All experiences

From the foothills of the Gardiole to the shores of the Thau lagoon, here more than anywhere else the vineyards reflect their past. Sun-drenched clay-limestone soils, a combination of wind and a favourable micro-climate, this was all it took for the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans to invest in this terroir and plant vines here. Two millennia later, one of the oldest vineyards in France continues its wine odyssey. A long maturation Sète was still an uninhabited mountain when, in 1666, Louis XIV ordered the construction of a port to facilitate the export of wine throughout Europe. The area produced mainly white wine. Until then, vines had been confined to the plateaux, but they were soon planted on the plains and ended up producing high yields of poor quality wine: a red wave ...

No matter which destination you have chosen for your holiday in the Thau archipelago, we invite you to take advantage of these few days to get away from it all and discover the 14 communes that make up our destination.  You can also find more information in our magazine.   Balaruc-le-Vieux Set on a hillock, the village dominates the creek of the corner with a view on the lagoon. A medieval village wrapped in its ramparts, which magnifies the past. We love to get lost in its narrow streets. Discover Balaruc-le-Vieux   Balaruc-les-Bains The first spa in France, Louis Bonaparte already came here for a cure in the 19th century! People come here to enjoy the benefits of its thermal waters, but also to stroll through the flowery alleys of the Mediterranean Ant...

This morning, direction Frontignan-Plage for a walk along the ponds to contemplate the ballet of the birds. I learned at the Tourist Office that many species gravitate there all year round (more than 130) and that the spectacle is breathtaking, especially in spring, during the migratory period. The best time to go is early in the morning at sunrise, when the colours on the pond and the shadows of the flamingos will immerse you in a special atmosphere. But first of all, what is birdwatching? It is a new tourist activity that comes from our English neighbours who are very fond of nature, fauna and flora. In France, we call it "birdwatching". It's a photographic hike, which will also delight those who love beautiful pictures. I've been doing it for a few years now and I'm kind ...

Discover the many facets of Frontignan, Mireval and Vic-la-Gardiole through our selection of photos...

If you would like to immerse yourself in the traditions and culture of the Thau Archipelago, we look forward to seeing you in 2024 to experience or relive the highlights of our Destination, whatever your desires: gastronomy, history, jousting... The Oursinade (mid-March) Every year in Sète, the Oursinade, a large open-air guinguette, attracts visitors who come to taste the best that the Thau Basin has to offer: sea urchins, but also oysters, mussels, tielles and other gastronomic and wine-making delights of the region. Time in the lagoon (mid-May to mid-June) This is a new event during which artists, scientists, shellfish farmers, fishermen, wine growers and inhabitants share their views on the Thau lagoon. Meetings, debates, shows and workshops will give pride of place to ...

The unmissable Muscat de Frontignan in a cocktail version! Summer means heat and therefore aperitif on the terrace accompanied by the inevitable glass of Muscat Frontignan.  Would you like to innovate a little? To add a little freshness? Without spoiling our good summer wine? I suggest you try a cocktail recipe: the Muscat- Spritz, ideal to face the hot temperatures of the Thau Lagoon. A little advice for a good Muscat tasting: It is usually drunk chilled as an aperitif, as an accompaniment to a dish or starter (especially spicy meats such as duck breast or foie gras), but also as a dessert with fruit or cheese. You should know that it keeps very well for several months, even when opened, in the refrigerator.Recipe for "Muscat Spritz  Perfect for an aperitif with ...

Summer is shaping up to be beautiful, hot and long... the perfect recipe for a lovely evening with friends or family. But what about spicing things up with an unusual experience at sunset? That's what we've come up with in this top list of things to do at dusk! Kayakmed  We're off to a great start with a sea kayaking excursion on the Bassin de Thau. But before you take to the water with your paddle, let your instructor tell you what's in store for you on this tour with the evocative name "Sun Sète" (6-9pm). Once you've been introduced to the water, you can finally head off in the direction of Les Thocs, a real lagoon in Languedoc. It's here that you can watch the sunset while sipping a glass of local Muscat. Find out more here. A little extra: Kayakmed has been awarded ...

The school holidays have started and the children already don't know what to do. To get an idea of what to do with the family, I contacted the Tourist Office of Frontignan. Good news, a new treasure hunt has just been inaugurated on the port: the Kraken's secret chest! The name sounds good and I feel that it will amuse young and old. It's the big day, see you at 10am at the Tourist Office of Frontignan-Plage. The children are eager to discover this new game and of course, to solve the riddles! The tourist advisor, Marion, gives us a booklet of riddles with a map and a mysterious bag full of objects to help us in our adventure, then explains the story: "The Kraken's chest would have been found off Frontignan. You have to decipher the writings following the clues and find the ...

The Gardiole massif is the ideal place to discover several landscapes thanks to small friendly hikes! The Mediterranean, the vineyards or the garrigue, everything is there!   Here we go! I start by parking in the Nicola Karabatic gym car park before getting straight to the heart of the matter. Yes, it's a hard climb to the top of Pioch Michel (about 150 meters of difference in altitude). So, I advise you to take good shoes, water and a cap in the middle of summer.On the way, and more precisely next to the sports course, I discover a grandiose panorama! In front of me stretches a sea of green scrubland preceded by the azure blue of the Mediterranean! I stop for a moment to immortalize the moment before continuing on a small ridge. On one side, I enjoy the view on the sea and o...

Would you like to be closer to Mother Nature during your stay in Frontignan, to get away from the big tourist flows or simply to observe the typical fauna and flora of the Thau Archipelago? Then head for the old salt pans of Frontignan! A little history Shaped until 1968 by the salt industry, this succession of fresh and salt wetlands still shows traces of these three centuries of exploitation: canals, old salt tables... Today it has become a favourite place for fauna and flora, and it is also here that you can enjoy an unrestricted view of a hundred or so species of birds, in particular pink flamingos, white stilts, ducks, terns, etc., which have come to winter, to breed or simply to make a migratory stopover.  It is thanks to this rich fauna and flora that this 230-hectare ...

By Pauline - May 2019 This morning it's Saturday, market day, and we're heading to the Halles de Frontignan. I stroll through the alleys of the city centre, caught by the good smells of the different stalls. Sweet, salty, food or drink, you can find everything you need to prepare a good meal. I stop at a farmer's stall and decide to buy a nice rabbit for my family meal the next day. I am not a cook and ask the shopkeeper for advice on how to cook the rabbit. A connoisseur and proud of his region, he suggests marinating my meat in the local muscatel. I take out a paper, a pencil and note down his precious advice before continuing my search for the ingredients of this famous recipe. I end my quest with the essential ingredient: the famous Muscat de Frontignan! A bottle reco...

Do you like escape games? Then try the investigation game! Are you ready for an adventure? No need to go far, the historic heart of Frontignan awaits you! I leave the Tourist Office, Marion and Julie have given me a mysterious case. Here we go, the game can start! There are objects inside, a booklet with explanations and a leaflet with photos of potential culprits! My children are intrigued, my husband too. I thought to myself: "As I'm from Frontignan, it's not going to be fun, I know my town! In fact, it was just the opposite! We had to think, to use logic, we found ourselves in front of facades or monuments saying to ourselves, "I hadn't paid attention to that before". We had to solve riddles, decipher codes and all this not like in an escape game, locked in a room or two,...

Having an aperitif on the terrace. What else but the symbol of the Mediterranean art of living? Are you looking for a place to enjoy a good drink on a terrace in the Thau Archipelago? Look no further, we have listed them for you!    In Sète  The Sky bar of the Imperial Hotel  Get ready to take to the skies, we're taking you to a rooftop!  The panoramic terrace of the cocktail bar at the Hôtel*** Impérial offers a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean Sea, the Etang de Thau and the Mont Saint-Clair, which you can admire from the comfort of a sofa or deckchair. On the agenda: a chic and relaxed atmosphere, with your head in the stars...  The little extra: during the day, in the shade of a parasol, you can also taste delicious ice creams. The bar - patio of t...

By Marie - July 2019   During our summer holidays in Frontignan, we go for an initiation to scuba diving on the plateau of Aresquiers. The "Baptême duo" formula proposed by the diving centre is an excellent opportunity to get into the water! Meeting at the club Plongée Passion on the port of Frontignan On this Wednesday in July, we meet in the early afternoon at the diving centre located on the east bank of the port of Frontignan. We are welcomed by Pierre and Stéphanie who will be our instructors for this first scuba dive at a depth of 6 meters. Although I was very enthusiastic about the idea of discovering the underwater world of the Mediterranean Sea, I must admit that I was a bit stressed. But the team of instructors quickly put me at ease and I listen carefully...

A 7-kilometre long strip of sand bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and almost 320 days of sunshine a year, that's the setting that awaits you in Frontignan-Plage. The seaside resort even has one of the major assets of the Thau Archipelago: a transparent beach that is almost deserted... So many reasons to go to this charming town! The Lido beaches Situated to the north-east of Sète, the seaside resort benefits from an exceptional geographical situation between the sea, ponds and garrigues and offers as many beautiful sandy and pebble beaches on either side of the marina, which have been awarded the Blue Flag for over 25 years. You can choose between Port Ouest, Port Est, Les Plaisanciers, Le Grau, La Bergerie, l'Entrée or the Aresquiers beach.The Aresquiers beach An a...

Festive meals are the ideal occasion to sublimate the riches of our land. Advice, recipe ideas, here are our top 5 local products to have on your table at the end of the year! 1 - Oysters from the Thau basin Their iodine perfume and their characteristic nutty taste make us melt all year round, but it is in the heart of winter that they are at their best. Produced in Bouzigues, Mèze and Marseillan, Thau oysters are an essential part of our festive meals, let's face it! Raw, they go very well with a simple lemon juice, but can also be eaten with a shallot sauce or with a dash of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a turn of the pepper mill. Gratinated, they go wonderfully well with parsley butter, but also with a white wine or leek-based sauce.   Don't hesitate to ask ...

Along the lido of Frontignan, there are several beaches where you can enjoy a deckchair or a comfortable mattress to relax facing the Mediterranean Sea. This afternoon, I have a surprise for my fiancée. Head for the Sandaya Tam Tam Beach to relax on the beach! A beach on the lido of Frontignan Next to Les Tamaris campsite, the private Sandaya Tam Tam Beach offers a large terrace of 500 m2 with deckchairs, mattresses, hammocks and even four-poster beds! What could be more romantic for a romantic afternoon in the Mediterranean sun? We arrived on the beach at around 3pm after lunch in one of the restaurants in the heart of Frontignan. The holiday started very well with a delicious meal with Mediterranean flavours.  Now it's time to relax on the beach. We finally choose ...

By Ludivine - June 2019 Located under the halles just behind the town hall, Frontignan's market remains a must-see place to stock up on local produce. It's Saturday morning and we start our Mediterranean holiday with a trip to the market in the heart of the seaside resort. Strolling around the covered market We start by strolling around the covered market where many stalls are set up in front of the halls. There are a few fairground vendors and craftsmen unpacking all sorts of goods, from wicker baskets to brightly coloured scarves and small manufactured goods. As we approach the halls, we are attracted by the scent of Mediterranean spices: oregano, basil, cinnamon, coriander and Provençal herbs... I can't resist these beautiful black olives in marinade which will be ...

My wife Martine, my two children Hugo and Chloé, and myself, decided to go on holiday this summer to Frontignan. During the holidays, the water sports centre offers activities for young and old. The only rule is to know how to swim. We are reassured to see them go with qualified instructors. You can do Stand up Paddle, Yoga Paddle, windsurfing, sailing, diving, canoeing. Not easy to choose. We signed up our son for a week's canoeing course and our daughter for an Optimist course. The children were delighted, they were well supervised and discovered the pleasure of group activities. They felt empowered and as a bonus, they had a great time! The team that welcomed us was professional and friendly! It is certain that children and parents will be delighted to participate! Every...

Walks in the salt marshes or in the heart of the garrigue, observation of insects and birds, visits to vineyards... These are all experiences that the Tourist Office offers you during a "Nature outing".  Discovery of emblematic places Whether you are a connoisseur of the wilderness that makes up the Thau Archipelago or an initiate, each "Nature outing" is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the history, fauna and flora that make up the archipelago. We invite you to meet us near the Occitan villages of Balaruc-les-Bains, Frontignan and Loupian to (re)discover the terraces of the Gardiole, the old salt marshes, the Aresquiers wood, the abbey of Saint-Félix, the gulf of Aigues-Mortes... So, open your eyes wide so as not to miss anything of the landscapes of the ...

An "Emmuscade", don't look up the definition in the dictionary, this word doesn't exist. But it smells of grapes, it makes us hear the cicadas and take out the sunglasses to admire the view without being dazzled!So I was intrigued by this word, I searched for it on Google and came across the link to the Office de Tourisme website. What I understand: cinema in the vineyards, muscatel wine tasting and conviviality. My curiosity is "exacerbated and pushes me" to participate. I invite Christel, Fanny and Amélie, my three best friends. We arrive at the heart of a wine estate. At the entrance, we are given a tasting ticket for a glass of muscatel wine and another for a tray of mussels cooked on a wood fire.The garlands are hung, the tables and benches installed for conviviality. T...

Looking for an idea for your Sunday walks despite the winter? The Archipelago of Thau is the place to go to get some fresh air and enjoy the mild temperatures of southern France. That's why we've put together a short list of places to go for a walk, so all you have to do is make your choice: a guided tour of the Bagnas reserve, an iodine bowl along the Lido, birdwatching at the old salt pans of Frontignan... The Bagnas reserve: To be discovered freely or with a guide Situated on 561 hectares between Marseillan and Cap d'Agde, the Bagnas reserve has become over the years a paradise for birds and nature lovers alike. Now protected, it can be discovered through the anecdotes of one of the guides of the Maison de la Nature or freely for a little more adventure. You can, for...