L'Avenir - cruising Europe's inland waterways

Chateau de roi René, Taracson - 12th/15th century Our overnight mooring on a small jetty near Saint Gilles was to be our final stop on the French canals for this year. We still had a long way to travel but it would all be by river; firstly the Petite Rhone, then the Rhone and finally the Saone (with a short side trip onto the Seille). Excluding the Seille, a distance of about 500km and all against the current. By this time it was mid August. Summer continued to be very hot and dry so we were anticipating conditions would be as favourable as they would ever be but you never can tell. Final night on the canals - near Saint Gilles The first of the 19 locks ahead of us (onto the Petite Rhone) is 190m long x 11.40 - the same dimensions as the locks on the Rhone itself. However, unlike the others the change in water level was virtually imperceptible. From the lock to the Rhone proper is 21 km, a little over 2 hours. We saw no one on the river bar a couple of small fishing boats....

Aigues Mortes The name Aigues Mortes means Dead Water (stagnant water) presumably from the marshlands surrounding the city. Not a very attractive name but for once a place outshines its moniker. The city dates from 1240 and was built as a Mediterranean seaport from which King Louis 1X launched 2 Crusades. Ramparts, 10m high and 1.750km long, surround the city. Residential area a few streets away from the tourist centre - Aigues Mortes Town basin and swing railway bridge - Aigues Mortes l'Avenir at Aigues Mortes Salt pyramids and pink salt marsh Aigues Mortes.  View from the ramparts We arrived a week too early for the medieval festival which seems to be par for the course this trip. We had been there for it on our previous visit   when our timing seemed better so we weren't too disappointed. The town was full of tourists but away from the immediate centre of cafes, restaurants and gift shops it is remarkably quiet. Aigues Mortes seems...

We made fairly quick progress along the Rhone a Sete canal stopping over only in Frontignan, La Maguelone and Aigues Mortes. There are 3 little jetties at La Maguelone but one of them is now used exclusively for a passenger ferry service. The other 2 can be tricky to moor on in high winds (which is often) so there's a good chance that one will be free. They are right beside a floating swing footbridge powered by a large outboard. When the bridge operator sees a boat approaching he or she closes it off to pedestrians then, judging things to the millisecond, has the bridge open at the exact moment the boat arrives. As soon as the boat begins to pass through s/he goes into reverse and the bridge sweeps to a close just metres behind the boat. There's not much margin for error so don't wait around! So, boats heading south are presented with an opening bridge and lots of pedestrians waiting to cross and maybe they feel obliged to continue through or don't have time to...

What image does the word Camargue conjure up for you? I'd bet wild, white horses galloping through water, -the reality Neither are they all white. Foals are born dark and gradually become white by 5 yrs old - or perhaps vast flocks of pink flamingoes Egret at La Maguelone.  Nice pink cottage though. -not a single one I'm afraid. The marshlands seemed a lot drier than we remember the previous time we were here, when we definitely did see flamingoes. The horses were just as laid back then though. One welcome consequence of the dryness (for us that is) was the complete absence of mosquitoes. The landscape is still beautiful however. The canal really only skirts the wilderness area and it is a shifting landscape so, I daresay, the flamingoes (and mozzies) are flourishing a little further away. No longer any access to this abandoned house except by boat Fishermen's homes alongside the etangs.

Marseillian, 2km around the corner from the Canal de Midi, is the first port on the Etang de Thau and a welcome, if expensive, stopover before tackling the 21km to the Canal de Rhone au Sete. Coming in the other direction, particularly if you've made the trek down the Rhone, arriving at the little port is the moment you feel, 'We've made it.' The bustling quays of the pretty port are lined with small restaurants all serving, amongst other delicacies, oysters from the extensive oyster beds in the etang. They could not be more fresh and if you are a fan of oysters you won't be disappointed. The other speciality of the town is Noilly Prat (vermouth) and you can go and see how that has been made here since 1813 at the Maison Noilly Prat, in the rue Noilly. We didn't go but I understand the manufacture is a rather arcane process involving secret recipes and so on. Passing one of the oyster beds - Etang de Thau As well as being a working fishing port the t...