The town of Sète was created on royal decision in 1660 and was born from the will of three men : Paul Riquet, Louis XIV and the Knight of Clerville.
Paul Riquet had undertaken digging the "Canal du Midi", and was looking for an suitable outlet on the Mediterranean Sea.
Louis XIV had instructed his minister Colbert to find a new sea route for the royal galleys and to create a port for shipping Languedoc's products.
Colbert entrusted this task to the Knight of Clerville who identified the cap of Sète as the most suitable site for the creating a port.
The " promenade JB Marty" ( in front of the old port)
The construction of the port started in 1666 with the St Louis breakwater.
This 650 meters long pier protects the old port and gives shelter to boats since the 17th century.
The «Consigne» Quay,
situated between the seawall and the fish auction market, was nicknamed « ox bottom » quay after the ancient fishing sailing boats called “ox boats”, which would be lifted so that their stern lay on the quay.
These boats would pull fishing nets in pairs, just like oxen pulling their carriage.
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A stroll around Sète
"Sète, a peninsula…" The omnipresence of water, its incomparable light and colours; all qualities which have given it its second name "Venice of the Languedoc".
Built on the flanks of Mont St.Clair, wedged between the Thau Lagoon, the Sea and the canals, Sète is one of the largest ports on the Mediterranean. In Sète, there is a sweet mixture of scents from the Sea and the garrigue (Mediterranean scrubland) in the air.
Paul Valéry and Georges Brassens are its two most famous people.
It is also a cosmopolitan city, in which its foreign communities, mostly Italians, contribute to its picturesque atmosphere."
Le quai "de Lattre de Tassigny"
In the 19th century, the port increased its activity thanks to the trade of wine, wood, sulphur, cereals, and iron.
Sète became the first port of cooperage in the world.
Simultaneously, its population tripled between 1820 and 1870 and the urbanization extended towards the Thau lagoon.
The district behind the consular palace is a testimony to this prosperous time.
The tourist office proposes audio-guided tours to discover these places.
View from the "Mont St Clair"
At 183 meters high, the "Mont St. Clair" offers a panoramic view of the city and its ports. THE "PIERRES BLANCHES" NATIONAL FOREST, a national pine forest, offers numerous footpaths from which you can enjoy spectacular views of the Mediterranean and the Thau Lagoon.
The Beach
Sète's 12 kilometers of fine sandy beach separates the Sea from the Thau Lagoon.
Sete's beach has been approved by the "Pavillon Bleu" for water quality for many years.
Downtown...
The only French port on the Mediterranean to be downtown
The "Quai de la Marine" and its restaurants offer a large choice of Sete's specialities, and the canal provides entertainment with the trawlers parade and fishing nets are spread out in the sun in all their colorful glory. After a day-out fishing, the trawlers unload the fish onto the quay to be sold at the auction market. Guided tours of the fishing port and the auction market, are organized by the Tourist Office, with a tasting of local products. The Saint Louis breakwater
 Built in 1666, 750 meters long, this jetty enables visitors to stroll in the town center while enjoying the sea breeze. The breakwater is also used as a marina and has 300 moorings.
The Fishermen's cemetery
Poem from Paul Valery (1871 - 1945)
Ce toit tranquille, où marchent des colombes, Entre les pins palpite, entre les tombes, Midi le juste y compose de feux, La mer, la mer, toujours recommencée...
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The canal of Sète, also known as the "canal royal" was dug in 1666, when the port was built.
