailing, kite surfing, or just soaking in the sun with a good book. Different than the cote d'azure these beaches are not rocky but sandy which makes them much pleasant. 10 Km from Montpellier is Palavos-les-Flots the nearest beach that is still an active fishing village, 5 km further is the newer village of Carnon which has a port for yachts and sailboats built in a square with apartments, restaurants, and a promenade. Flagging either side are sandy beaches with two story apartments and houses. A piece of wild beach backed by the Camargue is the Petite and Grand Travers which goes on for 5 more km meeting up with the larger village of La Grande Motte built in the 70s and 80s for the middle class (versus the rich of Nice) to have a beach resort. The architecture is built in pyramids, half circles, concave buildings to provide views of the sea for most apartments. Surrounded by parks, shopping areas, food courts, a golf course, swimming pools, and 10 km of apartments, houses, and walking and biking trails this is a mecca for vacationers. In the summer it swells to one million people and in the winter no more than 10% live there fulltime. If you are looking for a French beach vacation, consider this area the next time you come to Europe.