This summer, several towns near Montpellier have decided to have motorists pass through the parking meter, before going for a swim: in Carnon, la Grande-Motte and Le Crès, some places, until now free, are now chargeable.
But, if they are scarce, there are still parking spaces that are accessible free of charge, in Carnon, in la Grande-Motte or in Palavas-les-Flots.
Frontignan, on the other hand, is an exception: all car parks are free.
Don't be surprised: this summer, before going for a splash, you may have to take a detour via the parking meter.
Several seaside resorts in Hérault have in fact decided to charge motorists for some of their car parks, which have hitherto been free.
But there are still a few free access places to go swimming around Montpellier.
Just to find your way around,
20 Minutes
takes stock, from Grande-Motte to Frontignan, on the prices that will be charged this summer by the sea.
La Grande Motte
The flagship town of the Pays de l'Or is particularly attractive in summer: the beaches, the port, the casino, the huts, the numerous spots for practicing board sports ... And inevitably, the car parks are taken by storm. The (painful) novelty of this summer is the arrival of new parking meters, at the Grand Travers and on the Place Saint-Jacques: from June 1 to August 31, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., these 300 places which offer a direct access to the beaches will be billed at 0.80 euro per hour. One way for the city to avoid being attacked by swimmers who would like to avoid the toll at the nearby Lido (read below)
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There are many other paid places in the summer at La Grande-Motte: in the city center, on the port, at Point-Zéro and at Couchant, you have to pay from 0.80 euros (green zone) to 1, 50 euro (orange zone) every hour, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 10 p.m., depending on the zone.
With one free hour, for the orange zone.
But for the lucky ones, there are also free places at La Grande-Motte.
A stone's throw from the sea, the Jean-Baumel esplanade has 100 free spaces, the Miramar car park has 30 spaces, and the Terre-plein Ouest du port has 280 spaces.
Finally, at Golf Ponant, there are 340 free places.
A little further from the sea than the others, at the Sports Park (140 places), at the arenas (90 places) and near the Pasino (372 places), it's free, too.
Carnon
The Lido car park, which has a thousand spaces on the shores of the Mediterranean, has been at the heart of an imbroglio in recent weeks.
On April 12, after weeks when the opposition and citizens expressed their disapproval, the Mauguio-Carnon municipal council decided that from June 1 to August 31, it would be necessary to pay 2 euros to park your vehicle on the site. , for the day, whatever the duration.
But this is not quite recorded: the city now indicates that it is "in talks with the Coastal Conservatory" which has not given its agreement to this change.
The decision is eagerly awaited: the Lido, which provides direct access to the beach and a bunch of private huts, accommodates more than a million cars each summer.
In Carnon, two other car parks will also be paying: Bassaget (380 spaces) and the Petit Travers (525 spaces) will be accessible for 0.40 euros per quarter of an hour.
But in this star seaside resort, you can also park without paying: without counting the Lido, whose fate has not yet been sealed, there are around 2,395 free spaces.
If they risk being taken by storm, they are particularly practical for accessing the sea from the city (with many sports facilities), the port and the fun fair.
Palavas-les-Flots
This is where it happens, in summer: Palavas-les-Flots attracts tens of thousands of tourists from June to September. We come for the beaches, to stroll in the old center, to do a few loops at the funfair… And to park, it is not always a part of pleasure. Parking, which has long been free in Palavas-les-Flots, has not been since 2017. For holidaymakers, it will be necessary to pay this summer from 9 am to 10 pm 1.30 euros per hour, 8 euros per day or 35 euros per week.
However, the seaside resort points to the fact that it has 1,000 free spaces, 700 of which are in the multi-storey car park, near the Blue Room.
One hundred other places are also accessible without paying everywhere in town (in the blue zone), but they are limited to 30 minutes or 1 hour maximum between 8 am and 8 pm "in order to ensure a rotation of vehicles around shops, ”says the city.
A bit short, on the other hand, for a tanning session on the town hall beach.
Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone
In Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone, the two car parks that lead to the sea are paying.
Enjoying the wild beaches, and a little quieter than its neighbors, of the town, has a price: the Pilou, to the west, which allows you to go to the beach via a footbridge, costs 5 euros, whatever the duration, from 8 to 18 hours.
Le Prévost, to the east, accessible from Palavas-les-Flots, has the same prices, but from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
There are still a few free places around the Dolto school.
However, this solution requires a short walk of about 1.8 km, on foot or by bike, to the Pilou footbridge.
The Cres
What is Crès doing among these seaside resorts? This town in the east of Montpellier is not one, and yet, every summer, its lake is one of the most popular bathing sites in the department. We tan there on the grass or under the trees. But if, until now, parking was free, between June 5 and September 12, you will now have to pay to park in the car park from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on avenue du Mistral, not far from there. , between the avenues of Tramontane and Mitterand, from 10 am to 8 pm.
And the prices are high, if you stay a long time: parking for 1 hour will cost 2 euros, 2 hours 4 euros, 3 hours 6 euros, 4 hours 8 euros, 5 hours 10 euros, 6 hours 15 euros, 7 hours 20 euros, 8:25 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. (limit not to be exceeded) 35 euros.
For those who spend the day basking on the pill, the note promises to be salty.
Only the inhabitants of Crès will not pay.
Frontignan
Frontignan is now an exception among the seaside resorts located near Montpellier: in the city center and at the beach, the 5,200 places are free.
For those who do not have the courage to walk too long with the parasol and the cooler under their arm, there are around fifteen car parks very close to the sea, i.e. around 2,300 spaces, including the Saint-Eugène car parks (760 spaces ), Ferdinand-de-Lesseps (120 places), Colverts (120 places), Vauban (290 places) and Entrée (500 places).
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