The Ermitage Notre-Dame de Belle Grâce is a small hermitage chapel set on a rocky hillside above Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, a village in the Hérault department near Montpellier in southern France. It is a place to climb to rather than pass by, and most visitors come for the walk up as much as for the chapel itself.
What the visit offers
The main reward is the view. From the hillside you look down over the village rooftops, across to the abbey, and out into the wild Gellone gorge. The contrast between the stone village below and the rough, rocky country around it gives the spot much of its atmosphere, and it is a good place for photographs at most times of the day.
The chapel suits a quieter kind of visit. It is a peaceful spot for a pause and for reflection, away from the bustle of the village streets below.
Planning your trip
- Getting there: The hermitage sits above Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, so the walk up is part of the experience. Wear sturdy footwear suited to rocky paths.
- Combining with a hike: It works well as a stop on a scenic Hérault hike, linking the village with the surrounding gorge country.
- Around the village: Allow time to explore Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert itself, with its abbey and old stone streets, before or after your climb.
Whether you come for quiet reflection, for photography, or for a walk through one of the region's dramatic landscapes, the Ermitage Notre-Dame de Belle Grâce makes a rewarding and unhurried addition to a day around Montpellier.