Sete France
By Anna Lynn Sibal
Sete in the south of France is the place to go if you want to have some serious fishing fun to color your French beach holiday. Known all over Europe as the Venice of Laguedoc, Sète lies nestled on the base of Mont St. Clair, between the Thau Lagoon, the Canal du Midi, the Canal du Rhône à Sète and the Mediterranean Sea. The 12-kilometer beach on the banks of Sète separates the Thau Lagoon from the Mediterranean Sea.
Sète is primarily a fishing town, with its roots firmly entrenched in the fishing and related marine industries. In fact, it is the largest fishing port in the whole of France along the Mediterranean Sea. At the heart of the town is the Quai de la Marine, where the trawlers parade after a long day of fishing and offer the catch of the day on a fish auction. Restaurants surround the Quai de la Marine, where visitors can sample the best seafood cuisine of Sète.
Sailing is another popular activity that you can engage in when visiting Sète. The pier of Sète, Le Môle Saint Louis, is a 750-meter long pier that was built in 1666 as part of the town’s defenses against the storms coming from the sea. The Pier of St. Louis is a popular haunt of sailors, as evidenced by the many, many boats that are always found moored there.
If you are interested in seeing a different kind of jousting, particularly jousting on a boat, go to Sète on the Festival of St. Louis and watch the Languedocian Nautical Jousting tournament. In this tournament, you will get to see white knights jousting with lances while on board boats manned by ten oarsmen and a boat captain leading them. The winner of the tournament gets to have his name engraved on a shield, which is displayed in the Jousting Room of the Museé Paul Valéry.
Of course, if sailing or fishing is not your thing and if you just want to laze about, you can always go to the beach. The closest beaches to the town are Lazaret Beach and Corniche Beach. There, you can swim, go snorkeling or diving, play beach volleyball or make sandcastles. Or, you can just spread your towel and sunbathe in peace.
If ever you want a break from the lazy life on the beach, you can always go on a hike and climb Mont St. Claire. Atop Mont St. Claire, you will find Le Foret Domaniale des Pierres Blanches, a national pine forest. You will also get to be treated to a spectacular view of Sète, the waters embracing it and the surrounding regions.
You can also spend a day in Sète on a quiet walk around the town. When you do this, make it a point to visit the Chapelle Notre Dame de la Salette, which is what remains of the old fort that used to defend Sète. Also, pay homage to those buried in the Sailors Cemetery, a graveyard facing the sea.
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