A village steeped at the foot of Nasse wood
Vailhauquès has 2,722 inhabitants in an area of 16.2 square kilometres, east of the Hérault department. The village was built at the foot of the Nasse wood, in a hilly relief where the woods dominate to the north and west, while the Montlobre wood, in the southeast, keeps some plots of vines. Only the Mosson valley, narrower down to Combaillaux, remains largely cultivated.
Its neighbouring communes are Argelliers to the north, Murles to the northeast, Combaillaux to the east, Grabels to the southeast and Montarnaud to the south and west. It is a starting point for exploring the hills of Montpellieran northwest, about 14 kilometers northwest of the center of Montpellier in flight from the bird.
Twenty-one minutes to the foot of the hills
From Saint-Jean-de-Védas, it takes 16.8 kilometres and 21 minutes to reach Vailhauquès. Three departmental roads intersect in the village, offering four directions : towards the hamlet of Cantagrils in the north, towards Combaillaux in the east, towards the motorway A750 and Montpellier in the southeast, and towards Montarnaud in the southwest.
It is a bit longer than for the villages close to the metropolis, which makes it a day trip than a drop point to sleep : the return to Saint-Jean-de-Védas keeps the tram and the main axes within reach.
Dolmens, church and a southeastern estate
The area around Vailhauquès preserves several dolmens, including those of Lacoste and Mas Reynard, witness to an ancient occupation of the hills. In the village, the parish church of Saint-Sernin-de-Toulouse-et-Sainte-Foy-d
To the south-east of the territory, the estate of Montlobre gave its name to the neighboring wood. A fire and rescue service barracks in the Hérault department is not far away, close to one of the entrances to the A750 motorway, which also connects the village to Clermont-l-Herault.
The village inspired a novel by Jean-Christophe Tixier, "The Unloved", in Vailhauquès in the second half of the 19th century, about an old house of supervision that had been closed for 17 years at the beginning of the story. The local economy now has 244 establishments, 55 of which are specialized and technical, or 22.5 per cent of the total, compared with 17.1 per cent in the department.
On 28 March 2008, the municipality committed itself to sustainable development by signing the Aalborg Charter, as well as the complementary commitments known as "Aalborg+10". It is a village that has chosen early to post an environmental policy in a very rural area.
For whom this base makes sense
- A hike in the northwest hills : Vailhauquès, Combaillaux and Murles combine easily on the same day.
- An interest in megalithic heritage The nearby dolmens require a little walk, better prepared from an equipped accommodation.
- A business trip in the sector The workspace and the Wi-Fi of the two housing units allow to advance its files in the evening.
- A desire for reading in the field : to walk the village after reading the novel that unfolds there changes the way to look at it.
Studio or duplex for an exit to Vailhauquès
On two, the studio suitable for a dolmens and hills day, with its kitchen equipped to prepare a picnic before leaving. Family or several, the duplex offers 2 bedrooms and a washing machine, useful after a dusty hike. Both units share the same address in downtown Saint-Jean-de-Védas, where booking for one night is possible. The next page on Combaillaux complete the route in the garrigues.
