Camping near Sète: the 5 must-do's
During your holidays in one of the 3 Les Méditerranées campsites, there are numerous activities and outings to do. On the campsites themselves (Camping Charlemagne, Camping Nouvelle Floride and Beach Garden) there is a new weekly activities programme in high season but there are also plenty of discoveries to make in the surrounding area.
Just 20 km away is the city of Sète, one of the destinations you must have seen during your holiday, not only for its architecture and atmosphere, but also for its bustle, entertainment and year-round festivities. Discover below the 5 must-sees for a successful camping holiday near Sète!
1. Discover the city
The city of Sète was founded by Louis XIV in 1666 to provide a shipping outlet for the Canal du Midi: a fitting introduction! Naturally, the city is still strongly influenced by activities in the port. Anyone visiting Sète will undoubtedly be impressed by the city's maritime spirit, with its canals, squares and narrow streets. If you arrive from your campsite near Sète, be sure to take a stroll along the Royal Canal, the city's main canal, the old port or the Promenade Jean-Baptiste Mary, where you can also eat at one of the seafood restaurants while soaking up the flavours of the port and the lively vibe. On the menu: tielles (savoury seafood tart), macaronade (pasta with tomato sauce and meat), bourride (fish soup), squid rolls, mussels, stuffed calamari and many more varieties of seafood... Wander around the city and get carried away by the typical Mediterranean atmosphere, which is often exuberant.
2. Mont Saint-Clair
After exploring the city, seek the heights and climb the hill of Mont Saint-Clair, an ancient Mediterranean island attached to the mainland over time, which you can't miss, so to speak, when you arrive in Sète. Of course, you have to climb it on foot to burn off the calories you have been putting on in the city! But be careful, because this relatively short walk is tougher than it looks. At the top, 175 metres above sea level, the bell tower of Mont Saint-Clair offers a magnificent panorama over the sea, the Etang de Thau and the city crossed by its canals. If you have energy left afterwards, take the opportunity to take a walk through the Aire Nationale Forestière and a must: a short diversion to the Le Py cemetery, also called the cemetery for the poor. With its beautiful views, it is a worthy final resting place for many one such person is George Brassens. If you prefer to end the visit with some time at the beach, Corniche and Quilles beaches are worth a visit on the way back to your campsite at Les Méditerranées.
3. Visit the Espace Georges Brassens
In a way, you have already met him if you have visited his grave in Le Py cemetery: Georges Brassens, one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the history of French chanson, has a museum entirely dedicated to him. Georges Brassens was born in Sète and died not far from there (in Saint-Gély-du-Fesc) many of his songs were banned on French radio. No fewer than 50,000 people visit the museum every year, including many unconditional admirers but also people who have only recently learned of George Brassens and is the most visited museum in Sète. It is a must-visit if you like words, lyrics and colourful personalities. Headphones are required to enjoy the many audio documents (songs and interviews). Objects, photos and articles tell the story of Georges Brassens' life between Sete and Paris, from the 1920s until his death. During a visit lasting about a 1-hour, you will learn more about his work, his sources of inspiration, his personality and his favourite themes (including women, society, religion and death).
4. Saint-Louis Festival
Every year in August, Sète celebrates! The Fêtes de la Saint-Louis (Saint Louis Festival) to be precise, THE big event of the summer and therefore yours during your stay at Les Méditerranées, your campsite near Sète.
What exactly is the festival of Saint-Louis? First of all, it is one of the oldest patronal festivals in France, and has been held since the opening of the port of Sète in 1666, celebrating its 280th edition in 2024. Established in honour of Louis XIV the city's founder (and not King Saint-Louis, or Louis IX). It brings together tens of thousands of spectators around the aptly named Canal Royal (the Royal Canal) for the legendary water jousting tournament of Languedoc for which the city is famous. The parade in traditional costumes and the boat waltz are age-old ceremonies that take place to open the water jousting competitions, much to the delight of locals and tourists alike. For several days, concerts, performances, events and various other competitions take place including swimming across the Sète and a jeu de boules carrées tournament, also called square ball pétanque … it’s played with cubes. The Saint Louis festivities, an equally festive and impressive event not to be missed!
5. Escale à Sète
Another big event in Sète, Escale à Sète, (Stopover in Sète) has been taking place every 2 years since 2010: the next one will be in 2024. All the more reason to book now at one of Les Méditerranées' 3 campsites, Camping Charlemagne, Camping Nouvelle Floride or Beach Garden.
Escale à Sète is a maritime festival held in spring: it is the largest gathering of traditional boats on the French Mediterranean coast. In 2024, it will take place from Tuesday 26 March to Monday 1 April. The programme of the "Festival of maritime traditions in the Mediterranean", as it is also called, includes numerous concerts and parades. All these events showcase the most majestic sailing ships, schooners and frigates from all over the world. A not-to-be-missed event for lovers of the sea, history and of good food as it goes without saying that the few days of Escale à Sète are also an opportunity to discover culinary traditions of the area.
