All experiences - Page 2
Summer vacation with friends is clearly the best time of the year. No schedules, no strings attached, just cool sharing time.
When I booked the summer holidays for our group of friends, I already had a few criteria in mind, set during our last evenings: a trip that didn't make us waste too much time, a festival with a good program, the beach to recover from our evenings. And I had the perfect plan: the Thau archipelago.
After a few hours on the train, we disembark in Sète and put down our stuff. Just enough time to change our clothes, and here we go for an afternoon on the beach, which will finally turn into an aperitif in a straw hut.
After a short stop in our rental for a small shower, direction the city center and its lively terraces to eat a bite to eat. We find ours...
Do you dream of calm and nature? Escape?
So cheer up, flee the city, towards the Thau Archipelago!
In this sumptuous setting, time stretches indefinitely, the time is at hand.... Spending a day in Thau means relaxing in a green and blue garden, between the sea, lagoons and the scrubland. On foot, by bike or even in a bathing suit, it is time for idleness, simple pleasures, romantic picnics at sunset...
In a word as in a hundred, it is high time to let yourself live and take the time...
If you would like to immerse yourself in the traditions and culture of the Thau Archipelago, we look forward to seeing you in 2024 to experience or relive the highlights of our Destination, whatever your desires: gastronomy, history, jousting...
The Oursinade (mid-March)
Every year in Sète, the Oursinade, a large open-air guinguette, attracts visitors who come to taste the best that the Thau Basin has to offer: sea urchins, but also oysters, mussels, tielles and other gastronomic and wine-making delights of the region.
Time in the lagoon (mid-May to mid-June)
This is a new event during which artists, scientists, shellfish farmers, fishermen, wine growers and inhabitants share their views on the Thau lagoon. Meetings, debates, shows and workshops will give pride of place to ...
Thau lagoon is a stunning example of biodiversity.
An ecological gem, the lagoon is 20 km long and 5 km wide. It is separated from the Mediterranean by a long stretch of sand, known as the Lido. The salty water has made it the ideal breeding place for oysters and shellfish since antiquity.
The only one of its kind in France and listed a Natura 2000 site, the lagoon is a reservoir of biodiversity with nearly 400 plant species and 100 animal species including clams, sea snails, sea urchins, sea bream, mullets, seabass and the famous seahorse that attracts divers from around the world.
Shellfish farms occupy over 1,300 hectares of the water in Thau lagoon.
Shellfish are Thau lagoon’s main resource. Oysters and mussels are grown by 800 farms on 2,800 shellfish rafts.
Take ...
Between tasty local specialities and abundant cultural creation, Sète abounds in both cultural and gourmet treasures. Its historic centre, its port, the famous Cadre Royal, its beaches, the Mont Saint-Clair or the Pointe Courte district, there are so many things to discover... That's why we've put together a top 20 list of Sète's must-sees. With a little bonus! So, don't wait any longer to explore this "singular island" with its undeniable charm.
The city centre
Between canals, quays and small squares, you will immediately be charmed by the city that is now known as 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 stroll through the historic centre, particularly along the Cadr...
Did you know that urban art is expressed in all its forms in the streets of Sète?
Whether you are an art lover, curious or contemplative, the open-air museum is waiting for you.
No less than 40 urban frescos will catch your eye.
How does this living museum grow? Every year at the beginning of June, the K-Live festival showcases street art on the walls of the maritime city. The concept is simple: give the artists "carte blanche".
Scaffolding, round tables, guided tours, performances and concerts take place. An event with a relaxed atmosphere that puts the spotlight on leading artists. Sète has made a name for itself in the world of urban art.
Whatever the time of year when you are in Sète, enjoy the original experience of discovering or re-discovering the MaCO (Op...
The halles de Sète reflect the identity of Sète. This is where you can breathe the atmosphere of the city, a concentration of local specialities, regional products and authenticity.
From its esplanade to its shopping alleys, the exceptional products carry high the flavours of the south. Naturally, fish and shellfish are at the top of the pavement!
The atmosphere is friendly and sunny. All generations meet up among the sun-drenched fish, shellfish, fruit and vegetables, you can only be seduced. You come here to do your shopping of course but also to taste some oysters from Bouzigues or a Sète tielle (small pie topped with spicy octopus) accompanied by a glass of white wine from the region.
An unforgettable experience.
Les Halles de Sète welcomes you every day of the y...
If you are looking for an idea to occupy your winter or summer evenings or to entertain your children, this article is for you! Indeed, the Thau Archipelago is full of theatres and concert halls where young and old alike can be entertained.
Theatre, concerts, dance, one-man shows, musical tales, puppets... There's something for everyone and in every season. So, curtain up!
The Molière Theatre, Scène Nationale (Sète)
Located along the Avenue Victor Hugo, the Molière Theatre is a well-known venue for the people of Sète. Here you can enjoy theatre, but not only! With nearly forty shows on offer throughout the year, you will be spoilt for choice: music, dance, opera... There are even shows for children.
For the record, we owe this Italian-style theatre to the archit...
Explore La Pointe Courte district with huts, fishing nets, boats, lobster pots and stray cats...
A village inside the city and a world away.
It’s an unusual area with colourful facades, alleys and fishing nets drying on the docks.
The residents of La Pointe Courte have their own identity. Read the street names and you’ll understand: traverses des jouteurs (jouster poles), des rameurs (rowers), des pêcheurs (fishermen), Rue la Pétanque just to name a few. Explore and see!
Sea bream is caught in October. Hundreds of fishermen on both sides of the canal eagerly await the inevitable passage of the fish from the lagoon to the sea. The quiet district turns into a frenzy each year.
On the other side of the Royal canal, opposite La Pointe Courte, stands the marine biology...
With 12 km of golden sand on a blue background and nearly 320 days of sunshine a year, the reputation of the beaches of Sète is well established. They are even one of the major assets of the Thau Archipelago as they offer holidaymakers the choice of enjoying a view of the Thau lagoon or the Mediterranean Sea. Not to mention that they are served all along by the greenway which links Sète to Marseillan over 12 km. So, don't wait any longer to put on your swimming costume and go to this charming town!
The beaches of Sète
For a moment of freshness during your holidays in Sète or, quite simply, to take advantage of the iodized air all year round, we suggest you go, by bike via the green way or by bus (line 9), to one of the numerous beaches, with the Blue Flag label, which ...
In Sète, we live with the elements, and in particular with water,
that lifts you up and takes you away
Enclaved between the Mediterranean and the Thau Lagoon, the singular island lives to the rhythm of the water. On the water, in ULM, hobie cat or sea kayak; underwater, diving to discover Lagunethe coves of Sète; above the water, in ULM, parachute or kite surfing.
But Sète is not only the song of the waves, it is also the many festivals that punctuate the summer season, such as the Worldwide Festival, or the evenings spent strolling in beach bars....
In search of meaning...
Because you aspire to one thing only: freedom, the freedom to contemplate, the freedom to breathe as you please, to engage in activities rich in beautiful encounters.
In Sète, wherever you are, the sweetness of life is in the pleasure of all these moments. Draw from its light, its smells, its flavours and the gossip of its inhabitants the creative energy that generates authenticity.
Between the sea, the lagoon and the garrigues, this town set on the water will only reveal itself if you agree to lose yourself in the time it takes to walk along the paths of Mount Saint-Clair or the Pointe courte, the time it takes to have an impromptu picnic after a two-wheeled ride around the lagoon or to contemplate the sunset from one of the many viewpoints off...
Share great moments and take advantage of the good weather to discover authentic and unmissable events in Sète.
OURSINADE (mid-March)
Every year in Sète, the Oursinade, a large open-air guinguette, attracts visitors who come to taste the best that the Thau Basin has to offer: sea urchins, but also oysters, mussels, tielles and other gastronomic and wine-making delights of the region.
IMAGES SINGULIÈRES (Ascension)
Images Singulières is the event that makes Sète exist in the very select world of photography. Devoted to its documentary bent, this festival celebrates, for 15 days, the diversity of views and gives us a glimpse of what words are not always enough to express. Vernissages, exhibitions, concerts, workshops, artists in residence...
K-LIV...
No matter which destination you have chosen for your holiday in the Thau archipelago, we invite you to take advantage of these few days to get away from it all and discover the 14 communes that make up our destination.
You can also find more information in our magazine.
Balaruc-le-Vieux
Set on a hillock, the village dominates the creek of the corner with a view on the lagoon. A medieval village wrapped in its ramparts, which magnifies the past. We love to get lost in its narrow streets.
Discover Balaruc-le-Vieux
Balaruc-les-Bains
The first spa in France, Louis Bonaparte already came here for a cure in the 19th century! People come here to enjoy the benefits of its thermal waters, but also to stroll through the flowery alleys of the Mediterranean Ant...
The Thau Archipelago, a circuit of space and time
All eras are found and intertwined on the Thau Archipelago: the Middle Ages and Baroque art, with the Abbey of Valmagne in Villeveyrac or the Abbey of aint-Felix de Montceau in Gigean, the circulating gardens of Balaruc-le-Vieux, the Gallo-Roman centuries, with the Villa des Prés Bas of Loupian and its mosaics of the 2nd century, the Grand Siècle, with the Canal du Midi, or the 17th century, with the Saint-Louis lighthouse, which stands at the end of the mole...
From the foothills of the Gardiole to the shores of the Thau lagoon, here more than anywhere else the vineyards reflect their past. Sun-drenched clay-limestone soils, a combination of wind and a favourable micro-climate, this was all it took for the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans to invest in this terroir and plant vines here. Two millennia later, one of the oldest vineyards in France continues its wine odyssey.
A long maturation
Sète was still an uninhabited mountain when, in 1666, Louis XIV ordered the construction of a port to facilitate the export of wine throughout Europe. The area produced mainly white wine. Until then, vines had been confined to the plateaux, but they were soon planted on the plains and ended up producing high yields of poor quality wine: a red wave ...
Summer is shaping up to be beautiful, hot and long... the perfect recipe for a lovely evening with friends or family. But what about spicing things up with an unusual experience at sunset? That's what we've come up with in this top list of things to do at dusk!
Kayakmed
We're off to a great start with a sea kayaking excursion on the Bassin de Thau. But before you take to the water with your paddle, let your instructor tell you what's in store for you on this tour with the evocative name "Sun Sète" (6-9pm). Once you've been introduced to the water, you can finally head off in the direction of Les Thocs, a real lagoon in Languedoc. It's here that you can watch the sunset while sipping a glass of local Muscat. Find out more here.
A little extra: Kayakmed has been awarded ...
Walks in the salt marshes or in the heart of the garrigue, observation of insects and birds, visits to vineyards... These are all experiences that the Tourist Office offers you during a "Nature outing".
Discovery of emblematic places
Whether you are a connoisseur of the wilderness that makes up the Thau Archipelago or an initiate, each "Nature outing" is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the history, fauna and flora that make up the archipelago.
We invite you to meet us near the Occitan villages of Balaruc-les-Bains, Frontignan and Loupian to (re)discover the terraces of the Gardiole, the old salt marshes, the Aresquiers wood, the abbey of Saint-Félix, the gulf of Aigues-Mortes...
So, open your eyes wide so as not to miss anything of the landscapes of the ...
The adventure begins at the entrance to the port of Sète
You have always dreamed of watching the horizon, watching for the arrival of ferocious privateers, defending an islet against wind and tide. The view is spectacular, but it requires climbing the 126 steps to the top of the Sète lighthouse. Its luminous flashes indicate to sailors the entrance to the harbour.
Don't miss this unique visit. And for good reason, this monument is the only one to offer public access in the French Mediterranean.
Good plan for the family:
Access is free for children up to 11 years old. There is no doubt that this activity is recommended for families and has been awarded the "Family Plus" label!
Some figures and a little history
2297 stones, 310 m3 of ashlar, 126 steps, ...
For a prestigious and luxurious stay, the Archipelago of Thau is the place to go for your next holiday. Here, you can expect a thousand and one top-of-the-range experiences in beautiful accommodation, restaurants....
The Miramar villa
Facing the Mediterranean, with its back to the Thau basin, this is the setting that awaits you at the Villa Miramar!
Located in Frontignan, this exceptional guest house, with its 5 "épis" rating from the Gîtes de France, offers four rooms and an unusual cabin, all of which open onto the sea, as well as numerous services and facilities that will make your prestigious stay unforgettable.
You can, for example, take advantage of the 17-metre long heated infinity pool to take a dip before enjoying your cocktail on the immersed terrace, o...
Winter is just around the corner and we have only one wish: to escape the cold! So we dream of being in the sun, enjoying the gentle way of life typical of the south of France. What if you could make this dream come true? Head for the Thau Archipelago to spend a few days in cocooning mode in a cosy apartment hotel, for a gastronomic dinner followed by a concert, in an unusual museum or even in pools of thermal water at 34°C and under the expert hands of masseuses. We'll tell you a little more about the weekend we've planned for you right now!
The Marcel suites
It is in the heart of the city of Sète, along the Léopold Suquet quay, that you will find the first stage of your stay in the Archipel de Thau: your accommodation! Located above the mythical restaurant The Rio, ...