This city’s vast network of canals and bridges make it a “singular island” that rivals Venetian charm. A good weekend idea?
The reputation of Venice is not usurped. Who hasn’t succumbed to the charms of their lagoon? Built on 118 islets, the Italian lakeside city captivates and embodies the universal ideal of a romantic landscape. Seeming to float on the waters, the Serenissima has inspired many artists including Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Turner, Canaletto and many others… And if we told you that in France, among the fifty cities crossed by canals, is a city considered among the best “hidden gems” in the south of France, and which can be seen as one of the sunniest “Little Venices” in France?
In this city in the south-east of France, it is also possible to take a gondola ride from bridge to bridge. This port city is bordered on one side by a saltwater lagoon and on the other by the sea. Like Italian Venice, a large part of the city is punctuated by a network of canals connecting the two bodies of water and boat trips are regularly offered to tourists to experience the city from the water. It is nicknamed the “Venice of Languedoc”….
You guessed ? This is the town of Sète in the Occitanie region, nestled between the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the banks of the Étang de Thau, which is home to rich biodiversity such as the pink flamingo, the heron, the tern, the stilt white or even the speckled seahorse. Aboard a picturesque pastel-colored rowing boat, we set off to discover the floating world of Sète and with a little luck, we can witness the transformation of the city into an island, when all the bridges rise at the same time !
The view of the banks lined with the colorful facades of houses, restaurants, bars and artisan shops invites you to stroll. In summer, the “Venice of Languedoc” sees its waters stirred up by the famous nautical jousts organized by its inhabitants at the end of August, on the occasion of the Saint-Louis celebrations. Thousands of aficionados gather each year around the Cadre Royal to watch the spectacle of the jousters who try to knock each other into the water when the boats pass each other.
The city of Sète therefore has nothing to envy of the Sérénissime and many artists have found their refuge there, from Paul Valéry to Georges Brassens, who even dedicated a museum to it. No need to travel miles to benefit from the charms of this “little Italy” whose lively streets of the Haut de Sète district are marked by the cultural heritage of 19th century Italian migrants.e century, with green, white and red flags flying here and there from the balconies… Another little feel of Venice.