SÈTE, THE HIDDEN JEWEL OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
Living the Canal at Suites
The Marcel
By @titinapenzini and @louisvoltaire
There are places you visit, and there are places you inhabit. Sète, in the south of France, belongs firmly to the latter.
The journey is simple. A little over three hours on the TGV from Gare de Lyon, and the light changes completely. From Sète train station, a short walk leads to the Canal Royal, where the city quietly begins to reveal itself.
Living the Canal
At the center of it all, Suites The Marcel offers a rare way to experience Sète.
Each suite feels like a private apartment, open to light and water. The Rio Suite, suspended above the canal, creates the sensation of floating. Kitchen, living space, and quiet refinement allow you to settle naturally into the rhythm of the city.
More than a hotel, it feels like inhabiting Sète from within.
A City Shaped by Water
Founded in 1666 by Louis XIV, Sète was built as a strategic port connected to the Canal du Midi.
Fishing still defines everything. The port, the markets, and the Étang de Thau shape the structure of daily life. Nothing feels staged. The city remains authentic, functional, and deeply Mediterranean.
Moving Through Sète
Through Naura Poquet, General Manager of Suites The Marcel, the city becomes accessible in a far more personal way. Connections replace recommendations.
A morning at the Les Halles de Sète reveals oysters, langoustines, and the local tielle.
A pause at Le Flore captures the everyday rhythm of the city.
Art & Culture
A visit to the MIAM – Musée International des Arts Modestesadds another dimension to Sète.
Founded by artist Hervé Di Rosa, the museum reflects the creative and unconventional spirit of the city through exhibitions mixing contemporary art, popular culture, and everyday objects in an intelligent and playful way.
Our visit was made even more special thanks to Jolan Touzet, who guided us through the museum and introduced us to its collections and vision with remarkable insight and generosity.
Like Sète itself, the MIAM feels independent, layered, and deeply authentic.
From Canal to Lagoon
One of the defining experiences of Sète is discovering it from the water. A private boat ride through the canals opens a completely different perspective before expanding toward the Étang de Thau and eventually the sea.
From the water, the city suddenly becomes legible. Its structure, history, and relationship to movement and commerce come fully into focus.
Between Canal and Sea
Sète moves effortlessly between canals and coastline. A short drive leads to long, unspoiled beaches where the Mediterranean opens wide.
At Le Cabanon de la Plage, the atmosphere is simple and elegant. Sunbeds facing the sea, oysters from nearby Bouzigues, grilled fish, and long lunches define another essential layer of the city.
Everything remains fluid. Everything remains human.
From Canal to Heights
For those who like to stay active, Sète also reveals itself through movement.
From the Canal Royal, a walk or light run up to Mont Saint-Clair takes roughly thirty minutes and completely transforms your perspective of the city.
The ascent moves through quiet streets and Mediterranean vegetation before opening onto panoramic views of the port, the Étang de Thau, and the sea.
It quickly becomes part of the daily rhythm. A simple morning footing or sunset walk, enough to feel entirely reset.
Dining in Sète
Dinner evolves naturally.
At Embrun, the tone is precise, intimate, and refined.
At La Senne, the connection to the sea is immediate. Tuna, raw preparations, and product-driven cuisine reach a remarkable level.
A Subtle Luxury
There is no spectacle here. The luxury lies in rhythm, proximity, and the ability to live the city at your own pace.
To walk, return, cook, go out again.
To belong, even briefly.
Why Sète
In a Mediterranean often defined by excess, Sète offers something increasingly rare: authenticity without effort.
At Suites The Marcel, that authenticity becomes livable.
Not as a visitor. But from within.
Credits
Special thanks to
Naura Poquet, General Manager of Suites The Marcel, for her exceptional hospitality, generosity, and for opening the city in such a personal way.
Office de Tourisme Sète Archipel de Thau, and especiallyMarie-France Parra, for their support and guidance.
Special thanks also to Jolan Touzet for guiding us through the MIAM and sharing its unique vision and spirit.
Credits
Suites The MarcelInstagram: @suitesthemarcel Web: the-marcel.fr
MIAM – Musée International des Arts ModestesWeb: museemiam.org
EmbrunInstagram: @embrun_restaurant
La SenneInstagram: @lasenne_restaurant
Le FloreInstagram: @leflorebrasserie
Le Cabanon de la PlageInstagram: @lecabanondelaplage Web: lecabanondelaplage.fr
Les Halles de SèteInstagram: @hallesdesete