The first time I stepped out of the train station in Sète I gasped and thought to myself, “Did I fall asleep on the train and end up in Venice?” 

In front of me there was a turquoise blue canal where colorful sailboats bobbed in the water and pastel-hued apartment buildings lined the shores. Stone bridges were decorated with vibrant flags and flowers, inviting me to cross them and arrive in the historic waterfront town center. I had no idea a city like this existed in France!