22 January 2023 | Tourism
Sète, the iconic fishing town of Hérault
Sète, the emblematic fishing town of Hérault.
On one side the Mediterranean Sea, on the other the Etang de Thau, Sète is a fishing town with shimmering colors which is the place of residence of many artists. Paul Valéry, French writer and poet born in Sète nicknamed the city, the singular island. Sète is also called the "Venice of Languedoc" because of its canals flowing through the heart of the city.
Mont Saint-Clair culminates from a height of 175m with on its eastern flank and dominating the port, the Richelieu citadel, the lighthouse and the marine cemetery. At the top, the luminous Cross of Mont Saint-Clair embraces the city. Sète is the leading fishing port in the Mediterranean. It is also a marina that accommodates up to 1,850 boats with 750 berths and 1,100 rings in channels reserved for subscribers. Many artists have resided in Sète including the painter Soulages or more recently the singer Benjamin Biolay. The singer Georges Brassens, the guitarist Manitas de Plata or the actor Jean Vilar were born in Sète.
A must see is the Pointe Courte peninsula on the edge of the Thau pond: the emblematic alleys of this resolutely atypical district, an art gallery, fishermen's huts, Street Art as well as several cafes and restaurants.
And Agnes Varda. Long love story between Sète and Agnès Varda. His family moved there in 1940 when they fled Belgium during the war. Agnès Varda filmed the neighborhood of her childhood in "Agnès' beaches". She also shot her first film in the neighborhood in 1954, soberly titled "Pointe Courte". She will return to Sète regularly throughout her life. An Agnès Varda festival takes place every year.
The city center
Canals, quays and small squares, discover the Venice of Languedoc. Founded in 1666 by Louis XIV to give a maritime opening to the Canal du Midi, Sète reveals its history during a walk in the historic center: also in the Royal Framework which is actually the former royal canal. Don't miss Les Halles de Sète, where the daily market invites gourmets to find good fresh produce from local producers.
Fishing harbour
Extend your visit to the fishing port of Sète, which has become the largest in the Mediterranean. A few moments to stroll on the quays and admire the trawlers, the sailors unloading their goods or see the port of jokes of Sète.
Saint Louis lighthouse
Dominating the fishing port of Sète from its 33 meters high, the lighthouse is the next essential step. Its primary purpose is to indicate the entrance to the channel with its red light, and its secondary purpose: to offer a 360° view of the fishing port, the marina and the old town.
The Corniche
Extend your walk along the Corniche, this walk offers an unobstructed view of the Mediterranean Sea and allows you to reach the two most famous coves of Sète: La Nau and La Vigie.
Lido promenade and its beaches
You will find the Lido walk, over 12 kilometers between Sète and Marseillan, bordered by the greenway but allows you to get to one of the seven sandy beaches for which the city is famous.
The Theater of the Sea
An emblematic place in Sète, erected for more than three centuries at the foot of Mont Saint-Clair while keeping a strategic view of the Mediterranean, it owes this ideal geographical location to its history.
The Georges Brassens space
The last of Sète's must-see museums, the Espace Georges Brassens invites fans of the Sète poet to dive into his life. Equipped with an audio-guide, you will travel from his Sète childhood to his triumphs on the Parisian scene with many objects such as press articles, photos.