To the Sea and Back

Thinking it was about time I went to the sea, I ventured to Agde, because its historical center was described as “unspoiled.”  To me that means relatively free of traffic, but I was apparently wrong. So I headed to Cap d’Agde, which is the finger that extends into the Mediterranean.

Unfortunately, it was pretty ugly, just block upon block of tan-grey boxes passing for resorts, apartments or condos. Granted, the grey, glowering day wasn’t one to cast the town in its best light, but…no photos of Cap d’Agde, except the wild sea…

So I motored on to Pézénas, and was rewarded with a charming historical center well worth the four passes it took me to snag a parking spot. According to one account I read, nothing much ever happened here, but the town has capitalized on a very brief association with the playwright Molière (in fact, a house dating from 1662 or so bears the carved inscription, “A friend of Molière lived here.”). Lots of little boutiques with lovely things made by local artisans.

I got the distinct impression that Pézénas doesn’t take itself too seriously when I walked by this fellow standing outside a bookstore, reading a very deep subject….

All in all, a good detour.

All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware. Martin Buber