Aigues-Mortes

Aigues-Mortes is a great place to take visitors and for a family day out. It's a medieval walled citadel right on the edge of the Camargue, about half an hour's drive away from Montpellier. It is steeped in history; 'Aigues-Mortes' means 'dead water', after the stagnant marshes that surround it.

The old city is flat, compact and fairly small, and while it is small enough to walk across in about 10 minutes, it is full of restaurants and shops. 

Although the shops are a bit touristy they are still quite nice to browse around: savon de Marseille, local ceramics, lavendar, wine, Camargue salt, you'll find them all, so it's perfect for mums and grannies who love browsing. Outside the old city walls, the town of Aigue-Mortes extends, there is a charming river-side area with restaurants.

Sunday afternoon can get quite busy and parking can be a challenge, so it's probably best to get there early before the lunchtime crowds arrive. When we visited we didn't book a restaurant and had to try a few places before we got a seat, but it was an excellent restaurant in the end. 

Aigues-Mortes is one of those places that you feel instantly as if you're on holiday, with the sun shining and warm salty air in your lungs.

How to get there

By car: Take the D66 south from the Odysseum junction in Montpellier, then the D62 at Carnon

By public transport:  The 606 bus from Montpellier Place de France does run to Aigues-Mortes: the journey takes 1hr 10 minutes and you get off at the last stop (Aigues-Mortes Tour de Constance). However, the times are not very convenient for a return day trip: see the 606 timetable here.