In Sète, the huts and their seasonal workers in the starting blocks as the May and summer holidays approach

L'intérieur chaleureux de La Voile Rouge Midi Libre – R. M.

On the Lido beach, the Sète huts have started their season. They are waiting, with the help of their extensive staff, for the May holidays, as well as the high season, with hope.

The Sète hut season on Lido beach has been underway for several weeks. There are, like last year, eight in number. To respond to the high influx of tourists, the beach huts must be reinforced with staff.

To do this, they double their number of employees between April and July. This massive recruitment is also linked to the high projections for the coming season, with the May bridges in sight. All the owners note that their activities are constantly growing."

An important preseason

Once again, this year is favorable for bridges in the month of May. May 1st and 8th are a Wednesday, enough to make travelers want to spend their weekend in the sun. "Last year, we had no one because of the rain. This year, we want sunshine!", hopes Jonathan Michelot, co-manager of Fantasy Park.

The many deckchairs at La Canopée Midi Libre – R.M.

Effectively, for establishments open only six months a year, often from April to September, "a good month of May is not negligible", explains Jonathan Michelot. To know, the turnover of La Voile Rouge over the season rises at "around one million euros", says Elodie Morin, manager of this establishment.

The relaxation part of La Ola Midi Libre – R.M.

A large crowd which requires a large number of staff

From mid-July until the end of August, the beach huts enter the high season, a decisive period. "A summer day, in high season, that's around 300 seats", estimates Claude Hersog, manager of  La Ola. The maximum catering capacity of most straw huts is around 100 seats at a time.

The view from the deckchairs of La Parenthese Midi Libre – R.M.

To continue to attract customers outside peak hours, the policy put in place by several huts is continuous cooking. In other words, customers can come and eat at any time of the day. This service requires a fairly large staff, especially in high season. "We spend around fifteen from employees in the off season to more than 28 in high season", explains Julien Douls, manager of La Canopée. A figure which rises to "50 employees in peak season", adds Claude Hersog, the manager of La Ola.

A remarkable plurality

The traders on the Lido beach favor the restaurant side more, rather than the bar atmosphere side. Indeed, the cabins of the Singular Island are obviously known for their deckchairs facing the Mediterranean Sea, but not only that: their diversity in terms of cuisine and atmosphere is worth highlighting . The most curious will be able to taste Italian cuisine brought by La Vita, or try the Brazilian atmosphere of La Praia.

La Vita’s green bar Midi Libre – R.M.

Tourists wanting to immerse themselves in local specialties and a more family-friendly atmosphere can go to La Canopée, La Voile Rouge, La Parenthese, La Ola and Le Cabanon de la beach. While for those in a hurry, there is the Fantasy Park hut, which serves small fast food. The price range between these different addresses is between 9 and 30 euros for lunch.

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