We picked up a brochure of local car tours from the Tourist Office in Hérépian. This brochure (Haut Languedoc: Un jour, une route, un terroir www.herault-tourisme.com) outlines a variety of car tours (with notes and a map) including one which passes through Hérépian and takes you into the hills above Bédariaux. (de Bédariaux aux Monts de L’Espinouse’) It’s a 55km drive but with stops to explore it took us most of the day.

Boussagues – 2 castles, religious history, little streets (no shops), unpretentious. Stop for lovely views above the village.

Camplong – interesting old café (Joucla) – old miners’ café (coal mined close by). Café dates from 1898. Stopped for a drink here and the owner was chatty and told us about the history and printed some information off about the place from the internet for us. A short distance from the village (easily walkable) is the ‘arboretum’ – 1000 hectares (massive) with many varieties of tree. A couple of walks (Petites Randonnées) start here. Both classed as average on the difficulty scale. ‘Puits du mine Durand’ (mine shaft) is close by.

Graissesac – remains of past mining activity, botanical gardens, good fishing along the river Mare.

St Gervais sur Mare – large pretty village, museum of local art and traditions, 17th century ‘chapelle’ and church Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais dating from the 12th century. To continue the tour drive to the end of the village and take to D22 towards Rosis and Combes.

Combes – last stop – beautiful little hilltop village with cobbled, narrow streets. All the cherry trees were heaving with ripe fruit. The Auberge de Combes does a lunch for 24Euros including a glass of wine. Would definitely recommend it.