Discover Beaufort: Heritage and Views

Highlights include the Château de Beaufort, the Romanesque Église Saint-Martin, the Saint-Côme chapel, and the Chemin de St Côme. There are also wines from L’Ort de Soulié and traces of the area’s former transport history. The landscape, architecture, history, and wine offer different ways to explore the town.

Heritage and sacred buildings

The Château de Beaufort is classified as a historic monument. The remains of the Visigothic Sainte-Madeleine chapel have also been preserved in the town. The remarkable Église Saint-Martin de Beaufort is a Romanesque church. These buildings reflect different aspects of the town’s heritage: the classified château, the surviving chapel remains, and the Romanesque church. Beaufort’s history, then, cannot be reduced to a single historical period or building.

The access rules for the Église Saint-Martin are important when planning your visit: it is open only during services. If you would like to see the inside of the church, check the service times in advance and plan your visit accordingly. Saint-Côme chapel has a different documented role. It served as a place of worship and rest for pilgrims. Its description as a pre-Romanesque chapel links its architectural classification to its historical role on pilgrimage routes.

Chemin de St Côme and walking trails

The 7.5 km Chemin de St Côme offers a chance to discover Beaufort’s terroir, the pre-Romanesque Saint-Côme chapel, and the village’s old center. The trail affords open views across the Minervois plain, Montagne d’Alaric, and the Pyrenees. This named route combines places to discover with scenic landscapes, from the terroir and old village center to the expansive views.

The Saint-Côme site is also useful for finding your way along walking trails: it lies at the junction of several trails and the Chemin des Romieux. This is a different kind of planning information from the length given for the Chemin de St Côme. When comparing walking options, you can distinguish between a way point with several named connections and a route with a stated length and described points of interest.

Wine from L’Ort de Soulié

L’Ort de Soulié offers white, rosé, and red wines from the AOP Minervois and the IGP Hérault and Pays d’Oc. You can compare the selection by the wine colors and appellations listed. Cellar tours for groups are also available by prior reservation. If you would like to include a tour in your travel plans, arrange a time in advance and note that reservations are required.

Traces of transport history

A road plaque marks the site of Beaufort’s former railway station, recalling a place from the area’s transport history. Another technical relic is the well-preserved railway bridge over the Ruisseau de Beaufort, with its round-arched vault. The seven-meter bridge has iron railings on both sides. Its shape, size, and the stream it crosses make it a distinctive structure. The plaque and bridge offer two different points of interest: one marks the site of the former station, while the other is a surviving structure over the Ruisseau de Beaufort.

Discover more destinations: Puissalicon, Bassan, Minerve, Fos, Pinet, Sainte-Croix-de-Quintillargues, Le Soulié, Puilacher.

For the broader travel overview: Hérault.