Attractions and Places To See around La Tour-Sur-Orb - Top 20

Located in the Hauts Cantons of the Hérault, at the confluence of the Gravezon, Nize, and Dourdou rivers, Lunas is a charming village that combines history and a gentle way of life. Dominated by the Redondel rock, a former fortified site, it reveals pretty streets, a 17th-century castle, and the Saint-Pancrace church, whose origins date back to the 12th century. Don't miss the Notre-Dame-de-Nize chapel and its famous Fontaine des Yeux (Eyes Fountain), nestled in a peaceful natural setting.

The castle overlooks Pézènes-les-Mines from the upper part of the village. This castle is private, but its facades, roofs, and enclosure have been protected as historical monuments since 1981. Its history is ancient, but the ensemble we see today is the result of several construction and transformation campaigns. The Romanesque chapel, integrated into the castle, dates back to the 12th century. Its apse was later raised in the 14th century to take on a defensive function. The castle itself underwent significant alterations in the 14th, 16th, and 17th centuries. Two gates were notably built into the enclosure in the 17th century. The defensive elements are still very legible: two gates with arrow slits controlled access to the courtyard and were once protected by a drawbridge. Two towers flank the ensemble, while the enclosure follows the natural irregularities of the terrain. The chapel also retains a rather remarkable detail: its door and some of its bays are decorated with basalt inlays, giving the building a discreet but original polychromy. Pézènes-les-Mines was not always the small village one might imagine today. Pézènes was the capital of a marquisate that grouped the communities of Pézènes, Montesquieu, and Valmascle. The castle was therefore at the heart of a larger seigneurial territory. Little-known information: A plan from 1800 shows that behind the castle stretched a long terrace of about 270 meters, arranged as a garden, promenade, and belvedere overlooking the Peyne valley.

At first glance, three towers standing against the wind are particularly noticeable. However, this site is much more than a viewpoint. The windmills of Faugères were built in the 16th century, at a time when cereals still occupied an essential place in the local economy. Their location is probably no accident: according to tradition and local heritage studies, they were established on older towers, probably of Gallo-Roman origin, which already occupied this strategic position. Already noted in ruins on the Cassini map of 1777, the mills briefly regained their activity thanks to the Rivière brothers from 1829, before being abandoned again. It was not until the 1990s that an ambitious restoration brought the site back to life. Since 1998, one of the mills has been operating again with a traditional mechanism and 19th-century millstones. From the orientation table, the view extends 360° over the Faugères vineyards, the Mediterranean, the Cévennes, the Lozère, and, on a clear day, as far as the Pyrenees.

From the D8E13 bridge, the viewpoint offers a beautiful postcard of Avène and the Orb.

Magnificent terrain, it's fun on gravel, and surely even more so on a mountain bike! Plus the scenery is too beautiful!!

This tiny and peaceful village, with a worldwide reputation for the benefits of its water, is a perfect location for hikers and gravel enthusiasts. You have many options of loops from there. Enjoy!

The bucolic charm of the places and the banks of the Orb is striking. The economy of Avène has always been based on significant mining activity that began under Roman rule and continued until 1954, when the Rabasse mines closed. Created in 1962 for hydroelectric production and regulation of the Orb, the Lac des Monts d'Orb (or Lac d'Avène) is 6 kilometres long and covers an area of 190 hectares. An old lead and silver mine is now submerged under the lake: the mines and their exploitation were a source of wealth for the Orb valley, from Antiquity until the 1950s. Today, it is above all nature that provides Avène with one of its benefits: water from the depths of the Languedoc earth. This water that has been shaping a destiny for two and a half centuries, a vocation inspired by Thermalism. It is impossible not to go to the Thermal Baths, a stone's throw south of the village (the markings of the Sentier des 2 Lacs allow you to reach the site on foot, and the connection is pretty!). The Thermal Baths site is peaceful, relaxing... like the range of well-being and beauty products from the Avène brand. Beyond the thermal area, there is a magnificent hotel and an excellent restaurant! The establishment is committed to a truly eco-responsible approach: use of local products, innovative and energy-efficient architectural and technical choices...

A charming village nestled at the confluence of the Gravezon, the Nize and the Dourdou! The history of Lunas dates back to the Roman road that linked the lower Languedoc to Rouergue. Surely succeeding a Gallo-Roman oppidium, the Lunarenses castrum is mentioned as early as 806 in a charter of the Gélone abbey (that of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert). The town is dominated by the Redondel rock, an ancient fortified castle belonging to the baron of Faugères, Viscount of Béziers. Razed in 1627, it was rebuilt on the banks of the Gravezon in 1641 by Henry de Narbonne. A true summary of the history of Languedoc, and a very pleasant cultural, refreshing and gastronomic stopover… A small detour to enjoy the leisure center of Prades, and a break on the site of the Saint-Georges chapel are essential in Lunas