The city of Sète was a pirate haven on the Amethyst Coast named for the purplish
hue of its shoreline. It was here in the 17th century that King Louis XIV ordered
the founding of a port, laying the groundwork for trade routes connecting southern
France with Corsica, Egypt, and Tunisia.

The port expanded as ships brought in wine, precious woods, grain, vegetables, and fruits. But that was not enough. Trade routes had to extend from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. At the time, goods were transported by horse-drawn carts, and horses alone couldn't handle the growing volume of trade.

In 1666, without being an architect or an engineer, merely a tax collector, Pierre-Paul Riquet proposed a revolutionary idea to Louis XIV: a canal that would connect France's two shores linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and becoming the main trade artery of the south. The project took 20 years to complete, resulting in the famous Canal du Midi with a total length of 240 kilometers. This canal not only facilitated trade between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic but also allowed local winemakers, fishermen, and farmers to flourish in trade along its banks.

Thanks to this canal and the fact that Sète is surrounded by water on all sides, the French poet Paul Valéry called it the Venice of Languedoc. On its canals, you can
witness the famous medieval tournaments known as Les Joutes.

In these battles, “knights” try to knock each other off balance while standing on long boats.

On the side where Sète is washed with salty waters of the Étang de Thau lagoon, lies the small village of Bouzigues, renowned for its fresh oysters. These oysters, along with the tastiest tuna on the coast, can be found in Sètes restaurants.

And, of course, you should try the finest, delicate, cool Muscat wine in France, grown nearby on family vineyards. The French rightly call it the liquid gold of the south.

Welcome to the Amethyst Coast!

Tour Cost:
Full Tour: Sète and the Village of Bouzigues (6-8 hours) – €500. Designed for 1-4 people.

Sightseeing Tour of the Historic Center of Sète (2.5 hours) – €250.

Admission tickets to museums and lunch are not included in the tour price and must be paid separately.

Starting Point of the Tour:
Near the monument of joyster.