Mont Saint-Clair

A beautiful walk to Mont Saint-Clair, which offers a panoramic view of Sète. The route is quite varied, with narrow streets, forest trails and coastal paths. It offers different views of the town of Sète, the Étang de Thau, the salt marshes separating the lagoon from the Mediterranean Sea and the port.

This hike may be prohibited depending on the fire risk level. Remember to check the map.

Details

17531011
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.88 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 251 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 249 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 177 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The starting point for this hike is the Corniche car park on Promenade du Maréchal Leclerc.

(S/E) Head west, at the end of the car park, cross at the pedestrian crossing.

(1) Take the ramp that leads to Rue Jean Vilar and turn right. Heading north-east, continue along Rue Jean Vilar until you reach the junction with Chemin de Saint-Clair.

(2) Turn left onto Chemin de Saint-Clair (signposted Saint-Clair, Quartier Haut), go around Fort Richelieu (military compound) and then, heading west, continue climbing up to Mont Saint-Clair.

(3) From the viewpoint, enjoy the panoramic view of Sète, from the Étang de Thau to the seaport. At the foot of the cross, turn right onto Chemin des Pèlerins.

(4) At the first bend, on the right, you will see a staircase called "Chemin de la Montmorencette". Go down all the steps. Continue downhill along a narrow street until you reach Chemin du Glacis. Turn left and follow this path for about 150 metres until you reach a crossroads. Turn left towards another staircase.

(5) Climb the steps and continue along Chemin du Glacis, which now heads west. Walk to the next crossroads, where another staircase begins

(6) Head north down the Escalier de la Craque staircase, then along a street until you reach the next intersection on the left.

(7) Take the dead-end road called Chemin de l'Anglore. Heading west, you will quickly reach the entrance to the Forêt des Pierres Blanches. Follow this pleasant path through the woods, which gradually turns southwards until you reach a crossroads. Continue straight ahead and turn right at the next crossroads. Begin the descent towards the Granges neighbourhood. You will come out onto Boulevard Jean-Mathieu Grangent.

(8) Turn right onto this boulevard and head north until you reach the first intersection on the left. Make a 180° turn and follow Rue Étienne Peyre until you reach a roundabout. Go around the roundabout on the left and follow Avenue Jean Monnet on the right, then turn left onto Chemin des Quilles. You will reach the seafront at Plage de la Corniche.

(9) Cross the "Cor de Neuburg" road and head to the beach. Continue along the coastal path to Pointe du Lazaret. Pass by the foot of the residences on the corniche. Head back up towards Rue de Savoie and rejoin Promenade du Maréchal Leclerc. Return to the car park at Cap de Sète (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 10 m - Corniche car park
  2. 1 : km 0.12 - alt. 10 m - Promenade Maréchal Leclerc/Rue du Chant des Vagues
  3. 2 : km 0.6 - alt. 32 m - Saint-Clair Trail
  4. 3 : km 1.91 - alt. 176 m - Mont Saint-Clair
  5. 4 : km 2.12 - alt. 166 m - Stairs - Pilgrims' Path
  6. 5 : km 2.69 - alt. 81 m - Stairs - Chemin du Glacis
  7. 6 : km 2.97 - alt. 100 m - La Craque staircase
  8. 7 : km 3.2 - alt. 47 m - Chemin de l'Anglore
  9. 8 : km 5.14 - alt. 29 m - Boulevard Jean Mathieu Grangent
  10. 9 : km 6.27 - alt. 4 m - Corniche Beach
  11. S/E : km 8.88 - alt. 10 m - Corniche car park

Notes

Good walking shoes.

Worth a visit

- Sète.
- Fort Saint-Pierre.
- Mont Saint-Clair.
- The Port of Sète.
- The Thau Lagoon.
- The Pierres Blanches Forest.
- The Corniche.
- The Port of Quilles.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Lyly54
Lyly54

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Follow the route recommended in Visorando.
There are no visual markers, so follow the trail carefully.
Avoid during hot weather, especially the section leading to La Croix.
The return via the Corniche is very pleasant.

Machine-translated

nadia durocher
nadia durocher
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Disappointing trip, the climb up Mont Saint Clair on a road between high walls, very poor visibility. Once at the top of Mont Saint Clair, there was no 360-degree view because access to the panoramic terrace is only open in July and August. Between the summit and the forest, visibility was also very poor, with a path lined by high walls.
At the exit of the white stone forest, we couldn't find the path. The first one was a dead end, so we drove down the road, which was very poor, but the return trip along the coast was very pretty.

Machine-translated

User 3221319

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Contrary to what the description says, the route is not that easy. The start from the rampe des Arabes to the belvedere is very hard, especially if it's hot as it was on 27/05. I'd say it could be rated average with this difficulty. Otherwise, it's a lovely walk with beautiful views over the Sète region.

Machine-translated

User 18191565

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike to discover Sète, the lagoons and the sea from above. Explore a forest on Mont St Clair.
Recommended for those who enjoy climbing steps...

Machine-translated

jeromino52
jeromino52

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk. Town and forest

Machine-translated

juvial
juvial

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route through the town, with superb views of Sète and its harbour, and on the way back, of the Thau lagoon
The first part is on quiet tarmac roads and the second part is on small paths and steps between houses and properties.

Machine-translated

Krugg31
Krugg31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lots of ups and downs, but a magnificent view from the top. Visiting different neighbourhoods, a botanical trail and beaches gives a nice overview of this very charming city.

Machine-translated

Joyeux Panda
Joyeux Panda

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I recommend this hike. The view from Mount Saint Clair is magnificent, and the frescoes in the Notre Dame de la Salette chapel are a must-see

Machine-translated

Nathalie C
Nathalie C

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, but too many paved roads for my liking. However, the views are magnificent. Not recommended in summer as there is virtually no shade along the entire route. The route is easy to follow except in the bBanche forest section, where there are no landmarks or markings.

Machine-translated

phil29061970
phil29061970
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful 2 hour 15 minute hike to do in good weather to enjoy the scenery.

Machine-translated

Nadège12
Nadège12

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

a short romantic stroll,
take the hike in this direction because going the other way must be much more difficult due to the steps
a MAGNIFICENT view at Mont Saint Clair

Machine-translated

Thierry4572
Thierry4572
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike in the indicated direction; I can't imagine how difficult it would be to do it in the opposite direction. It's easy to follow the route, except perhaps in the forest of white stones, but you still know where you are. Beautiful cactus vegetation, pretty little lanes and a beautiful stone staircase. Make sure you wear good footwear for this hike.

Machine-translated

didrobin
didrobin

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant route

Machine-translated

fredeval
fredeval

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did it in the opposite direction and the number of steps to climb is much greater, especially on the Montmorencette staircase. In this sense, it is a rather difficult hike but very interesting. As soon as you walk through the Pierres Blanches forest, the view behind you stretches out over the basin and the sea, and the vegetation also becomes denser. We meet a few lost walkers and cyclists, then some locals who advise us on how much further we have to go before reaching our destination. It is necessary to follow the map carefully and get your bearings as there are no signposts. Once we reach the top near the cross, we can enjoy a moment's rest after the tough climbs and descents. Fog awaited us at the summit, but it did not obscure the beautiful view of Sète and its ports. Mont Saint Clair is well worth the effort, whatever mode of transport you choose!

Machine-translated

pauvert31
pauvert31

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The hike was pretty much as described. However, the description at the end of the forest was insufficient, which led us to take a slightly different path. The start is very steep, which is a bit surprising. Given the season, we didn't meet many people, which was very nice.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.