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 notice the jetties. Whatever the reason, when we arrived the jetties were free and the other side of the bridge had about 20 boats lined up along a bank so low that I don't know how you'd get back on board once you'd disembarked.
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| The footbridge and arched gateway at La Maguelone |
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| Footbridge in operation |
The bridge links a carpark to La Maguelone where there was once an ancient settlement and cathedral. The cathedral has been partially restored and may be visited but mostly people come here to go to the beach.
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| Early morning at La Maguelone beach before the crowds arrive |
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| Petit Train which ferries beachgoers to and from the bridge (free of charge) |
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| Sunset over the etang |
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