Aigues-Mortes

Aigues-Mortes is a unique city, we have not seen anything like that before. Imagine a medieval city surrounded by a fortress wall, but absolutely rectangular. This is Aigues-Mortes.

The city was founded by Louis IX in 1240. The wall was completed in 1300. At this time the city was one of the most significant on the southern coast of France and was not taxed. Later the sea moved further (now it is 7 km away) and in the 16th century the city ceased to play any important role, giving way to Marseille. Residents began to extract salt and grow grapes and they are doing this even now. Although tourism became the main source of income.


Since salt is extracted around the city, you can see colored salt lakes. We already saw such lakes in the Camargue National Park.

In October, the city hosts the Bull Ring Festival. The good thing is that bulls are not killed here, they are only doing fitness training. On the first photo to the left you can see the arena that is being prepared for the festival. At first local boys are running with the bull in the arena (video), and then bull run to the city through the gate. Everything is pretty safe, the running bull is accompanied by horsemen.

City walls can be visited and also the biggest Constance Tower, which the only remained part of the castle of King Louis IX.


















Brochures about the city can be downloaded here.

Getting there: parking coordinates N 43 33.854 E 4 11.235. There is a train station in Aigues-Mortes, travel time from Marseilles is 3 hours, from Avignon - 2 hours, from Montpellier - 1 hour. From Nimes it is possible to get by bus C32 (timetable, map).