Joanna Leggett explores

Joanna Leggett explores the good life in the cities of Sète and Montpellier in the Herault department, Occitanie, southern France… Is this the true South of France? Sète Sète Sète sits at the head of a narrow isthmus which encloses the Étang de Thau, a saltwater lagoon which runs down as far as Marseillan to the Canal du Midi. All along this western coast of the Mediterranean there are such lagoons, and many if not all, are renowned for the quality of their seafood with oysters and mussels a speciality! The town, with its many canals which give it the nickname the ‘Venice of Occitanie’, is famous for its water jousting – a tradition that was born in the year 1666 when Louis XIV was living in the Louvre and Versailles was still a country hunting lodge! Discover Sète The first stones of the port in Sète were laid in 1666 and water jousting took place to celebrate the event and it quickly became the local sport. In fact this maritime sport most likely dates to Roman times – though it’s now firmly a passionate feature of Languedoc culture. From mid-June onwards, water-borne contests are held along the canals. Huge rowing boats are specially crafted with raised ladders at one end, four jousters stand on these ‘tintaine’ while ten rowers propel 102 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 103