Sete

Sete is the capital of the Pays de Thau, basking in the 300 days of sunshine it enjoys every year. It is the ideal departure point for a voyage of discovery into the most prominent sites of the Languedoc Roussillon.

Less than an hour and a half from Sete, you can feast your eyes on such destinations as Montpellier, the Pont du Gard, Carcassonne, and the Canal du Midi. And even closer to Sete, just on the other side of the Thau Lagoon, authentic fishing villages, oyster farmers, and vineyards welcome visitors year round.

Sete has long been known as a nautical center. It served as the base for the Saiing Tour de France, and as a training headquarters for the America's Cup, most notably for the Swiss team "Alinghi", just before its victory in New Zealand. Sete also has three nationally ranked sports teams in football, volleyball and water-polo.

The town's local summer festivals are a very important part of its cultural identity. The two largest festivals are the Festival of St. Pierre, dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen, and the Festival of St. Louis, which culminates in the most important Nautical Jousting tournament of the season. And, throughout the year, the town offers many convivial events, including farmers markets offering up local specialities.

Sete presents an impressive menu of local specialties such as "bourride" (monkfish in aîoli sauce), pork stuffed mussels and squid, cuttlefish in tomato and aîoli sauce, tielles (octopus/tomato pie), oysters and other shellfish delectables.