A circular loop to explore Sète

Park in the car park at Plage de la Fontaine (pay-and-display, like all car parks in the town), west of Sète.

(S/E) Head to the beach and turn left towards Sète. Quickly head up Boulevard Jean Monnet to cross a canal via the Pont de l’Avenir. On the other side, continue along the promenade beside Plage de la Corniche, the Chemin des Douaniers (it is also possible to walk on the beach). The path then passes below the road, before running alongside Plage du Lazaret.

(1) From Cap du Lazaret, the path runs along a beautiful rocky coastline. Further on, it veers away from the coast to go round a group of buildings. Follow Rue de Savoie and, at the bend in the road to the left, turn right to rejoin the coastal path.

(2) Follow it along the Crique de la Nau, pass the Memorial to the Martyrs of the Resistance, then continue along the Promenade du Maréchal Leclerc, between the road and the rocky coast.

(3) Before a large car park, join the road and cross at the pedestrian crossing (Théâtre de la Mer bus stop on the left) to take the street opposite, which runs diagonally to the left and quickly leads to Rue Jean Vilar, opposite a beautifully decorated boundary wall. Continue to the right. Further on, pass the Musée de la Mer on your right, then keep to the left along the boundary wall of the Cimetière Marin.

(4) Turn left into the street towards the Marine Cemetery and enter the old part of the cemetery about forty metres further on. Gradually make your way up to the highest point of the cemetery (the route passes by P. Valéry’s grave). There you will find a gate leading out, opposite the Paul Valéry Museum. Once on the street, turn right.

(5) At the crossroads on the corner of the fort (military grounds), cross over to enter the Jardin du Sémaphore opposite. Follow the path running parallel to the street, pass the Octopus statue, then exit onto the street and follow it in the same direction.

(6) Take the first street on the right signposted towards the Quartier Haut. Ignore a street on the left. At the next junction, turn left, go behind the Saint-Louis Deanery Church and then turn right immediately. At the raised church forecourt, continue straight ahead up a wide flight of steps. You will arrive at Rue des Trois Journées. Follow it to the left.

(7) At the end of the street, turn right onto Rue Garenne, then left onto Rue du Palais. You will arrive at Place Léon Blum (Fontaine du Poulpe). Head to the opposite corner of the square and follow Rue Paul Valéry to the right. Continue straight ahead and cross the Pont de la Savonnerie over the Canal de Sète.

(8) As suggested here, you can take a detour to the right onto Quai de l'Aspirant Herber; there are sometimes replicas of old sailing ships moored further along (particularly during the Fête de la Mer in early April). Then retrace your steps.

(8) Continue straight ahead along Quai Léopold Suquet.

(9) Cross the Canal de Sète again via the next bridge, the Pont de la Civette. Continue straight ahead along the street opposite, to the end of the street, opposite a park (Statue of Poseidon).

(10) Turn left at the fork in the road, continue straight on to the end of the street, then turn right onto Rue Raymond Lefebvre. At the T-junction just after, turn left (Rue de la Caraussane), then turn left at the end of the street. You will find yourself facing a mural at the Collège Paul Valéry. Leave the school steps on your right and turn right onto Rue de Villefranche.

(11) Turn right at the first street, Chemin du Mas Rousson. Opposite the gate of Château Mont Fort, climb the steps on the left. You will come out onto a street; follow it straight ahead. At the T-junction, turn right. Further on, you will reach the Mont Saint-Clair site.

(12) Panorama. Then head towards the Chapel of Notre-Dame de la Salette (open, frescoes). On your way back from the chapel, head towards the large White Cross and take the small street branching off to the left, Chemin des Pèlerins. At the end of the street, go down the stairs on the right, Chemin de la Montmorencette. Cross a street and continue down the road opposite. Further down, follow the bend in the stairs to the left, cross a street and continue down the steps to reach a street opposite Villa le Cèdre.

(13) Turn left onto Chemin du Glacis. At the crossroads, take Chemin du Glacis to the left, then the staircase going straight up. You will come to a street (still Chemin du Glacis) which you should follow to the right. Further on, go down to the right via the Escalier de la Craque, then continue along the street that extends from it.

(14) Turn left at the stop sign onto Chemin de l'Anglore. At the junction, continue straight ahead down the cul-de-sac leading to the entrance of the Forêt Domaniale des Pierres Blanches.

(15) Continue along the forest track. At the fork in the tracks, go up to the left. You will come to a path further up. Follow it to the right for a few metres (several information boards).

(16) Follow an unmarked path that branches off to the left. Continue in roughly the same direction (use the app’s GPS for guidance) to reach the Pierres Blanches orientation point.

(17) Enjoy the site, then retrace your steps along the route you took on the way up.

(16) Do not take the widest path but the path on the left going downhill. Shortly afterwards, turn right onto a path signposted ‘Forêt communale de Sète’. Continue down this path, using the app’s GPS if necessary (this is part of the site’s botanical trail). You will come to a road.

(18) Follow it to the right, take the first street on the left, then turn immediately right. Follow this street, which leads to a busy roundabout (Carrefour du Vigneral), passing in front of the Grotte Sanglante (behind a fence, a site associated with a tragic murder). At the edge of the roundabout, turn right and carefully cross Boulevard Camille Blanc (towards the A9), then take the next street for a return trip to the Cimetière du Py. Follow the street to the right, Rue Jules Dumont d'Urville, a cul-de-sac that continues via a pedestrian crossing leading back to Boulevard Camille Blanc. Continue straight ahead to find one of the cemetery entrances, just past a bus stop.

(19) Enter and explore (the route passes by the graves of G. Brassens and A. Nakache). It is a beautiful, tree-lined site with views of the Étang de Thau. Exit via the same gate.

(19) Return to the large roundabout via the reverse route of the outward journey. Continue round the roundabout to take the next exit (towards Béziers) and follow the footpath (stairs) on the right-hand side of the descending road. At the fork in the road, keep left.

(20) At the T-junction, take the street on the left, go under the bridge and climb the stairs on the left leading onto the bridge, then cross the canal. Take the Voie Verte on the right along the canal, cross the Esplanade Les Copains d'Abord, and continue straight ahead along the canal until you reach a road. Cross over and continue along the path opposite.

(21) At the junction of the paths, turn right. Follow this tarmac path, ignoring all the streets on the left. You will pass a fountain typical of the region, which looks more like a covered well.

(22) Continue along the path as it bends to the left and runs alongside a wetland area (Lido Beach is on the right), until you reach the beach at a triple totem pole. Then continue along the beach to the access road to the car park and follow it to the left to return to where you parked (S/E).

Moderate difficulty hike, standard hiking gear required.

Photo album here

Discover more walks in this area with descriptions or via the Visorando app here

Beach and swimming at the end of the route, a visit to the Maritime Museum if you have time, a stroll along the canals and through the town centre (places to eat available), views from Mont Saint-Clair and La Pierre Blanche.