Museum Overview
The Hérault River originates in the Mont Aigoual massif in the Gard department and flows into the Mediterranean Sea at Agde after traveling approximately 150km. Its main tributaries are the Vis, the Lergue, the Thongue and the Peyne.
The Hérault is a coastal river in southern France, 160 km long. It provides a significant amount of water to the region but is prone to flash floods. It rises in the Mont Aigoual massif and flows into the Mediterranean Sea at Agde after traveling approximately 150 km.
The most impressive part of the river is visible between Laroque and Saint Guilhem le Désert and constitutes the Grand Site de France of the Hérault Gorges.
Its flow is abundant: over 1,3 billion tons of water discharged annually. The irregularity of the flow is a major problem, with flash floods linked to rainfall in the Aigoual massif. A flow rate of 1.500 m³/s was recorded on December 1, 1958, and 1.320 m³/s on December 19, 1997, which is the average flow rate of the Rhône at Valence. However, in August, the flow rate can drop to 7,5 m³/s. The average annual rainfall in the Hérault basin is 543 millimeters, which is higher than the French average. This is therefore a coastal river quite typical of the Mediterranean shores.
