Location: Balaruc-les-Bains
Top Things to do in Balaruc-les-Bains
Top Restaurants in Balaruc-les-Bains
10 Things to Do in Balaruc-les-Bains That You Shouldn't Miss
Balaruc-les-Bains in France, from Europe region, is best know for Visitor Centers. Discover best things to do in Balaruc-les-Bains with beautiful photos and great reviews from traveller around the world here!
Restaurants in Balaruc-les-Bains
1. Office de Tourisme Balaruc-les-Bains
Overall Ratings
4 based on 130 reviews
All the team of the Tourist office advises you all year to make of your stay an unforgettable moment.
Reviewed By Trainbleu - Brussels
Wanting to escape the seemingly endless festivities and the ensuing crowds and chaos in Sète in August we took bus 10 to Balaruc-les-Bains on the “Etang de Thau”. As we had never been there, we headed straight for the tourist office. It is situated in the former building of the first spa institution of Balaruc, the “Pavillon Sévigné”, dating from 1753. In the courtyard, people were resting their feet in a stone basin with thermal water at 45 °Celsius. Inside we were provided with a free map on which a friendly young man indicated the (very few) sights in Balaruc.
We were particularly looking forward to visiting the “Mediterranean antique garden”. Unfortunately the man at the desk had forgotten to tell us it was closed on Monday! In the middle of the August high season! Balaruc is clearly not a place catering for day tourists, most people stay for longer periods at the spas. We did take the advised walk around the peninsula and it was very nice.
Our map was also not detailed enough to locate the bus stops to the nearby village of Balaruc-Le-Vieux and we saw no signs. So we asked French people passing by. And asked. And asked. It seemed no one ever took a bus. There is nothing much to see at Balaruc-Le-Vieux anyway.
2. Bleu Marin
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 71 reviews
Reviewed By arpala - London, United Kingdom
It is well worth taking the time to go on the boat tour of the Etang de Thau through the oyster fields, with an interesting demonstration of the cultivation of oysters.
However the commentary when we went was totally in french which was a shame as, although we do have a good command of the language, the detail and technical information in the commentary made it difficult to understand. I am fairly sure that if there were more English on board the lady would have been able to give a precis in english, but I think it would be more useful to have a tape in English of the full commentary or even better a written script to take away with you.
All the same, an enjoyable trip and lots to learn by watching even if you don't understand everything that is said!
3. Espace Georges Brassens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 486 reviews
Reviewed By AnneOEastMidlands - East Midlands
I'm a big French folk fan and love the singing style of the late great George Brassens - his famous songs much copied by our own Jake Thakery.
This small musee to Sete's local hero is a great way to spend an hour or so. It's a bit out of town but easy to get to even without a car. It's on bus route 3 - a journey that costs just over a euro.
There are several themed rooms to different stages in Brassens life and the multi lingual audio guide automatically picks up the commentary as you move around. Lots of artefacts of his life are on display and copies of the songs you hear as you move around available for purchase in the gift shop at the end - including his most famous La Gorille.
My friend and I found it so moving that we couldn't resist paying homage to his memory by visiting his simple grave (and that of his life's partner) just a few hundred yards along and across the road in the well signposted local cemetery.
If you like like French chanson style music, this is a little trip not to be missed.
4. Musee de site Villa-Loupian
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 108 reviews
Reviewed By RobininBRISTOL - Bristol, United Kingdom
Bath this is not and the building housing it looks like a farm barn but the floor is wonderfully preserved though the lighting is poor
5. Association DROMASUD
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7 reviews
WELCOM TO DROMASUD Live a unique experience with camels from the Gardiole massif. The DromaSud structure allows the whole family to discover the camel by offering pedagological visits and walks. For the more energetic, enjoy trips and excursions with panoramic of the Etang de Thau, the vines and the sea. Visites pedagological (2€) and discovertes walks (7,50€)
Reviewed By Sam D
Nous y sommes allés en impro. Nous ne sommes pas déçus.
Dépaysement garanti.
La maman et sa fille nous ont accueillis, nous avons brossé les dromadaires et nous sommes partis pour une petite ballade en famille.
Plutôt singulier comme divertissement à Sete.
Nous avons adoré le concept, l'accueil et la gentillesse des deux personnes.
Ces animaux sont vraiment incroyables.
À faire, Ca vaut vraiment le détour.
6. Kid's Paradise
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 73 reviews
Reviewed By Bernard A - Frontignan, France
Très sympa, cadre très agréable et bien équipé, plein de jeux, de la restauration, amabilité du personnel.
Si vous avez des petits faites un détour.
7. Promenade Georges Brassens - Laurent Spinosi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 62 reviews
Reviewed By Trainbleu - Brussels
There isn’t much to see in the health resort of Balaruc-les-Bains on the Thau Lagoon, especially on Monday when the “Mediterranean antique garden” is closed. However, when the weather is fine, taking the “Promenade Georges Brassens - Laurent Spinosi”, a signed walk of about 1.3 miles starting at the Port Centre, is a very nice way to spend some time. The walk is clearly indicated on the free map available at the tourist office but it is easy to find even without map because the path hugs the shoreline around the tip of the peninsula of Balaruc. All along there are enticing views on the lagoon and the nearby cities, hills, and villages: Agde and its volcano Mont Saint Loup, Sète and its Mont Saint-Clair, Bouzigues, Mèze ...
The walk is named after the famous French singer-songwriter Georges Brassens (1921 –1981), who was born in Sète, and his friend Laurent Spinosi, nicknamed « Lolo », a fisherman and painter from Balaruc who used to receive his friends in his fisherman’s hut at Balaruc. Almost halfway through the walk there is a large trompe l'oeil fresco by Agnès et Olivier Costa representing the hut with George Brassens holding his guitar, Lolo standing and Salvator Dali on the roof. Further on there is a small unsupervised beach, the “Plage Les Rives de Thau”, for a quick dip in the lake.
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 265 reviews
Reviewed By Maixent - Monmouth, United Kingdom
If you are valid, it is worth climbing from the Corniche/Beach or from the city Centre and the views will reward the climb.
The nearby building has an observation Terrace on the roof, which is free, do not hesitate to climb to have the best view of Sète.
9. Le Musee de L'etang de Thau
Overall Ratings
4 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By Jb-tb - Rotterdam, Holland
This little museum is great addition to the lovely fishing village of Bouzigues. It gives detailed information about the Bassin de Thau, the shellfish industry and the way the oyster production works. At the same time, it tells the story of individual fishermen, both now and in the past.
There are videos (almost none of them with English subtitles though...), old pictures of Bouzigues en Sete and a few -not too impressive- Aquariums.
And then there is the actual fisherman equipment: tackles, hooks and you can see the constructions they use in the water for oyster farming.
Probably temporary -but we are not sure about this- was the exhibition showing the life of fishermen in China.
We paid only 4 euro, great value for such a small, but wonderful museum!
10. Mini Golf De L'etang De Thau
Overall Ratings
4 based on 12 reviews
18 pistes homologuées Fédération Française de Mini Golf pour la partie mini golf prêt du matériel et explication du jeu sur les deux premières pistes, différent des autres mini golf par son coté sportif et ses règles de jeu! Possibilité de restauration sur place dernier service en juillet et aout 20h30, avec la formule : arrivée, commande de votre repas, équipement pour le départ sur les neufs premières pistes puis retour vers votre table pour dîner tranquillement et fin du parcours des neufs dernières pistes pour la digestion. Pas d'attente à votre table et une soirée bien organisée !
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