Located about 30 minutes southeast of Montpellier, Aigues Mortes is a small city enclosed by medieval walls. The area surrounding this city is well known in the salt production industry. This became evident on the bus ride approaching Aigues Mortes as mounds of salt could be seen in the background and the water color changed to a light pink. It was almost a surreal and dreamy landscape to experience, with an abundant flamingo population in the waters.
From a short distance the walls surrounding the city possess some scale, and then when you stand right before the entrance they become very powerful. I estimated the walls to be about 12 meters high on all four sides. All of the buildings and houses located on the interior didn’t surpass the height of 12 meters in order to protect residents when they were built. It is incredible how it only requires 5 minutes of walking from one side of the city to the other, where you can experience a church, main square, and sculptures. One in particular is aligned with the entrances, as a way to welcome those entering the city.
I was able to see the relationship between Aigues Mortes and the surrounding landscape after a painstaking hike up the tower, which also works as a museum. In the distance you can see massive piles of salt along the coast. On another side was the Chenal Maritime lined with dozens of boats. Taking in a panoramic view of all these elements at once really helps you understand the richness of this environment. Venturing further along the top of the walls I noticed several interesting things. The width of paths was just wide enough to allow two people walk next to each other. I noticed that the walls were very dense and thick, and realized that an extensive amount of planning was put into the construction. Lastly, on this level I got to experience how the old city related to what had expanded beyond the walls.
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