Sète and Aigues Mortes, France

By Glen Bruels
This is part of a series called Pan European Sojourn 2023
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This morning we arrived in Sète, known as the Venice of Languedoc, France. It was founded by Louis XIV in 1666 to create an exit for the Canal du Midi into the Mediterranean Sea. It rapidly grew and expanded, moving from just an important trading port to fishing, shellfish farming, and salt production. It is surrounded on three sides by water and dotted with canals — hence it’s nickname. Before we explored Sete, however, we drove for an hour to get to the walled city of Aigues Mortes, founded in 1240 by Louis IX (who later became St. Louis (very controversial in the area) as both a small salt water port and ultimately to launch the Seventh and Eighth Crusade. Over time, the walled city was created to protect the town from the multiple religious and civil wars. Today, the town remains much as it was, but has become a very trendy place to live for those who work inside the walls, at the nearby salt production facility, and commuters to other nearby cities. Inside the walls, all streets lead to Place Saint Louis that is in center of town and has a large statue of St. Louis, commemorating the Crusades. Most of the shops are run by local artisans and there are a number of local delicacies there. Deb ended up getting this beautiful waterproof jacket and we both splurged on a local pastry called fougasse. Yum! On our way back to Sète, we saw hundreds of flamingoes that live in the area all year round.

Since we are in Languedoc, we weren’t surprised to see vineyards dotting the road sides.
What we were surprised to see was the hundreds of flamingoes that were feeding in the waterways on both sides of the road. Even more surprising is the fact that they live here year round — they do not migrate!
One of the towers that traditionally guarded the entrance to Aigues-Mortes.
The entrance to the walled city and yes, cars and small trucks can get through there.
The interior streets are dotted with small shops. The products in most of them are crafted by local artisans. And then there’s the salt (lots of salt!)…
Glen and Deb make a new friend. Actually this is a sculptural piece from the gallery inside.
Walking into the village center to visit St. Louis.
And there he is — King Louis IX. The locals aren’t fond of him, don’t consider him a saint and they actually think he was Italian instead of French. It’s complicated…
Deb, Amar, and his wife in their shop. They hand make these designer rain jackets right in the shop! They even had a lot of Mondrian patterns.
The village is laid out in a grid pattern with very narrow streets. We really had to watch out for the aggressive local drivers.
Glen enjoying a fougasse, a local specialty. It was like a Danish, but a little more custardy and an orange flavor.
Inside the church where St. Louis prayed before departing for the crusades. Very unusual stained glass!
Looking upstream of the canal. Lots of boat trips were available here for the local vacationers.
A look at the salt production facility outside the village.

Once back in Sète, we wandered along the canals to see a variety of fishing trawlers and pleasure craft, as well as all the little shops and stands catering to pretty much anything you are looking for. Along the quay, renovated buildings provide a multitude of architectural details from the 18th and 19th centuries. The life of the town is found in its squares, with markets, bandstands, and sitting areas making these very comfortable places to congregate.  Since the market I wanted to visit had just closed, I ventured way up in the hills above the city and visited two museums — the Musee Paul Valery, a contemporary museum that had an exhibition of one of France’s most famous contemporary artists, and the Museum of the Sea, a small museum that traces the development of Sète and its connection to the sea. One of the things I learned at the latter museum is the town’s tradition of water jousting. Yeah, it’s just what you are thinking only substituting boats for horses with teams rowing towards each other. This sport has been going on in Sete since there has been a Sete. It turns out we missed the annual 5-day event by two days, but I got to see video of it. Amazing!

The lighthouse at the entrance to Sete harbor.
Crossing the Grand Canal on my way to the very popular market there.
Oops! Missed it by 15 minutes. Time to go exploring.
As I was walking up the streets of Sete, I was struck with how many people decorate their house entrances.
As I neared the top of the hill, I passed a very large cemetery for seamen.
Near the entrance to the Musee Paul Valery. For some reason, I really liked this piece.
One of several paintings and sculptures by Martial Raysse. Great use of color and light/dark mix. Do ask me to try to interpret this…
Looking down at the harbor from the Museum of the Sea.
Lots of little flea markets along the waterfront…
… as well as some very interestingly attired people browsing them.
The restored old buildings along the Grand Canal really make this an attractive hub for the city.
This entry was posted in Cruising, France, Travel
Glen Bruels

I am a traveler and sometimes clay sculptor, following a long career working in consulting. My work allowed me to travel the world extensively and I was hooked. Today, I travel with my wife/best friend to explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things.

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