It is increasingly difficult, between La Grande-Motte and Frontignan (Hérault), to park your car without going to the cash register. If, for a long time, the car parks to get to the beach, near Montpellier, were all free (or almost) today, the municipalities, which undoubtedly seized the enormous financial manna that this represented, are numerous to have installed parking meters, by the sea. But the smartest know it, there are still a few free parking spaces, to go sunbathe without spending a penny. 20 minutes tells you where (but don’t tell anyone).
La Grande Motte
At La Grande-Motte, there is perfect parity in terms of car parks: the star town on the Montpellier coast has 4,000 paying spaces and 4,000 free spaces. Parking in the green and orange zones, on the port, at Couchant, at Point Zéro and at 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 arenas and the Sports Palace, on the Jean-Baumel esplanade and on the western embankment of the port (closest to the beach) and in the Golf Ponant district. Note, in June, a new free car park will open very close to the campsites, to the north-west of the town, not far from the 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 spaces of the disc area, which must be vacated after 1h30.
Please note that at La Grande-Motte, places for people with reduced mobility are free.
All the information on car parks in La Grande-Motte, it’s by here.
carnon
It grumbles, carnon, since the town hall announced that parking in the town would now be chargeable, from 1 June, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week. If there are, of course, some advantages for residents, 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), one hour of parking will be charged 1.20 to 1, 60 euros.
But there are still a few free places left in Carnon. On May 11, the mayor, Yvon Bourrel (various left), announced that parking at the entrance to 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 about 500 places on this site. But, due to a development project, there will be “a little less” this year.
There are also around fifty berths 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. Undoubtedly the best spot to park without dropping a penny. The town hall, which had wanted motorists to pay 2 euros, had been rejected, in 2021, by the Conservatoire du littoral. But enjoy 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 by here.
Palavas les Flots
Until 2017, Palavas les Flots, the emblematic seaside resort of Montpellier, was a bastion of free admission. But six years ago, parking meters came out of the ground, and sunbathers had to get used to it. From now on, parking is chargeable, from Monday to Sunday, from 9 am to 10 pm, all year round. If there are, of course, packages for residents and vacationers who stay in Palavas-les-Flots for a few days, passing tourists must pay 1.30 euros each hour at the parking meter.
But there are some good plans for parking for free in this seaside resort. First, in the car park in a silo, located near the Blue Room, at the entrance to the town: there are 700 free spaces on this site, a ten-minute walk from the glass of sangria. There are also 800 other places freely accessible in the city. There are, finally, the 119 free places in the blue zone, but you cannot 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 the information on the car parks in Palavas-les-Flots, it’s by here.
Villeneuve-les-Maguelone
The beaches of Villeneuve-les-Maguelone are far from the old village, and it is therefore difficult to park without paying, in the summer, on the coast of this municipality 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. To the east, at the Prévost, it’s the same price, 5 euros. And 2.50 euros when the beach is empty, between 6 p.m. and 8 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 information on car parks in Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone, it is by here.
Frontignan
The best for the end. 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 for free! » The 5,200 parking spaces are free, of which a good number are located directly by the sea. Be careful, however, in the city center, certain spaces, in the blue zone, must be released after 1h30.
All the information on car parks in Frontignan, it’s by here.