198 SÉTE...

After the official rally finishes, we head along the coast to Séte for a couple of days. But what do we know about the place beyond the fact that it looks achingly beautiful in the pictures I've seen? Let's dive a little deeper.

Sète is a port city on the Mediterranean coast of the Hérault department in the Occitanie region. It sits on a narrow strip of land between the sea and the vast Étang de Thau - a brackish lagoon - giving it a genuinely distinctive geography, almost island-like. It's often called l'île singulière (the singular island). The city has around 45,000 residents and is the largest fishing port on the French Mediterranean coast.

Character and Atmosphere

It has a reputation as the untouristy cousin of places like Montpellier or the glitzier Côte d'Azur towns further east. Think working-class roots, real fishing culture, rough-edged charm, and great food. The central canal - the Grand Canal - is lined with colourful painted buildings, giving the city a vaguely Venetian feel, but grittier and more authentic.

Culture and History

Sète punches above its weight culturally. It's the birthplace of two giants of French culture: the poet Paul Valéry and the singer-songwriter Georges Brassens, best known for his song 'Les Copains d'abord' from the album of the same name.

There's a good Musée Paul Valéry with art and poetry exhibits, and a lovely Espace Brassens dedicated to his life and music.

The Étang de Thau

The lagoon on the western side is beautiful and worth the time in itself. You can take boat trips, visit oyster farms (many offer tastings), and the villages around it - like Bouzigues and Marseillan - are charming. Marseillan is also home to Noilly Prat, the famous dry vermouth, and they do distillery tours.

Annual Events and Festivals

Joutes nautiques - water jousting - is a big local tradition, where competitors on boats try to knock each other into the water with long lances. It looks absurd and brilliant. There's a major tournament in August.

Cuisine 

This is one of Sète's biggest draws. It's famous for:

• Tielle sétoise - a small, slightly spiced octopus pie that's unique to the city and sold everywhere

• Bourride - a creamy white fish stew, the local alternative to bouillabaisse

• Oysters and mussels from the Étang de Thau, produced in the lagoon you can see right from the city

Conclusion

All in all, Sète is one of those places that feels genuinely lived in rather than put on for tourists, which makes it a satisfying stop on a coastal road trip.