Making the most of Sete
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Sete port has 3 few landing spots:
Dolphin berth “Epi Dellon” - a new berthing facility for large vessels of 240-350 meters LOA, sheltered by the breakwater. It requires 10 minutes tendering to the downtown cruise terminal.
There is a free shuttle to the main gate. The local town bus line 3 goes to the Mont Saint Clair Viewing Point. Get on at Passage le Dauphin. Get off at the La croix Saint-Clair stop. Attached is a picture of the town bus lines. A local map is available at the tourist info by the port shuttle at the gate.
The entire city is within easy walk of all piers. A 10 minute walk to the main canal, the town center and the covered market.
Printable map to take along.
Although many people take off on excursions, the town does have a pleasant buzz on summer days and it is not difficult to while away a few hours sitting by one of the canals.
- “Quai d’Alger” accommodates ships with a maximum length of 200 M and a draft of 7.40 M. Here guests are received at a bright and attractive cruise terminal offering a Wi-Fi hot spot, a tourist information office, a shop and currency exchange at a mere 5-10 walk from the city center. The adjacent parking space accommodates up to 12 tour coaches and a taxi stand.
- Pier “P2” inside the port with easy access to the highway. It accommodates vessels up to 225 M LOA (>240 M on request) and a draft of 10 meters.
Getting around
Sete has different excursions by boat.
A "Tourist Train" conducts a 40 minute tour is Sete.
Trains run regular to Montpellier, 28 km inland, The train station is easy enough to walk to. Montpellier has a beautiful old center which is as easily explored alone or with a guide.
Nearby places
Nearby the charming port of Sete is Carcassonne, the best surviving example of a medieval walled city which dates back to the time of the Roman Empire. While the knights and their horses have long been gone, their presence can still be felt as you walk along Carcassonne's winding streets. Explore the town's boutiques and cafes. Be sure to sample "cassoulet," a delightful combination of meats cooked with beans which is the city's specialty. As traffic can be heavy in the peak season and parking difficult you are better off by taking a tour to Carcassonne.
Food and shopping
Local gastronomy is inspired from the Italian migrants who came to SèTe, and by local seafood products.
The town is filled with small sidewalk cafes, and those located on the Quai Maximin Licciardi seem to be filled with locals.
Money
Euro
Staying connected
Free WiFi in the cruise terminal.
Local emergency number: 112
Opening Hours and
Most shops, businesses, information services, museums and banks in France stay open all day. The exceptions are the smaller shops and enterprises, which may close for lunch sometime between 12.30pm and 2pm. Basic hours of business are from 8 or 9am to 6.30 or 7.30pm Monday to Saturday for the big shops and Tuesday to Saturday for smaller shops (some of the smaller shops may open on Monday afternoon). You can always find boulangeries and food shops that do stay open, however, on days when others close – on Sunday normally until noon.