Being well-preserved and well-maintained, Caux is a pleasant village to live in year-round or as a secondary residence. The village, centrally located, is a ten minutes drive from bigger sister Pézenas. You’re also close to the A9 and A75 motorways for an easy connection to Montpellier (1-hour drive) or Béziers (30-minute drive). Montpellier’s airport can be reached in about 50 minutes, and the one of Béziers in 30 minutes. And in less than half an hour, you can spread your towel at one of the Mediterranean beaches.
Land of volcanoes
The area between the Causses de Larzac inland and Cap d’Agde along the Mediterranean Sea was a land of volcanoes. And medieval Caux finds itself on the edge of the basalt flow of one of these ancient volcanoes: Le Volcan des Baumes. Even today, you can witness the use of basalt in the ramparts and shelly limestone in the gates. The village is a so-called ‘circulade’, meaning that the streets of the centre form a circle. Here, you’ll find the 14th-century bell tower and the 12th-century Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais church. You can still see the main gate of the fort on the right of the church and the Chapelle des Pénitents on the left of the bell tower. And at the Rue de l’Église, you can spot a remarkable window dating from the Renaissance period. The facade it is on must have belonged to the old castle, which was destroyed in 1677.
Patrimonial heritage
The village is proud of its patrimonial heritage, and from July to September, you can visit the church, the bell tower and the chapel. Or you can join a guided visit organised on Fridays and Saturday mornings from July to August. Reservations can be made at the Espace Patrimoine (3 Place de l’Église). Roaming around the picturesque little streets reveals many other beautiful details. Like the arched Rue de la Coste and the Maison de la Cour Banerette. This house from the 15th century used to be the King’s Court and the marketplace. It also houses the town well, although I’m not sure what the egg with the dragon (?) represents… You see, even a tiny village like Caux hides some surprises! And then to think that there were almost no ‘Caussinards’ left; only six survived the Great Plague of 1348.
Place de République
Luckily, the number of inhabitants has increased since- around 2,600 inhabitants nowadays. And they live a happy and calm life while having the convenience of finding all the amenities one needs. The shops and restaurants are mainly on the Place de République, which is a street instead of a square, as the name may suggest. You will find two bakeries, a butcher, a pharmacy, a small grocery shop, a newsagent, a pizzeria, and some (snack) bars. Les Valseuses is a lovely restaurant with funky decoration, serving French and Mediterranean-style dishes. Neighbouring Roujan is at a ten-minute drive and has a bigger supermarket (Super U) and a Point P for builders’ materials. Or you can go to Pézenas, at the same distance, with an even wider choice (including Lidl, organic shops, Carrefour supermarket, Marie Blachère bakery, and, of course, the famous Saturday market).
