OFFICE DE TOURISME ARCHIPEL DE THAU

About

Let all your senses be charmed by Archipel de Thau’s gentle sea breeze, whether it be just for a day or for an exciting stay.

What makes the Archipel de Thau, the right choice ?

1. A picturesque and authentic destination nestled in magical landscapes, between coastline and lagoon, vineyards and garrigue. Our region is home to four renowned listed tourist resorts: Sète, Balaruc-les-Bains (France’s 1st spa resort), Frontignan, Marseillan.

2. Signature local delicacies straight from the lagoon, the sea and the vineyards. Oyster, shellfish, Muscat de Frontignan, picpoul de Pinet, Noilly Prat, the tielle etc

3. A wide range of services provided by professionals already committed to business travellers, thus enabling us to meet all demands and expectation thanks to turnkey offers.

Archipel de Thau is the place to set your events. Discover a land lapped by waters, caught in between history and culture, vines & shellfish farming, sea and scrubland, all that gives our region its well-defined identity.

Each of the fourteen cities and villages of Archipel de thau, helps giving it its mediterranean identity. They all combine and complement each other to offer our business travellers original and unique experiences: wellbeing, gastronomy, a variety of leisure activities, authentic landscapes and unspoilt nature, wine and olive-growing visits, tastings in shellfish farms, as well as numerous cultural events, festivals and traditional celebrations…

Archipel de Thau boasts a wide range of exceptional venues. Whether at the heart of cultural structures with an artistic identity or in unusual places steeped in history, the destination is sure to make your event unforgettable.

Facing the Thau lagoon, along the canals of Sète, sitting in the golden sand, on one of the terraces of our marinas, you’ll find happiness in your plate. Archipel de Thau enjoys an exceptionally sunny climate, which is reflected in the local produce. Restaurant owners work hard every day to make the most of these treasures.

For your business event choose Archipel de Thau tourist office and its varied activities to suit everyone. Boat trips, shellfish, wine or oil tasting, relaxing at a spa, or cultural visits. There’s something for everyone.

Ideally situated between Montpellier and Agde, Archipel de Thau is easy to reach by plane landing in Montpellier or Béziers airports, by train stopping in Sète, Frontignan, Marseillan-Plage and Vic/Mireval stations, by car via the A9 motorway (exits 33 and 34), by boat and even by bike.

CSR commitments

In 2022, as part of the merging of the region’s 5 tourist offices, three major strategic objectives have been defined in the Tourist Office’s business plan, including the development of eco-responsible tourism.

Since its creation, the Tourist Office has demonstrated its commitment to a CSR approach by integrating a Quality/CSR/Eco-responsible Tourism unit into its organisation. A CSR advisor has been appointed. An analysis of existing practices within the destination’s previous tourist offices has been carried out and an initial CSR action plan has been drawn up.

The destination’s Tourism Development Plan was approved in November 2023, and identifies 3 strategic pillars, including Structuring a sustainable destination of excellence in the Mediterranean. Sustainable tourism is therefore a key element of this framework document, which includes 8 action sheets:

– Pursue the Tourist Office’s CSR approach

– Strengthen the Tourist Office’s role as a ‘relay’ for sustainable development issues

– Continuing to investigate the regulation of furnished accommodation and platforms such as AirBnb

– Carry out awareness-raising campaigns for users

– Continue to roll out the cycling plan

– Develop intermodality from the main access points

– Develop and promote a ‘without my car’ offer

– Improve traffic and parking conditions to promote more peaceful mobility

As part of this dynamic, the Tourist Office was selected as part of the Green Destinations AMI at the beginning of 2024, benefited from support throughout the year and will apply for the label in 2025.

The Tourist Office is also one of the 6 Occitanie Tourist Offices selected for the ‘Sustainable Transition Manager’ programme, which starts in March 2025.

Here are a few examples of actions already completed or in progress

• – The Tourist Office’s CSR/sustainable development commitments have been formalised and can be found on its website https://www.archipel-thau.com/nos-engagements-rse-archipel-de-thau.html

– An internal CSR group has been set up from 2022 with the aim of making the Tourist Office team a committed and exemplary eco-tourism team. This group meets several times a year to exchange ideas and make proposals on CSR issues (e.g. current discussions on promoting short distribution channels in the destination’s restaurants).

– A series of FICO workshops (Fresque des impacts du climat en Occitanie=climate change impacts in Occitanie) has been organised since December 2023 for all staff to attend in order to raise awareness of the theme of tourism and climate change.

– Surveys on quality of life and working conditions, as well as commuting practices, are carried out among staff.

– A responsible purchasing policy has been formalised, focusing in particular on the evaluation of the Tourist Office’s boutique products and the environmental and social labelling of the products evaluated.

– Awareness-raising campaigns on eco-actions are carried out among the Tourist Office teams (selective waste sorting, bio-waste collection, water/energy saving displays, etc.).

– A ‘committed destination’ section is available on the website. It highlights the region’s eco-responsible initiatives (soft mobility, committed service providers), protected natural areas, best practices, etc. https://www.archipel-thau.com/une-destination-engagee-archipel-de-thau.html

– The professional area of the website also features content on sustainable tourism (toolbox, focus on actions taken by the Tourist Office, portraits/testimonials from committed socio-professionals).

– A form was sent out to accommodation providers (hotels and furnished tourist accommodation) to find out what good eco-responsible practices had been put in place in their establishments, and to begin thinking about how to support and promote service providers. (600 items sent/100 returns) (analysis of responses carried out as part of a study entrusted to Master II sustainable development students).

–  Activities to raise public awareness of biodiversity and the preservation of the region’s natural areas (programme of discovery walks) are carried out throughout the year with our partners (CPIE, Sète Agglopôle Natural Areas Service, EID, etc.).

–  Initial work has been carried out to identify the destination’s stakeholders.

Spoken languages : English – Spanish – French

Location