Combining Paris with your Agde Holiday

Last Updated on October 17, 2023

You may perhaps already have read the main page on Paris and are still considering whether or not to combine a trip to Cap dAgde with a few days or even a week in the French capital.

The decisions are never easy to make of course given the issue of costs and time and more than likely you will be anxious to spend as much of your holiday as possible, in the south of France on the beach, enjoying all Agde has to offer.

If time and money do permit, I would strongly recommend trying and include 3 days (or longer if you are able) in Paris, because it is a fascinating city and can make the perfect location for a two-center holiday, when combined with Cap.

So let me explain the reasons to visit Paris and what the city has to offer, and how best to combine it with Agde.

Why Visit Paris

If you live in the UK or another European country and have visited Paris numerous times before, certainly it makes sense to head straight down to Cap (see the flights pages for local airports).

If you are from far away and have never visited Paris or are from a country from which Paris sits en-route (such as if you are catching the train from the UK), there is a reason why this is one of the most visited capital cities in the world!

The combination of Agde and Paris – Whilst Agde is amazing for the beach, the entertainment, and the outdoors, Paris is great in a different way. Paris offers the culture, the food, and a very different way of exploring and understanding France.

By visiting both, you get to really experience two very different unique sides of France and it makes for a very interesting mix.

Another benefit, of course, is the fact that those of you visiting from places such as the USA and Australia will find that your flights will almost certainly take you through Paris.

Depending on the cost and route options, getting a flight to Paris and then having the chance to see the French countryside by train, can be a great way to make the journey and overall experience yet more interesting.

The train journey down through France between Paris and Agde is a very scenic and leisurely trip and takes roughly 4 hours. The trains tend to be clean and very efficient.

The problem with this option is that if you have a lot of luggage then understandable a connecting flight straight down to Montpellier airport or if you can Beziers Cap dAgde airport might make more sense.

The beauty of a trip to Cap d’Agde though is that you do not generally need too much clothing or luggage.

Restaurants in Cap d’Agde you must try

As mentioned above, despite the great food you can get in one or two of the restaurants in the resort in Cap d’Agde (such as Le Mississippi and Le Gymnos), if you really want to experience great French cuisine at its best, then Paris is your best bet.

Three restaurants I have myself tried and which I can recommend are as follows:

• Le Garde-Temps (19 bis rue Fontaine) – This low-budget option is basic in terms of seating and layout but if you want some great French food at a decent price, then Le Garde-Temps is a great choice. The service, food, and price are all perfect, and the creme brulee.
• Le Flamboire (54 rue Blanche) – A medium-priced restaurant that my wife and I really enjoyed. The chef uses a traditional wood fire and the wine list is extensive. Even though we do not speak French, the waiting staff was very friendly and overall it was a great experience and fantastic food.
• (Now Closed) Ribouldingue (10, rue Saint Julien le Pauvre) – Also a reasonably priced restaurant and one which is in the lovely Pantheon area of the city. Prepare yourself for some very unusual dishes which involve various animal parts that you might not normally be used to eating!

Where to Stay (Some options)

There are many options when it comes to staying in Paris and the choice will often depend on your budget. Some ideas though are:

• Chambiges Elysées Hotel – A lovely hotel in an equally good very central location and one I have stayed in twice.
• Mercure Paris Terminus Nord – Sometimes if I am only staying overnight for Paris i.e. one night only, then I will stay in a  hotel and because I love to be close to the train station, the Mercure Paris Terminus Nord I find to be a good place to stay.

Things to Do

• One attraction that we really enjoyed in Paris but which does not seem to get mentioned so much when people talk about Paris attractions, is the Aquarium de Paris.