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Swimming and snorkeling in the area described on this page is now prohibited. Unless the law has changed when you visit the location, do not snorkel this spot.

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.

Common cuttlefish at Plage du Lazaret
Common cuttlefish is pretty common at Plage du Lazaret, mainly during the mating season, in spring.

How to get to Plage du Lazaret snorkeling area?

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.

Plage du Lazaret snorkeling map, Sete

Water entrance for snorkeling Plage du Lazaret

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).

Plage du Lazaret snorkeling exploration tips

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.

School of salema at Plage du Lazaret
Schools of salema are commonly seen in Plage du Lazaret rocky seabed.

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.

Octopus at Plage du Lazaret
If you are lucky, you may spot a common octopus between the rocks.

Restaurants and accommodation near Plage du Lazaret

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.

 

  • Level required Beginner
  • Maximum depth10ft/3m
  • Water entranceFrom rocks, can be tricky
  • LifeguardNo
  • Visitor numbersLow
  • Access costsFree

MAP Spot

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.