The Port Town of Séte

Séte, reached after a 34km (21-mile) drive southwest of Montpellier, is the largest fishing port on the Mediterranean and was once the principal link to France's colonies in North Africa. Even today a car-ferry transports passengers to and from the coasts of North Africa. You can almost picture Marlene Dietrich leaving the port bound for Morocco in a 1930s movie.

In an architectural blend of Art Deco and Second Empire, Séte was built on a limestone rock on the slopes of Mont Saint-Clair and is connected to the mainland by two sand pits. This city of canals sprawls across two islands and a network of estuaries connected and crisscrossed by bridges. These canals evoke comparison with Venice.

If you're staying over, your best bet is Le Grand Hôtel, 17 quai Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny (tel. 04-67-74-71-77; fax 04-67-74-29-27; www.legrandhotelsete.com), at the center of the port, near the intersection of the two canals. Try for a front bedroom with its view of the moored boats. The limestone facade of the hotel is accented with elaborate corbels and bas-reliefs, some of which are designed like the prows of boats. The hotel's Beaux Arts charm and grandeur dates from the 1880s, with potted palms, a skylit atrium, and wicker armchairs. The bedrooms are generally roomy, well furnished, and modernized. Rooms are air-conditioned, containing minibars, TVs, and Wi-Fi. Doubles rent for 65€ to 132€ ($85-$172).

At the same address is the restaurant Le Quai 17 (tel. 04-67-74-71-77), which takes up two impressive ground-floor rooms of the hotel and is under separate management. The chef specializes in fresh and flavorful seafood. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday to Friday from noon to 2pm, and dinner Monday through Saturday from 7:30 to 10pm. Full meals range in price from 25€ to 45€ ($33-$59); reservations are recommended.

For information about Séte and the area, stop in at the Office de Tourisme, 60 Grand'Rue (tel. 04-67-74-71-71). Trains arrive every hour during the day from Montpellier (trip time: 20 min.), at a one-way fare of 6€ ($7.80).