Summers in the south of France call for fun water activities. Swimming is an obvious choice, but I can also recommend sea kayaking. There are several options for this along the Mediterranean coast. My family and I tried Bessan Aventure in Cap d’Agde, where we paddled past volcanic rocks and Fort Brescou. A pretty active outing! But luckily, it included a dip in the refreshing water.
Plage de Plagette
All enjoyable things require a little effort, even during the summer holidays. So, when I told the twins and Chéri we were going on a sea kayaking tour, their initial reaction was enthusiastic. It became a bit less so when they realised the alarm clock had to be set at 7 a.m… But the mail from Bessan Adventure was clear. And to be at our meeting point at 09h00, we had to leave at daybreak. However, as soon as we arrived on the Plage de la Plagette in Cap d’Agde and had our feet in the water, the early hour was quickly forgotten. Our certified guide, Coco, met us there, and we pitched in to take the kayaks to the beach. It was hard work getting started, but a great way to warm up.
Plage de la Grande Conque
As the family and I had kayaked on the river before, we weren’t complete newbies. Still, Coco made sure to give us a quick safety rundown before we jumped into the kayaks. Safety first, after all! Immediately from the start, it felt different from kayaking on a river. Of course, there are no rapids, only open water. And Chéri and I didn’t have one argument in our double kayak, whereas peddling the river required more communication (debate…) navigation-wise. We gently took off in the direction of the Plage de la Grande Conque. This is a unique beach, where dark-coloured cliffs form a dramatic contrast with the turquoise blue water of the Med. Underwater volcanic eruptions formed these lava cliffs some 750,000 years ago. While we took a break for water and a swim on the striking black sand beach, Coco shared the legend of the ‘Deux Frères’- Two Brothers- rocks.
Fort Brescou
Back in our kayaks again, we headed for Fort Brescou. This modest fortification stands on part of an ancient underwater volcano and is undergoing a major renovation. Currently closed to the public, you may be able to visit it again once the work is complete. To get closer to Fort Brescou, we had to paddle across the sea mouth’s exit of Cap d’Agde’s harbour in one go. Chéri and I thought that was a little exciting, but Coco led us through it without any problems. Due to the Tramontane wind, we couldn’t circle the fortress. But we pulled our kayaks onto the small beach for another break. Coming back to where we started, Coco told us that we had covered 6 kilometres in about two hours. It didn’t even feel like it! And the trip on the water had revived us entirely.
