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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 friends, who flocked from all around the globe to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night time or marvel on the regal opulence of palaces like Versailles.
I dwell right here, in Paris particularly, and I can inform you it has been an absolute gong-show, however as broadly widespread as France is, one factor I’ve discovered touring throughout the territory is that enormous swathes of it stay largely undiscovered.
As a majority of international vacationers will sometimes 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 may typically miss out on among the most awe-inspiring, fairytale spots (un)identified 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 imagine 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 isn’t the standard city that will function on the journey brochure displayed at your resort entrance desk when you’re coming to France.
Unlike Nice, Avignon, St Tropez and the like, the French would very very like to maintain it a secret.
It is a small settlement within the historic Camargues, a coastal space of France greatest identified 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 may dedicate a complete stand-alone article to the nationwide park, most likely essentially the most fascinating bird-watching and wildlife-spotting website in Europe––anticipate finding elegant pink flamingos and majestic wild horses prancing about––however let’s stick with Aigues-Mortes.
It is situated 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 vastly necessary heart 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 automobile earlier than the imposing medieval ramparts, however as I’d 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 the moment:
What Makes Aigues-Mortes So Special?
I do know Dubrovnik gets all the praise, and even in France, Mont St Michel citadel is way extra simply acknowledged, however the square-shaped Aigues-Mortes can also be surrounded by intact metropolis partitions and defended by a sequence of towers and fortified gates.
Chivalric romance stuff, you realize?
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 when you’re transported again in time.
You may spend hours on finish exploring at leisure, and also you’re certain to search out one or two secret courtyards with a centuries-old effectively on the heart and loads of memento outlets the place you should buy pure Camargue salt, lavender merchandise, and distinctive craftwork.
The most putting function right here, and one you possibly can’t simply miss when 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 can be naturally salmon-colored as a result of presence of a microscopic algae that proliferates within the atmosphere.
In quick, do not try to go for a swim as it is from being… hem, secure.
Either means, it isn’t on daily basis 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, residence to the biggest salt marsh in your entire Mediterranean basin and the place about 500,000 tons of salt per yr are produced.
Other than shopping for different-flavored salt, you possibly can hop on a vacationer prepare rattling up the slender lanes between saltpans, and when 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, quite fascinating museum on website, too, and you may even climb up a salt mound for a panoramic panorama of the standard Camargues panorama.
The Petit prepare go to lasts simply over an hour, and tickets value $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 possibly can stroll the whole 1.8-mile extension of them, and be sure you convey a bottle of water, and an influence financial institution for that limited-battery cellphone, as you may most likely be taking photos each step of the best way.
There are plenty of actions in and round Aigues-Mortes that ought to maintain you busy for a few days, so I recommend you intend a minimum of 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 value $56 per particular person.
On common, room charges in Aigues-Mortes vary from $113 to $160 on Booking, a much more affordable 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 underneath 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 historical custom, head to Chez Coco.
They serve freshly made pizza and pasta for the weak of abdomen, and for the extra adventurous type like me, the very best andouillette sausages and essentially 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 beautiful secluded outside seating space, shaded by unique timber, however their refreshing Bergère salad, accompanied by chèvre-et-miel toast tastes heavenly on significantly sizzling summer time days.
Aigues-Mortes is well-known round France for its seafood, significantly its mussels, and Casa Toro is the place you may discover the very best mussel à la Aigues-Mortaise on the town, salted to style, and remember to order an anchovy-based anchoïade dipping sauce for the bread, if obtainable.
One Of The Most Welcoming Destinations In France
The value vary for eating places is a suitable $30-35, when you’re ordering a small entrée, a primary dish and a glass of wine or similarly-priced drink, and the service is often impeccable—residing in Paris myself, I’ve misplaced depend of the variety of occasions I’ve needed to take care of ill-tempered waiters.
Aigues-Mortes has not one of the massive metropolis fast-paced residing, site visitors, nor hustle and bustle, and as I perceived it, individuals are simply in a greater temper than Parisians usually: it is no marvel 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 unusual locations I’ve been in France (and boy, have I bought round…) and I simply cannot imagine it is but to be overrun with worldwide vacationers.
How to Reach Aigues-Mortes
If you are questioning how one can get right here, the closest airport is in Montpellier (MPL), serving the namesake metropolis, and internet hosting seasonal low-cost flights from various colder European locations, like London (Gatwick), Copenhagen, Berlin and even Paris.
If you are already in Southern France, nonetheless, getting right here is even simpler, because the city is served by a prepare station with direct hyperlinks to town of Nîmes: the SCNF-TER service takes roughly 53 minutes to finish the journey, and tickets value as low-cost as $1.
If you are touching down in Montpellier, you possibly can journey from Montpellier to Aigues-Mortes, however it should require one change in Nîmes, tickets for your entire journey costing from $7.48, at a complete journey length of 1h28 for the shortest switch occasions.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed here are the creator’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accredited or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included throughout the publish.
