Palavas-les-Flots: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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EUR 55 - 119 Le Grand Large
 Situated between the sea and the lagoon, on the beach of Palavas les Flots, Le Grand Large offers comfortable and affordable accommodation overlooking… MoreEUR 24 - 143 Lagrange Classic Les Soleillades Et Le Scarlett
 The Residence Lagrange Le Scarlett and Les Soleillades is located in Palavas les Flots at 300 metres from the beach and 800 metres from the resort cen… MoreEUR 62 - 112 Brasilia Hôtel
 Intimate and elegant, friendly yet modern, this hotel welcomes you throughout the year in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
Located in the heart of the … MoreEUR 68 - 108 Amerique Hotel
 Amerique Hotel is located in Palavas les Flots, a 5-minute walk from the beach and 10 km from the centre of Montpellier. It has an outdoor pool and t… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Palavas-les-Flots: Guide
Palavas-les-Flots is a commune in France|commune of the Hérault département in France|département, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France.
In 1999, the village had 5421 inhabitants on 2,38 km². The population density was therefore 2278 inhabitants per km².
Geography
Palavas is a seaside resort, some six kilometres south of Montpellier, at the Gulf of Lyons and the Mediterranean Sea. It lies on a strip of sand dunes that separates two lakes, the Étang de l'Arnel and the Étang du Méjean, from the sea. Its neighbouring communities are Lattes, Pérols, Mauguio and Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone.
The village center is located at the spot where the river Lez flows into the sea through a canalized section. Northwards, it stretches until Mauguio. Southwards, expansion is halted by a military area and an area used by the Ifremer.
History
The village originated as a fishermen's village who sold their catch on the markets of Montpellier. The Ancien Regime used the village as a coastal defence, building the Redoute de Ballestras.
From the beginning of the 19th century, local tourists and seasonal activities were drawn to the village. When in 1872 a local train to and from Montpellier started service, seaside tourism really took off. This train operated until 1968 and was painted by Albert Dubout.
Politics
Current mayor is UMP's Christian Jeanjean, in office from 2001 (until 2008).
Economy
The mainstay of Palavas' economy is tourism. It is one of the most popular places in this part of France's coastline. In the film Les Triplettes de Belleville, there is a song about the village. Apart from strolling, bathing and bronzing there are also two museums: one dedicated to Albert Dubout and one dedicated to the local train to Montpellier.
The 45 metre high local water tower can be seen from afar and is topped off by a turning restaurant on top.
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Palavas-les-Flots". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.