Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
This spot has been added by
Last updated on June 5, 2021
The rocky shoreline bordering the city of Sète contrasts with the huge sandy beaches to be found almost everywhere along Languedoc’s coastline. Snorkelers will like paying a visit to Lazaret Beach after looking for seahorses and pipefish in Thau. A varied underwater life can be spotted while exploring its preserved rocky seabed, including octopuses and cuttlefish, schools of salema and many blennies.
Lazaret Beach (Plage du Lazaret) is located along Sète’s waterfront (“la corniche” in French). It is also the closest beach to the city center. There is no parking next to the spot, so drivers usually park their cars along Plage de la Corniche, located about 500m to the west, or along the road leading up to the city center.
During high season, from May to September, bus line n°9 stops at the beach. If you’re staying at Village Vacances du Lazaret, an underground pedestrian path safely leads to the beach.
The snorkel spot is not located precisely at Lazaret beach: you will find it at the other side of the dyke bordering the beach on its southern side (see map). You will have to walk along the start of the seafront walkway (promenade de la corniche) to reach the rocks located beneath the dyke.
Entering water from the rocks can be complicated. We advise a passage between rocks that is might be the least steep to get down to the water (see map).
The snorkel area encompasses the surroundings of the rocky shore and the dyke sheltering Lazaret beach. Water depth is moderate on this spot: it barely exceeds 2 meters next to the shore.
The seabed is covered with rocks, some of which colonized by algae, sea anemones, urchins, and many hermit crabs. Blennies love this environment. The tompot blennie notably dwells in numbers in the area.
As it is territorial and quite friendly, you will easily spot it at rest on the rocks. Schools of small salema come and go over the seabed, amongst a few sargo, wrasse, and sometimes small bass.
Cephalopods are attracted here by the spot’s shallow, rocky underwater environment. Keep your eyes peeled and you will probably identify a cuttlefish or an octopus, two species that are frequently spotted here.
There is no food option next to the spot, but many restaurants, pizzerias and cafes are settled on Sète’s main street and around the church.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
