For buying and selling property in Portiragnes Plage
Portiragnes Plage is a beach village, created in the 1980s to generate tourism and to act as a complement to the old village of Portiragnes, which lies just a short distance inland. The village has been carefully managed, and strict building regulations have ensured that the natural beauty of the area has been preserved. Portiragnes Plage is set on a beautiful part of the Mediterranean coast, with palm trees, pine trees and fine sandy beaches, not to mention the warm blue Mediterranean Sea.
Portiragnes Plage is a self-contained village, with everything that you are likely to need for day to day living, but it retains its connections to the older, inland village of Portiragnes, giving a sense of belonging and character. (The population given in this guide combines both that of Portiragnes and Portiragnes Plage.) There is a lively little village centre to Portiragnes Plage, consisting of shops, a small supermarket, cafés, bars and a handful of restaurants. In the summer season you will also find beach sellers offering delights such as seafood, ice creams and fruits, and beach entertainment laid on too, as well as numerous markets.
The bullring in Portiragnes Plage is a bullring with difference. Here, the bull is not harmed, it is the matador or toreador who takes the risk! As well as the bullring, the village has a sports hall, where in the summer you can access a very interesting programme of activities, and a wine co operative (La Campestre) where you can taste the local wines and purchase some extremely good examples of these at unbelievably low prices!
There are several riding stables in the locality, and the Camargue style riding offered is a wonderfully free and easy experience. There are, of course, many other sports to enjoy here, the climate of the Hérault being conducive to long hours spent out of doors. The beach offers beach sports, swimming, water sports and sailing, while inland you can play tennis, petanque, walk, cycle and play golf.
The area has a great and turbulent history, and there is plenty of mystery about it too. The cities of Béziers and Carcassonne tell the tale of the tragic Cathars, while the Camargue to the east has wild white horses and connections to the great artists such as Van Gogh. The countryside is wild and beautiful, with the Mediterranean feeling intensified by the aromatic garrigue, the tall pine trees and silvery olive trees, and the neat rows of vines that are the lifeblood of the region.
There are several airports in the region, making air travel simple. Béziers has a new airport, and then you have the choice of Carcassonne, Montpellier, Toulouse, Perpignan or Marseille. Béziers is served by Ryanair; Carcassonne by Ryanair; Montpellier by easyJet and Ryanair; Toulouse by British Airways, easyJet, bmi, Jet2 and flybe; Perpignan by Ryanair and flybe; and Marseille by British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Aer Lingus. Train travel is another possibility, with a TGV station at nearby Narbonne. If you are travelling by road, follow the A9 and/or N112 and then follow the coast road.
Coastal Mediterranean property is rarely cheap, but there are chances to buy property at prices that won't break the bank near Portiragnes Plage, especially if you consider buying a little way inland, or look at an apartment rather than a large house. If you are looking to buy at the luxury end of the market, however, Portiragnes Plage is a great place to look, with some fabulous villas close to the sea offering a real touch of the Mediterranean lifestyle, whilst remaining cheaper than further along the coast in the Riviera area.
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Portiragnes Plage is located in the central south of France, on the Mediterranean coast. It lies in the south-west of the Hérault department.
Portiragnes Plage Property Map
Languedoc-Roussillon Property Map
Hérault Map
Population: 2,278
Access: By air: Fly to Béziers, Carcassonne, Montpellier, Perpignan or Nîmes. By rail: The TGV runs to Narbonne, which is easily accessed from Portiragnes Plage. By road: Follow the A9 and/or N112, then follow the coast road.
Economy: The economy is based on tourism.
Interesting fact: There is a bullring at Portiragnes Plage where the fights do not pose any threat to the bull!