The Languedoc Lagoons: A Delicate Balance

West of the Camargue, a string of lagoons—separated from the Mediterranean by narrow sand spits—creates a unique coastal environment. These étangs, neither fully marine nor freshwater, support ecosystems and economies adapted to brackish conditions. The largest, the Étang de Thau, covers 75 square kilometers and produces 10% of France's oysters and mussels.

Sète, built on a narrow strip between the Étang de Thau and the Mediterranean, embodies the distinctive character of the Languedoc coast. Founded by Louis XIV as a Mediterranean terminus for the Canal du Midi, the town developed its own maritime culture distinct from both Provence and Catalonia. The port combines multiple personalities: fishing boats unload alongside cruise ships, canal barges moor near ocean-going freighters, and France's largest fishing port in the Mediterranean coexists with beaches and seafood restaurants.

Sète's joutes nautiques (water jousting) date back to the town's foundation in 1666. Competitors stand on platforms extending from boats, attempting to knock opponents into the water with three-meter lances. This sport, practiced nowhere else at this level, draws passionate crowds who support competing teams with football-intensity. The tournaments culminate during the Festival of Saint Louis in August, when the town celebrates its patron with jousting, music, and vast quantities of tielle, the local octopus pie.

The oyster and mussel farms of the Étang de Thau represent sustainable aquaculture at its best. The tables—wooden structures supporting ropes where shellfish grow—create a geometric pattern across the lagoon's surface. Producers face constant challenges: occasional toxic algae blooms require vigilance, while maintaining water quality demands cooperation between farmers, municipalities, and industries. The payoff comes in shellfish with a distinctive flavor, less salty than ocean-grown varieties, prized by connoisseurs who can identify their origin by taste.