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| 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
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| Town basin and swing railway bridge - Aigues Mortes |
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| l'Avenir at Aigues Mortes |
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| Salt pyramids and pink salt marsh Aigues Mortes. |
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| 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 a little like Carcassonne by the sea to me but, unlike Carcassonne, it does still have ordinary families living within its walls- not just proprietors of tourist shops.
We stayed for a couple of days mooring for free in the town basin just outside the city walls.Time to put our windscreens back in place now that we were past all the low bridges. A turn on the antique carousel and then 'au revoir' to the south of France.
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| Some more 'not wild' Camargue horses in the canal just outside Aigues Mortes |
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