What is there to do in Sète with your friends and family? There are many things to do and see in Sète with family, friends or lovers, in summer and winter. Between the sandy beaches, the blue waves, the historical monuments and the picturesque districts of Sète, you will feel a sweet holiday atmosphere during your Sète getaways. Highly appreciated by artists for its decor, but also by tourists for its seaside side, the charm of Sète is also very popular for film shoots, its traditions and its good southern cuisine.

A game to discover Sète with the family

Very popular with families, the Sète Tourist Office offers you an adventure in the footsteps of the famous pirate Barberoussette, who raged in Sète at the end of the 16th century. He hid several pieces of the map in the city of Sète which will allow the most deserving to find his riches. This game allows you to visit the city center of Sète in 1h30 and leave with gifts to collect at the end at the Tourist Office. Free application available on Apple and Android.

A game to discover the town of Sète

Demain Nous Appartient filming locations

Fan of the TF1 series Demain Nous Appartient?! Every day, 12 directors take turns in the studios installed in the former bottling factory of the Skalli wine company of 8,000 m2 at 9 Quai Paul Riquet, 34200 Sète. Filming also takes place outdoors in many emblematic locations of Sète: the Marina, the quays, the Etang de Thau, the cemetery, the Paul Valery high school, or in outdoor settings created specifically for the needs such as the beach restaurant, La Paillotte. The scenes filmed in the Delcourt house take place in a private house rented for the occasion. The shared accommodation is situated in the Quartier Haut, a few metres from our holiday home Le Pouffre! The Spoon, the bar from the series, becomes the official store of the “Tomorrow Belongs to Us” series. Take the Sète map and set off on an adventure! Maybe you will come across actors from the series???

Demain Nous Appartient”filming locations

Street Art walk in the streets of Sète

If you are a fan of Street Art, Sète is a must! Every year, Sète hosts the “K-Live” festival dedicated to urban arts and music. Thus, a real open-air museum has been set up on the city walls over the years. Among the artists who have left their mark on the walls of Sète, we find Seth, located Rue Paul-Valéry next to the high school, Ratur & Sckaro, Dr Ponce… The Tourist Office offers a street art tour in Sète with the works not to be missed.

Street Art walking tour in the streets of Sète

Visit Sète’s indoor market and its gastronomy

The covered market of Sète, the Halles Centrales, welcomes 75 traders in the heart of the town. A hotspot for Sétoise life, its stalls are full of fish and seafood but also sunny vegetables and fruits, without forgetting the specialties brought by the Italians who came to settle in Sète. The Mediterranean restaurant, Les Halles et Manger, in the center of the Central Halles of Sète, Magali and her team invite you to discover market cuisine, innovative, fresh cuisine around the plancha of Mediterranean fish such as red mullet, sea bream, pageots or even mackerel and of course sardines (small but tasty) without forgetting the cuttlefish. Les Halles are open every day, even on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A little tour of the market halls – Sète and its gastronomy

The open-air markets of Sète

In addition to the indoor market at Les Halles, the open-air markets of Sète enliven the city center on Wednesdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays, it takes place mainly in the pedestrian heart of the city, rue Gambetta and rue Alsace-Lorraine, and moves to avenue Victor Hugo on Friday. Two events that have become unmissable for residents and visitors. Particularly in summer when the Wednesday market is accessible with the free river shuttles from the Mas Coulet car park. Other markets are also held in the neighbourhoods.

Avenue Victor Hugo market on Fridays in Sète

Discover a former fishing trawler

Visit a trawler to discover an exciting profession! The trawler Louis Nocca, accessible from the Quai général Durand, welcomes you and your children up to 10 years old inclusive can visit for free. You enter the bowels of the trawler to discover the impressive engine in the engine room, put yourself at the helm of the ship and become the fishing boss for a photo. The boat is open every day from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., depending on weather conditions. You can call the fishing boss on 06 10 69 21 36 The ticket office is on site.

Discover Louis Nocca, a former fishing trawler in Sète

Mont Saint Clair and Les Pierres Blancs

Overlooking the Mediterranean from a height of 175 metres at sea level, Mont Saint-Clair is an ancient volcano that gives the town of Sète its distinctive silhouette. From its summit, a magnificent panorama overlooks the canals and port, the Richelieu citadel, the lighthouse and the famous marine cemetery where Paul Valery, the French writer, poet and philosopher, has been laid to rest since 1945. On the other side, the state-owned Pierres Blanches forest, with its 27 hectares of pinewood, offers numerous footpaths with extraordinary views over the Mediterranean. The panoramic view of the lido running between the sea and the lagoon from the lookout point and orientation table is breathtaking. You can see the Thau lagoon and its oyster beds. For a full description and directions, see our article Climb Mont Saint Clair from Sète on foot.

View of the town of Sète from Mont St Clair and its cross

La Pointe Courte, Sète’s fishing district

Fishing is a way of life in Sète. Stop off at the Pointe Courte, the fishermen’s quarter par excellence, far from the city centre, protected from the din of traffic. What’s more, it’s a purely Sétois neighbourhood where possessions generally stay in the family. The district has carefully preserved the marks of its past, with its picturesque alleyways and fishermen’s cottages; just look at the street names to get a feel for the atmosphere of this typical district. For a full description and directions, see our article Visit the Pointe Courte in Sète.

Fresco by American artist Barbara Carrasco painted on the wall of a house on the Pointe Courte in Sète during the Sète-Los Angeles 2019 art event

A stroll through the Quartier Haut

Our Le Pouffre house is at the heart of Sète’s picturesque ‘upper quarter’. Called ‘Little Naples’ by the sailors who emigrated from the Amalfi Coast, the area has an air of southern Italy about it. This is the oldest part of Sète, where the jousters gather. It has become a haven for artists, with charming little studios all over the place. Expressive, cheerful and endearing, it has retained the Sète spirit. Stroll through the narrow streets from the Marine Cemetery to the Saint Louis Mole, visit the Saint Louis Decanal and the Chapelle du Quartier Haut…

Le pittoresque Quartier Haut, surplombant le port, est connu sous le nom de “Petite Naples” car les pêcheurs qui y vivent sont originaires de la côte amalfitaine et ont apporté avec eux l’atmosphère du sud de l’Italie.

The picturesque Quartier Haut, overlooking the harbour, is known as ‘Little Naples’ because the fishermen who live there are originally from the Amalfi Coast and have brought with them the atmosphere of southern Italy.

L’Espace Georges Brassens

The Espace Georges Brassens is a lively place thanks to new image and sound techniques. Wearing stereo headphones, Georges Brassens takes you on a tour of his life and work. To round off the visit, previously unseen films and recitals are shown in the video room. It’s an intimate, emotionally-charged journey into the poet’s world. George Bassens is buried in the Py cemetery, facing the Thau lagoon. The cemetery is a 2-minute walk from the museum. For more information, visit the Espace Brassens website at 67 boulevard Camille Blanc in Sète.

Cycling between Sète and Marseillan

Right at the foot of the dunes, an exceptional greenway opens up along the beaches! The route, which is around 12 km long and takes between 30 and 50 minutes to complete, starts just after the Port des Quilles with a wide, 1 km-long seafront promenade. It continues along a track further away from the noise of civilisation and eventually joins the Marseillan-Plage cycle path at the Avenue de la Méditerranée roundabout. Here you can branch off and continue towards the Pointe des Onglous, where the Canal du Midi meets the Etang de Thau, and the picturesque port of Marseillan-ville. You can hire bikes at Bike Med at reasonable rates.

Faire du vélo autour de l’Etang de Thau

Boat trips in Sète

Whether you’re with the family, friends or a group, Sète Croisières will adapt to your wishes to offer you a great visit. It offers 3 tours lasting between 45 mins and 1h30:

The Ports and the Mediterranean Sea – AQUARIUS – Red Tour – Superb fully commented tour of the fishing and trading ports, with a trip out to sea along the rocky coast.

L’Etang de Thau et ses Parcs à Huitres – SUB SEA EXPORER – Yellow Route – Crossing the canals of the town of Sète with visits to the fishing and commercial ports, passing through the maritime canal, under the fixed and movable bridges and the Pointe Courte, followed by a fully commented visit to the oyster and mussel farms.

Les Canaux et la Ville de Sète – CANAUXRAMA – Circuit Bleu – A complete cruise to discover the town from another angle. A superb cruise on still waters through the canals of Sète, the real Venice of Languedoc.

Find prices and timetables on the Sète Crosières website.

Sète Croisières, Aquarius, boat trip in the Mediterranean Sea

Visit the môle Saint-Louis and its lighthouse

At the end of the môle Saint-Louis, a 650-metre-long stone causeway built when the town was founded, is the Saint-Louis lighthouse. Built around 1680 and demolished in 1944 by German mines, it was rebuilt in 1948. Today, its red light continues to signal the entrance to the channel, and it is now open to the public. Come and climb the steps of this incredible lookout and enjoy a 360° view of the commercial port, the marina and the old town. Key figures: 2,297 stones, 310 m3 of cut stone, 126 steps, 33.5 m high, 6.50 m in diameter at the base, 4.55 m at the top and 3 m in diameter inside. A surprise awaits children at the end of their visit.

Visit the Saint-Louis mole and lighthouse in Sète

Of course, there’s a lot more to do in Sète: the port, the beaches, the restaurants, the town centre ….

Enjoy your stay!