
It is very much possible that you have seen the outstanding mountain Pic Saint-Loup from afar. From the Promenade du Peyrou in Montpellier for example, at only 20 kilometres away. Even from the Mediterranean coast, you can see the remarkable triangle-shaped peak. The Pic Saint-Loup area comprises 36 villages full of Roman and mediaeval history. Because of the Pic Saint-Loup AOC appellation, you will also find many wonderful wine estates. But before exploring further, I first wanted to climb to the summit for an extraordinary view of the region.
Rocky trail
From the Parking Pic Saint-Loup in the village of Cazevieille, you will find a hiking trail all the way up to the summit. The hike is 6 kilometres long, goes up and down via the same path, and takes about 2.5 hours in total. Suitable footwear is highly recommended, as large rocks and gravel pretty much completely cover the trail, which makes the difficulty level moderate. Chéri and I went on a Sunday and were surprised to see so many people on our way. Families, couples, groups of friends, and we even saw people running up and down the mountain- twice! A bit too enthusiastic if you ask me; walking the path was perfectly fine for us. The extraordinary natural surroundings are a joy for your eyes. And the scent of aromatic plants like thyme, rosemary and laurel adds a bonus treat for your nose as well.

Two faces
The Pic Saint-Loup has two faces, with the southern side being the gentle one, covered with garrigue scrubland and oak forests. The other side is rough with a steep slope, giving the summit its recognisable triangular form. The hiking trail from Cazevieille is signposted with yellow markers, although we also saw white/red markers the whole way up. With a difference in altitude of only 364 metres, the trail is not very steep. You only have to climb quite steeply for the last bit before reaching the summit at 658 metres above sea level. When reaching the top, the amazing view of the Languedoc region rewarded us handsomely. To the south, we saw the Mediterranean Sea, the salines of Aigues-Mortes and La Grande Motte and, to the north, the valley of Fambétou, the cliffs of the Hortus mountain and even the Cévennes. The panorama is breathtaking and really worth the climb!

Love story
The Pic Saint-Loup got its name from a mediaeval legend, when three valiant knights from Saint-Martin-de-Londres, Loup, Guiral and Clair, were all in love with the same woman. Bertrade, the lady in question, promised to marry the most glorious and devoted man. To prove they were worth Bertrade’s love, the three knights went on a crusade. Unfortunately, Bertrade died while the men were away. Mad with grief, they decided to live their lives as hermits. The village of Saint-Martin-de-Londres is surrounded by three mountains, and each knight picked one. Each year for Christmas, the men lit a fire on top of the mountain to show they were still there. In the end, one by one, all three lights were extinguished. To honour their courage and endless love, the mountains were named after them: Mont Saint-Guiral near Aigoual, Mont Saint-Clair near Sète and, of course, Pic Saint-Loup.
