Sète

Sète (Seta in Occitan) is a port and a seaside resort on the Mediterranean, in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. It has its own very strong cultural identity, traditions, cuisine and dialect. Its inhabitants are called Sétois.

Built upon and around Mont St Clair, Sète is situated on the south-eastern end of the Étang de Thau, an enclosed salt water lake used primarily for oyster and mussel fields. To its other side lies the Mediterranean, and the town has a network of canals which are links between the Étang de Thau and the Mediterranean Sea.

The city's name was mentioned by Ptolemy.

The Canal du Midi to Toulouse was completed in 1681. As the Garonne is more or less navigable to Toulouse, the canal effectively connected the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. With later canal works, the Canal des Deux Mers was finalised in 1856, allowing a more secure passage to Bordeaux. The railway from Montpellier was opened in 1839.

The city had an electric tramway network from 1901 to 1935.

Sète has a Mediterranean climate. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24 °C (75 °F), and lowest in January, at around 8 °C (46 °F). The wettest month is October.

Arriving by rail is straightforward as plentiful regional TER trains connect with most cities in the Hérault department as well as regional rail hubs. National operator SNCF also runs several daily high-speed TGV services from Paris via Valence, Nîmes and Montpellier. From the other direction, trains originate in Perpignan. Additionally, a handful of slower Intercités trains connect with Bordeaux and Marseille.

Direct high-speed TGV trains between Barcelona and Paris pass through Sète, but do not call here. Some do call in nearby Béziers, although it is usually more convenient to get off in Montpellier or Narbonne and then switch to a regional trains.

• 43.412663.6965911 Sète railway station (Gare de Sète).  (updated Apr 2019)

Sète is a major port along the Mediterranean. While many ships are geared towards freight, several of them do accept passengers. Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) runs at least two passenger ferries per week from Nador and Tangier, both in Morocco. Additionally, the port of Sète is quite popular with cruise ships.

There are also two marinas for private boats, St. Louis pier just south of the city centre and Le Bassin du Midi which is smack in the middle of the city.

• 43.4045523.7041322 Orsetti ferry terminal. Located within the port of Sète, this is the main terminal for GNV ships.  (updated Apr 2019)

Walking is the obvious choice within the city centre.

For slightly longer trips, Thau Agglo Transport^{[dead link]} offers public transport, with departures at least every 20 minutes during daytime on both weekdays and weekends. However, evening and night services are limited. A free circulator bus within the inner city, route 6, is available too.

• 43.4059343.6647251 Espace Georges-Brassens, 67 Boulevard Camille Blanc, ☏ +33 4 99 04 76 26. Museum dedicated to the highly acclaimed French singer-songwriter and poet Georges Brassens.  (updated Apr 2019)

• 43.4015383.6967111 Lydia Benito Artisan Glacier (Les Glaces de la Bouline), 23, Grand' Rue Mario Roustan, ☏ +33 4 99 02 63 16. Open Wed-Sun 10:30–18:00. Closed in Jan and Oct. Excellent homemade artisan ice creams, sorbets and iced desserts, across a fine array of natural and regional flavours.  (updated Mar 2019)

• 43.4054213.6961831 Le Grand Hôtel, 17 Quai Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, ☏ +33 4 67 74 71 77. Charming 19th-century hotel in the heart of Sète. There is a peaceful patio under the glass roof. Starting from €140.  (updated Jul 2017)

Sail or bike to Toulouse along the Canal du Midi.

The ferry to Morocco leaves a few times a week, and costs around €120.