48 hours in Sète

Occitanie/2023

Caressed by the Languedoc sunshine, the "Copains d'abord" peninsula has retained a certain joie de vivre. It is punctuated by fish markets, festivals and, for over a decade now, film shoots, which have given it an economic and tourist boost. As proof, Sète now has its own "set-jetting".

Bathed by the waves, Sète likes to play the islander with a strong character. With its sun-drenched gouaille, it defends its popular roots, which date back to 1666. It was Louis XIV who ordered the construction of a trading port linking the Canal du Midi to the Grande Bleue. Inaugurated with jousting games, the town has perpetuated the tradition. Every summer, tournaments are held on its canals. Ice cream in hand, melting all too quickly, children (and adults) watch in curiosity as the wrestlers in their dazzling white costumes fall into the water. So much for the postcard. The heart of Sète beats around its commercial port, with its ups and downs, and its fishing port, the first in the French Mediterranean, still located right in the center of town. The dozen or so tuna boats and 15 or so trawlers in the harbor are clearly visible, reminding us that everything here is about water. And when it's not the sea, it's the Etang de Thau. Between 450 and 500 farmers work the shellfish here, like Atelier & Co, which won the 2023 gold medal at the Salon de l'agriculture for its exondée oysters - to be enjoyed on site in Loupian. Its neighbor, Les Pieds dans l'Eau, is run by a former fisherman from father to son, who has converted to oyster farming. During a tasting session, you'll be lulled by the locals' tales of a time, not so long ago, when the people of Sétois would take to the sea for months at a time, cramming ten people onto a 27-metre boat. The island nicknamed "l'île singulière" sails well between the waves, including the Pagnolesque villages along or near the pond. A feast for the eyes and taste buds: at Valmagne Abbey, dating back to the 12th century, the tuns rest in the church, while those at Noilly Prat in Marseillan breathe the air of the four seasons outside. Sète has that je-ne-sais-quoi in its atmosphere and light that has attracted, attracted or given birth to so many artists: Brassens, Jean Vilar, Hervé Di Rosa... and Agnès Varda, who shot her first film on the fishermen of the Pointe courte, a former working-class district that has become one of the most popular tourist areas. Today, they have set up their studios in the colorful houses of the "quartier haut". The city also lives to the rhythm of film shoots - which sometimes makes some residents cringe. 25% of films set in the Occitanie region are shot in Sète. Its 300 days of sunshine a year are an asset. After the police series Candice Renoir, the soap opera Demain nous appartient (TF1), or "DNA" to its regular viewers, has been filming outdoors and in the studio since 2017. "With an average audience of 3.2 million viewers, this series has given the town a huge spotlight. French, Belgians, Swiss and Canadians come to see 'for real' what they've seen on TV," says Marianne Mondon. And she knows all about it. This former actress has set up a "cinétour", a tour of DNA's emblematic sites, with Sétoise culture as a common thread. "This type of tourism, set-jetting, is nothing new. -Remember Friends, in New York? and if the series gave work to the locals and saw the blossoming of a film school, they also contributed to the "boboïsation" of the area. "Twelve years ago, a square meter cost less than €1,000; today it's around €4,700-5,000, and even €11,000 on Mont Saint-Clair. For a former poor town, that's expensive," remarks the guide. Sète is gradually being transformed. Parking lots are being built all over the place, causing controversy. Too many cars in the center. So we move away, climbing towards the mountain, Benjamin Biolay in our ears. In 2022, his album Saint-Clair paid tribute to Sète. Once you reach the belvedere, 180 meters above sea level, the blue gradation catches your eye: the Mediterranean, the Etang de Thau and the canals. We hum along with the musician: "It's six o'clock on Mont Saint-Clair / It's a beautiful morning on Earth". It doesn't matter if it's evening. It's a beautiful day on Earth.