Sète tourism: water buses, buses and visitors, what the report shows

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Sète tourism relies more and more on public transport, according to the latest report published by the Archipel de Thau tourist office. In the first ten months of 2025, this Mediterranean port town recorded 3.7 million tourist nights and 6.8 million day visitors. The water buses carried 134,000 passengers, up 9%. City buses also grew. Here are the key figures and the lessons for other coastal towns.

What does the Sète tourism report say?

The Archipel de Thau tourist office, which covers Sète and the surrounding lagoon towns, published its 2025 tourism report on 14 November 2025. It uses Orange’s Flux Vision mobile phone data, in partnership with Hérault Tourisme, the département’s tourism agency. As of 11 November 2026, it remains the latest annual report for Sète available online.

From 1 January to 31 October 2025, Sète recorded 3.7 million tourist nights, down 3.9% on 2024. However, the report notes that 2024 was an exceptional year, with the large maritime festival Escale à Sète. Stronger demand from overseas visitors also softened the fall.

Day visitors, on the other hand, are rising. There were 6.8 million over the same period, up 3.2%. On average, 34,500 visitors are present in the town each day, rising to 60,700 in July and August. For comparison, Sète has 45,090 residents, according to Insee, the French statistics office.

Where do visitors come from?

The report lists the main countries of origin of overseas visitors. Germany comes first, ahead of Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and the United Kingdom. Among French visitors, the Hérault département provides the largest share, followed by the Gard, Bouches-du-Rhône, Haute-Garonne and Rhône.

In addition, 59 cruise ships called at Sète in 2025. The tourist office welcomed and informed all of them, together with the local cruise club.

Why is Sète tourism betting on water buses?

This is the most telling result for local councillors. The water buses link Sète to Mèze across the lagoon and run along the town’s canals. From April to September 2025, they carried 134,000 passengers, 9% more than in 2024.

The breakdown shows the value of targeted services. The Wednesday morning market shuttle attracted 38,000 passengers, up 19%. Evening shows at the Théâtre de la Mer brought in 18,000 passengers, up 80%. However, the daily July-August service dipped slightly, to 90,000 passengers (−2%).

Are buses and cycling growing too?

Yes. From April to September 2025, Sète’s bus lines recorded 1.3 million journeys, up 8.6%. Line 3, between the centre and the railway station, remains the busiest with 591,309 journeys (+11%). Line 1 to the station also grew by 20%.

For cyclists, the town has 15 km of cycle lanes. It also sits at the crossroads of major routes: ViaRhôna, the Canal des Deux-Mers, EuroVelo 8 and the Thau lagoon loop. Finally, a cycling and active mobility centre opened in early 2025.

This effort also has a climate purpose. According to the report, tourism accounts for 11% of the area’s greenhouse gas emissions, and 69% of that comes from travel.

How does the tourist office reach visitors?

Sète’s visitor information office welcomed 161,490 people in 2025, 14% fewer than in 2024, the year of Escale à Sète. Moreover, 83% of these visits took place between April and October.

To make up for this, the tourist office goes out to meet visitors. For example, an adviser informed more than 4,000 people at the water bus pier in summer. At the Castellas campsite, a weekly presence on summer Mondays reached nearly 500 people. Finally, guided tours attracted 1,500 participants, up 8%.

What lessons for other towns?

First, measuring makes managing possible. Thanks to visitor and transport data, Sète can focus on services that work, such as the market shuttle. Second, going out to meet visitors makes up for fewer people at the counter. Finally, local businesses remain cautious: in the tourist office survey, two thirds rated their activity stable or higher, but 40% reported lower average spending.

For comparison, read about tourism in nearby Marseillan, our analysis of France’s summer 2026 tourism figures, or this article in French.

Sète tourism: key takeaways

• 3.7 million tourist nights from 1 January to 31 October 2025 (−3.9% after the Escale à Sète year).
• 6.8 million day visitors (+3.2%).
• Water buses: 134,000 passengers from April to September (+9%), including 18,000 for Théâtre de la Mer evenings (+80%).
• City buses: 1.3 million journeys from April to September (+8.6%).
• Visitor information office: 161,490 visitors (−14%), offset by outreach at piers and campsites.

Source: Archipel de Thau tourist office, Sète 2025 tourism report (14 November 2025, Orange Flux Vision and Hérault Tourisme data), accessed 11 November 2026. Featured photo: coulibaly dokoungo / Unsplash.