• It is now complicated to park without paying, to go to the beach, around Montpellier. Carnon, Palavas-les-Flots... Many seaside resorts in the Hérault have decided to install parking meters in recent years.
  • But there are still some free parking spaces, to go to the sea.
  • 20 Minutes tells you where to park without spending a penny, city by city.

It is increasingly difficult, between La Grande-Motte and Frontignan (Hérault), to park your car without going to the checkout. If, for a long time, the car parks to go to the beach, near Montpellier, were all free (or almost) today, the municipalities, which have undoubtedly seized the enormous financial windfall that this represented, are many to have installed parking meters by the sea. But the smartest know, there are still a few free parking spaces, to go sunbathing without spending a penny. 20 Minutes tells you where (but don't tell anyone).

La Grande-Motte

In La Grande-Motte, it is the perfect parity, in terms of car parks: the star town of the Montpellier coast has 4,000 paying spaces, and 4,000 free spaces. Parking in the green and orange zones, on the port, at Le Couchant, at Point Zero and at Le Grand Travers, will cost you between 0.80 and 1.50 euros (with one hour free, however, in the orange zone). The inhabitants of the commune have special subscriptions.

The free car parks in La Grande-Motte are located from west to east of the town, near the Allée des Alizés, around the arena and the Palais des sports, on the Jean-Baumel esplanade and on the western embankment of the port (closest to the beach) and in the Golf Ponant district. Note that in June, a new free car park will open near the campsites, in the north-west of the town, not far from Avenue de Lattre de Tassigny. For those who have not planned to laze for hours on the sand, it is also possible to park in the squares of the disc zone, which must be released after 1h30.

Note, at La Grande-Motte, places for people with reduced mobility are free.

All the information on car parks in La Grande-Motte is here.

Carnon

It grumbles, in Carnon, since the town hall announced that parking in the town would now be paying, from June 1, from 8 am to 22 pm, and this, 7 days a week. If there are, of course, some advantages for the residents, the protest is still strong, in this seaside resort. As for tourists, who have always been accustomed to parking without paying in this seaside resort, may be a little surprised this summer: depending on the zones (green and orange), an hour of parking will be charged 7.1 to 20.1 euros.

But there are still a few free places in Carnon. On May 11, the mayor, Yvon Bourrel (various left), announced that the parking at the entrance of the town, just before the port, would be exceptionally free this season. At 20 Minutes, the services of the town hall indicate that there are, usually, on this site, about 500 places. But, due to a development project, there will be "a little less" this year.


There are also about fifty places in the blue zone near the port. But only one hour of parking is free. It's short, to swim to the buoy. Finally, the Lido car park, which has a thousand spaces, is free, between the Petit and the Grand Travers. Probably the best spot to park without giving up a penny. The town hall, which had wanted motorists to pay 2 euros, had been rebuffed, in 2021, by the Conservatoire du littoral. But take advantage of it, it may not last.

In Carnon, places for people with reduced mobility are free.

All the information on car parks in Carnon, it's here.

Palavas-les-Flots

Until 2017, Palavas-les-Flots, the emblematic seaside resort of Montpellier, was a bastion of free access. But six years ago, parking meters came out of the ground, and the bronzers had to get used to it. From now on, parking is paid, from Monday to Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 22 p.m., all year round. If there are, obviously, packages for locals and holidaymakers who stay in Palavas-les-Flots for a few days, tourists passing through must pay 1.30 euros each hour at the parking meter.


But there are some good plans to park for free in this seaside resort. First, at the silo car park, located near the Blue Room, at the entrance of the town: there are, on this site, 700 free spaces, ten minutes walk from the glass of sangria. There are also 800 other freely accessible places in the city. Finally, there are still 119 free places in the blue zone, but you can't stay there for more than 30 minutes. For a splash, it can do it.

In Palavas-les-Flots, places for people with reduced mobility are free.

All information about car parks in Palavas-les-Flots, it's here.

Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone

The beaches of Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone are far from the old village, and it is therefore difficult to park without paying, in summer, on the coast of this town of the metropolis. To the west, the Pilou car park has been paying since April 8: no matter how long you stay parked, it's 5 euros for cars. In the east, at Prévost, it is the same price, 5 euros. And 2.50 euros when the beach empties, between 18 p.m. and 20 p.m. Note, for those who are not afraid to walk, it is possible to park for free near the Dolto school, and to reach the Pilou footbridge on foot or by bike, 1.8 km away.

All the information on car parks in Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone, it's here.


Frontignan

The best, for last. Frontignan is the last coastal town around Montpellier not to have yielded to the sirens of parking meters. And the town hall welcomes it, on its website: "Here, we park free! " The 5,200 parking spaces are free, a good package of which is located directly by the sea. Be careful, however, in the city center, some places, in the blue zone, must be vacated after 1h30.

All the information on car parks in Frontignan, it's here.

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