Capestang: ideally located along the Canal du Midi and in the region
12 km from Béziers, 25 minutes from its SNCF train station and 35 minutes from its airport. 15 km from Narbonne. 30 minutes from the first beaches but also from the Haut Languedoc Regional Natural Park. 1 hour from Montpellier, Spain and the Pyrenees or even the city of Carcassonne.
Surrounded by plains and vineyards, olive groves and other cultivated fields, Capestang, far from being a simple village crossed by the Canal du Midi, is also an historic town. It is thanks to this navigation route and then the railway that the vine triumphed and experienced its golden age at the end of the 19th century.
Capestang is rich in several architectural gems of great historical value.
The Collegiate Church of Saint-Etienne
This 14th-century Gothic Historic Monument surprises with its enormous proportions. It remained unfinished, like the one in Narbonne. The nave and transept were built on the remains of the Romanesque church. It is definitely worth a visit with its magnificent stained-glass windows, gargoyles, open choir, and bell tower offering an impressive panoramic view.
The following five videos allow you to learn more about the Collegiate Church of Saint-Etienne:
A first glimpse
3D reconstruction of the building
Interior visit
The bells
Sound and light show
The castle of the archbishops of Narbonne
Listed as a Historic Monument, this summer residence of the archbishops hosted the Estates General of Languedoc in 1430. A large state room with a splendid 15th-century painted ceiling, depicting fantastic scenes, some imaginary and others realistic: troubadours, dancers, animals, gargoyles, etc., coats of arms of the church of Narbonne, the Harcourt family, and his cousin Louis. A ceiling full of symbols that retains its mystery.
The following three videos allow you to learn more about the castle of the archbishops of Narbonne:
Guided tour of the castle
3D view of the ceilings
Fun animation
The Canal du Midi
Also called the Canal des deux-Mers, this work by Paul Riquet, opened in 1642, a navigable waterway in France and listed by UNESCO in 1996, dominates the village and constitutes a haven of peace and freshness for pedestrians, cyclists and boatmen.
The following two videos allow you to learn more about the Canal du Midi and one of its developments in Capestang:
Historical overview of the construction of the Canal du Midi
Boat trip under the stone bridge of Capestang
The pond
The village takes its name from this: "Lou Cap de l’estang", "the head of the pond". Today, the private freshwater pond is classified NATURA 2000. Remaining salty for many years (a salt granary before the 10th century), it was a source of wealth thanks to fishing. Since the 14th century, numerous canals and spillways have been dug to reduce the violent flooding of the Aude River. The Capestang pond is a "little Camargue", a paradise for birds, fauna and flora.
The following short video gives you a brief overview of this very rich natural space:
We hope we've convinced you of the good reasons to come and stay at the charming gîte de la Collégiale de Capestang: an authentic place remarkably well-located in the center of a village with many historical and natural attractions. In addition, this location will allow you to easily explore in all directions to discover other equally fascinating places.