Archipelago of Thau
A maritime identity. Located in the south of France and open to the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea, the Thau Archipelago is a veritable interface between land and sea. With 30 kilometers of coastline and a watershed of 42,000 hectares, it is first and foremost an area of water, which is its main resource. It is a coastal area that fulfils important economic, social and ecological functions.
Thau, the largest lagoon in the Occitanie region. Thau is an area shaped by the lagoon and boasts a rich environmental heritage. With its coasts and ponds, this natural heritage is fragile and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This lagoon is a world apart, colorful and alive, where the farmers of the sea are busy from dawn to dusk. Dominated by Mount Saint-Clair, it has been a calm, resourceful inland sea since ancient times. As you follow the shoreline, you'll come across villages with whitewashed houses and small ports with colorful boats, fishing nets drying in the sun... Bouzigues, Mèze, Marseillan and Balaruc - the spa par excellence - are pleasant stops. The Thau lagoon - crossed by the Canal du Midi - attracts yachtsmen and all sailing and wind enthusiasts. With a surface area of 7,500 hectares, it covers almost 20% of the territory's total surface area. Over 19 km long, it has an average depth of 4.5 meters.
A land of winegrowing. The emerged part, which accounts for around 70% of the total surface area, is mainly made up of agricultural land, represented mainly by vineyards, natural areas and urban and industrial settlements.
Climate
Maximum sunshine
The sun shines all year round, with mild temperatures and few rainy days. Here, the winds meet in a duel between the tramontana and the sea breeze. The tramontana, a northerly wind, sweeps down from the mountains to the plains, clearing the sky of clouds. The result: big blue skies, a dry atmosphere, but also a feeling of cold and, when it lasts, the impression of being dizzy from all that wind. The sea wind, on the other hand, comes from the south, from the Mediterranean Sea, and brings with it drizzle, humidity and mildness.
Seasons typical of the Mediterranean climate
A mild winter, a capricious spring that gives way to a long, hot summer interspersed with heavy thunderstorms in August. Autumn, more versatile, offers a kaleidoscope of multi-colored vines. This season is often subject to heavy rainfall. This has an impact on streams and small coastal rivers, which enjoy highly irregular regimes, marked by brutal autumn floods and severe summer low-water periods.
Average temperatures
The Thau Archipelago boasts a definitively Mediterranean climate, combined with the mildness of the sea that surrounds it. Temperatures are particularly mild, and even at night in the middle of winter, they rarely fall below freezing. In winter, although mornings can be chilly at just 3°C or 4°C, temperatures soon rise again, often reaching 10°C. It's not uncommon to see 15°C to 20°C in November or March. Summers are particularly hot, sometimes scorching. From June to the end of September, 33°C to 35°C are commonplace, and the mercury can even reach or exceed 40°C.
Precipitation
Precipitation is scarce, occurring mainly in autumn in the form of showers or remnants of Cevennes episodes, or at the end of the day in August, particularly when the day has been particularly hot. But, once again, they are relatively scattered and guarantee a generally very sunny climate.
Natural phenomena
With the exception of stormy weather, the region suffers relatively few natural phenomena, and certainly none that pose a risk to human life. Only drought, which recurs from summer to summer, remains a real problem, but more so for local residents than for visitors. As for Mediterranean storms, they are far less violent than those of the oceans, and can even be quite a sight to behold.
Relief
Characteristic landscapes: situated between garrigue and seaside, the Thau archipelago offers a varied range of landscapes. From the bushes and copses of the hinterland, it's just a few kilometers to the pine forests of the seaside, but also to the unique views over the ponds lined with tall grasses, rushes and other aquatic plants. Sète and its seafront offer visitors sandy beaches that are still relatively unspoilt. In short, a unique choice for a small area.
Rivers and valleys: the Thau archipelago is not strictly speaking a valley, as it is a flat seaside landscape devoid of notorious asperities or chasms. The Canal du Midi and the Canal du Rhône à Sète provide brackish water inflows, while freshwater is supplied by 11 rivers. The lagoon, separated from the Golfe du Lion by a coastal sandbar that links the Volcan d'Agde to Mont Saint-Clair, is extended to the east by the Etangs des Eaux-Blanches and the Etang d'Ingril in Frontignan. Water temperature varies from 0°C to 24°C, depending on the season. Administratively, it belongs to eight communes (Sète, Frontignan, Balaruc-les-Bains, Balaruc-le-Vieux, Bouzigues, Loupian, Mèze and Marseillan). Its salinity varies according to the season. Hundreds of mussel and oyster producers are based on almost 2,500 shellfish tables, making shellfish farming its main source of wealth.
Geology : Mediterranean in character, the Thau archipelago's geology is essentially limestone and sandy on the seashore. These are arid strata, but over the centuries they have not prevented countless species of trees and bushes that need little water and deep roots from thriving. If you're lucky, you might even come across a prehistoric fossil.
Forests and woods : scrubland in the hinterland, rushes on the shores of the ponds - nature has always been an integral part of the Thau archipelago, with holm oaks, pines, reeds and more, depending on the location. Since then, man has added his touch, and the hinterland abounds with vineyards, some of which produce the region's typical "sand wines".
Marshes: the marshland flora and fauna here is extremely varied, particularly on the shores of the Etang de Thau. Exceptional biodiversity.
Coastal
Bathed by the Mediterranean Sea, the archipelago of Thau offers, notably at the level of Sète, numerous coasts and beaches.
Port : the main port of the Thau archipelago is the port of Sète. It is the most important merchant port in the department. During the summer season, boats for tourists are chartered there to enjoy a pleasant drift towards the open sea and a breathtaking view of the city from the sea. You can also walk or cycle along the coastline to discover it from the land.
A land of vineyards
Awarded the "Vignobles & Découvertes" label, the Languedoc piedmont features a landscape of limestone hills and fertile valleys that have been - for generations - the cradle of sun-drenched viticulture. Here, you'll find a mosaic of small terroirs surrounding quiet villages, often coiled around their church or château. Villages of winegrowers who contribute to the renown of crus such as Coteaux du Languedoc, Faugères, Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Montpeyroux, Cabrières... It's in this rich natural setting that two of France's great nectars evolve: Muscat de Mireval and Muscat de Frontignan. Wine routes criss-cross these wine-growing lands right up to the foothills of the Montagne Noire, which is cut by a number of riverbeds.
