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France is the most visited country worldwide, simply surpassing Spain, Italy and Mexico.
Last yr alone, it hosted over 100 million company, who flocked from everywhere in the globe to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at evening or marvel on the regal opulence of palaces like Versailles.
I reside right here, in Paris particularly, and I can let you know it has been an absolute gong-show, however as broadly fashionable as France is, one factor I’ve realized touring throughout the territory is that enormous swathes of it stay largely undiscovered.
As a majority of international vacationers will usually test off Paris and, if time allowing, go to a few summery cities within the French Riviera earlier than shifting to the following nation in line, they are going to typically miss out on a number of the most awe-inspiring, fairytale spots (un)recognized to most.
In a current journey to the Camargue area, I stumbled upon considered one of these hidden gems, a medieval metropolis resting on the banks of a bubblegum pink lake, and I virtually could not consider my eyes—and the very fact there have been only a few foreigners in sight:
Is This The Last True Hidden Gem Of France?
Aigues-Mortes shouldn’t be the everyday city that might function on the journey brochure displayed at your lodge entrance desk in the event you’re coming to France.
Unlike Nice, Avignon, St Tropez and the like, the French would very very similar to to maintain it a secret.
It is a small settlement within the historic Camargues, a coastal space of France greatest recognized for its huge wetlands, and a UNESCO-protected reserve vacationers are principally bypassing altogether when touring up the N113 on the best way to Montpellier.
I might dedicate a complete stand-alone article to the nationwide park, most likely probably the most fascinating bird-watching and wildlife-spotting website in Europe––look forward to finding elegant pink flamingos and majestic wild horses prancing about––however let’s keep on with Aigues-Mortes.
It is positioned on the junction of two channels, the Rhône and the Maritime, making it a pure transit hub for boats touring from side to side the coast; evidently, Aigues-Mortes was a massively vital middle of commerce within the Middle Ages, when it amassed most of its cultural wealth.
I did not know what to anticipate pulling up with the automotive earlier than the imposing medieval ramparts, however as I might quickly discover out, this offbeat city tucked away within the salines of Camargue is without doubt one of the best-preserved medieval treasures nonetheless surviving in France at this time:
What Makes Aigues-Mortes So Special?
I do know Dubrovnik gets all the praise, and even in France, Mont St Michel citadel is much extra simply acknowledged, however the square-shaped Aigues-Mortes can also be surrounded by intact metropolis partitions and defended by a collection of towers and fortified gates.
Chivalric romance stuff, you recognize?
Strolling the charming Old Town, a grid-like maze of cobbled lanes lined by similar stone homes, distinguished by their flower preparations and colourful window shutters, it is virtually as in the event you’re transported again in time.
You might spend hours on finish exploring at leisure, and also you’re certain to seek out one or two secret courtyards with a centuries-old nicely on the middle and loads of memento retailers the place you should buy pure Camargue salt, lavender merchandise, and distinctive craftwork.
The most hanging function right here, and one you’ll be able to’t simply miss in the event you’ve been to a fair proportion of castles earlier than and also you’re already numb to the artifical wonders of Europe, is the vividly-pink lakes that border the historic ramparts.
Well, I need to add they don’t seem to be lakes correct, however saltpans which are naturally salmon-colored because of the presence of a microscopic algae that proliferates within the setting.
In brief, do not attempt to go for a swim as it is from being… hem, secure.
Either approach, it is not every single day you get to see a medieval citadel straddle a pink physique of water, and what a sight, my buddies!
Top 3 Best Tourist Activities In Aigues-Mortes
Visit The Salines
One of my favourite issues to do in Aigues-Mortes is visiting the Salin d’Aigues-Mortes, the city’s landmark saline, dwelling to the biggest salt marsh in the whole Mediterranean basin and the place about 500,000 tons of salt per yr are produced.
Other than shopping for different-flavored salt, you’ll be able to hop on a vacationer prepare rattling up the slim lanes between saltpans, and in the event you’re hoping to snap the traditional postcard image of the pink lake with the Aigues-Mortes townscape for backdrop, I’d recommend you sit on the left aspect.
There’s a small, somewhat attention-grabbing museum on website, too, and you’ll even climb up a salt mound for a wide ranging panorama of the everyday Camargues panorama.
The Petit prepare go to lasts simply over an hour, and tickets price $13.90 per particular person (or the equal in euro).
Walk The Ramparts
In city, the must-do attraction is accessing the ramparts and their adjoining Constance Tower: sure, you’ll be able to stroll the total 1.8-mile extension of them, and ensure you carry a bottle of water, and an influence financial institution for that limited-battery telephone, as you may most likely be taking photos each step of the best way.
There are a lot of actions in and round Aigues-Mortes that ought to maintain you busy for a few days, so I recommend you propose at the least an in a single day right here––I stayed myself at Hotel L’Escale (check out the Google reviews here), within the coronary heart of the ‘Inner City’, or the walled Old Town, and a double room price $56 per particular person.
On common, room charges in Aigues-Mortes vary from $113 to $160 on Booking, a much more cheap ask than Paris’ jaw-dropping $208 to $342 on the peak of Olympics season.
Sample Some World-Class French Food
If you are eager on experiencing French culture—and by that I imply sampling each sort of cheese beneath the scorching solar and sipping a Sable de Camargue Rosé —the Main Street main from Porte de la Gardette to the Notre-Dame des Sablons Church is flanked by conventional brasseries.
For rustic, wood-fired meals that screams historic custom, head to Chez Coco.
They serve freshly made pizza and pasta for the weak of abdomen, and for the extra adventurous variety like me, the perfect andouillette sausages and probably the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth lamb shoulder you may ever attempt.
If you are vegan, Le XIII is the place to go: not solely have they got a stunning secluded out of doors seating space, shaded by unique timber, however their refreshing Bergère salad, accompanied by chèvre-et-miel toast tastes heavenly on notably sizzling summer season days.
Aigues-Mortes is well-known round France for its seafood, notably its mussels, and Casa Toro is the place you may discover the perfect mussel à la Aigues-Mortaise on the town, salted to style, and do not forget to order an anchovy-based anchoïade dipping sauce for the bread, if accessible.
One Of The Most Welcoming Destinations In France
The value vary for eating places is an appropriate $30-35, in the event you’re ordering a small entrée, a fundamental dish and a glass of wine or similarly-priced drink, and the service is often impeccable—residing in Paris myself, I’ve misplaced rely of the variety of instances I’ve needed to cope with ill-tempered waiters.
Aigues-Mortes has not one of the huge metropolis fast-paced residing, site visitors, nor hustle and bustle, and as I perceived it, individuals are simply in a greater temper than Parisians normally: it is no surprise Aigues-Mortes was lately ranked by Booking the most welcoming town within the area.
Other than the cultural worth and the friendliness of locals, Aigues-Mortes is without doubt one of the most original locations I’ve been in France (and boy, have I received round…) and I simply can’t consider it is but to be overrun with worldwide vacationers.
How to Reach Aigues-Mortes
If you are questioning methods to get right here, the closest airport is in Montpellier (MPL), serving the namesake metropolis, and internet hosting seasonal low-cost flights from plenty of colder European locations, like London (Gatwick), Copenhagen, Berlin and even Paris.
If you are already in Southern France, nevertheless, getting right here is even simpler, because the city is served by a prepare station with direct hyperlinks to the town of Nîmes: the SCNF-TER service takes roughly 53 minutes to finish the journey, and tickets price as low-cost as $1.
If you are touching down in Montpellier, you’ll be able to journey from Montpellier to Aigues-Mortes, however it should require one change in Nîmes, tickets for the whole journey costing from $7.48, at a complete journey length of 1h28 for the shortest switch instances.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed here are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, lodge, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, permitted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included throughout the publish.
