Is Aigues-Mortes worth it?
 

We will have extra time driving between Caracassone and Les Baux. Is Aigues-Mortes worth a stop? We aren't too interested in the Camargue region in general.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

We really liked it. We did the walk on the fortress walls and walked through the streets. It's quite a contained little village completely surrounded by high walls.

I don't know if it will be a let down after visiting Caracassone. Hopefully someone else can compare the two better.

I enjoyed Aigues-Mortes, although haven't been to Carcassone (heading there soon though). The fortress walls were a good walk and the town center cute (if touristy).

I enjoyed driving through/around the salt flats and the camargue as well - the first time I've ever seen pink flamingos (not at a zoo).

We enjoyed our experience in Aigues-Mortes more than that in Carcassone.

That may have been a function of the smaller crowds (I admit that I think of other people as tourists, not myself).

We found Aigues-Mortes to be less commercialized and more accessible than Carcassone, and lunch in the central square felt as if we were in a real town rather than an amusement park. We got a map and self-guided tour at the tourist office and felt the ability to linger at our own speed improved our experience.

I spent Christmas in Aigues-Mortes 30 years ago. Really quite wonderful in the winter.

I also like Aigues-Mortes better than Carcasonne - smaller, more authentic, fascinating history.

A visit to Les Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer (scene of the annual Gypsy/Roma pilgrimage) is also pretty convenient from Aigues-Mortes as well. Very interesting little town.

We preferred Aigues-Mortes to Carcassonne (disappointed in the latter after a long drive to get there).

Les Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer was overrun with French beachgoers and we quickly left.

W stayed a few nights there and loved it. We were etertained at the Camargue restaurant with gypsy king wannabees and enjoyed the street mimes and the dining.

"Is Aigues-Mortes worth a stop?"

I'm never quite sure how to answer a "worth it" question, especially without some idea of interests.

However, like other posters, we preferred Aigues-Mortes to Carcassone, for many of the same reasons: easy access, easy to navigate, a lovely main square, and above all, interesting history.

If you are prepared to make a side trip as you make your way from Carcassone to les-Baux-de-Provence, a couple of other options would be a visit to Nîmes, for its interesting Roman ruins, or Pont-du-Gard and Uzès. The latter two would be top of my list; the aqueduct is astounding and the town of Uzès is, well, charming. They're not that much further out of your way than Aigues-Mortes.

Anselm

Yes! Hang a right at Montpellier , through La Grande-Motte, and drive past the flocks of flamingoes on the way to Aigues-Mortes. A dreamlike sight.

Another here who preferred much Aigues-Mortes to Carcassone (what Jeff said exactly!). But we were less impressed with Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer and also left quickly.

I liked it. Definitely walk the wall, and become familiar with the history.

Aigues-Mortes to me is fantastic - perfectly walled town on the coast.

Saint Louis i guess started one of his Crusades here.

Really neat and different from any other town in France i've been to.

Thanks, everyone. We're definitely going to stop at Aigues-Mortes!

If you do go to A-M, there's a wonderful knife shop where I bought several of those famous opinel folding knives for inexpensive gifts. Also the Camargue Fleur de Sel.

Been to both. Preferred Aigue Mortes. Wouldn't go back to Carcassone if I were driving past it. I'd go out of my way to go back to Aigues Mortes.
In my opinion, Carcassone is sort of a French Gatlinburg. Very commercialized. Aigues has commerce, but it's "normal" as opposed to "touristic" commerce.
Aigues is more like a French Savannah.
Anecdote: in Carcassone I stood near a drawbridge looking up at the parapets. Some Carcasson-ian was avidly trying to tell me I had to pay to stand where I was, if not I could not look. I avidly tried to feign no knowledge of French. = Stalemate. Almost as bad as the waiter across from Rocamadour who would, for 5 euro, sell me the paper placement with a picture of the town.

Both Carcassonne & Aigues Mortes are very old towns.

Carcassonne was (badly) renovated in the 1850's to appear as a Disneylike medieval town.

Aigues Mortes is pretty well original.

Ste Marie has a nice medieval centre, but the main access road can be very busy in summer.

Some photos :

Best summer view of Ste Marie :
http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/ph...-photo-208.htm
which explains why I don't worry about the summer traffic !

More photos of the area :
http://the-languedoc-page.com/photos...hoto-index.htm

Peter

Thanks for the pictures, Peter.

We loved Carcassone, too, and I would always be up for a trip there.

Next time I try the cassoulet.