Saint Guilhem Le Désert is a small, picturesque village in the Hérault Valley in the Languedoc region of Southern France. It sits on the pilgrim route (The Way of Saint James) to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and is regarded as one of the prettiest villages in the country and it is easy to see why. Home to a population of only 250 people it can trace its origins back well over a thousand years, it is truly a medieval village. It has narrow, winding streets which offer some shade from the hot Languedoc sun and which are perfect for wandering. Many of the shops are now selling principally to visiting tourists but you do get a flavour of how it once was.
The village sits at the place where the Gallone river valley meets the Hérault River gorge.The approach from the Devils Bridge (Pont du Diable) is dramatic with the steep sides of the gorge and the fast flowing river.
The centre piece of the village is The Abbaye de Gellone which was founded in 804 although the building you see today dates from the middle of the eleventh century. The abbey fell into decline in the eighteenth century but has been restored back to its former glory.
The village can get very busy, especially in the summer months and there is little parking available. A better option is to park at the large car park for the Pont du Diable and beach which you approach on the D27 when travelling from Aniane. There is a visitors centre, café and toilets here as well as a free shuttle bus which will take you directly to the village. Buses run every 30 minutes and the journey takes just a few minutes.
The Pont du Diable is well worth having a look at. It was built by Benedictine monks to link together the abbey in nearby Aniane with the abbey in the village. It crosses the river as the Hérault gorge ends and begins to widen out. Downstream from the bridge, at the visitors centre, you can hire kayaks to explore the area.