mmmm. salty.

We stopped in the ancient city of Aigues-Mortes and went to the salt extraction site. They get salt from the sea water in a lengthy process that basically allows the water to settle in different ponds.  Pretty enviro-friendly process actually -the tides and waves move the water in - then over the next few months the sun and the wind evaporate the water, then gravity moves the salty water along to the next pond.

Quite impressive also to drive past mountains of salt

apparently as the water gets saltier - it also gets pinker - on account of the same bacteria that shrimp eat that turn them pink - which in turn flamingos eat and turn them pink.

I know exactly what you're thinking - and it's what I couldn't stop thinking....If I ate enough flamingos would I also change color?  Only one way to find out I figure.

We walked all around the perimeter of the city on top of the ancient walls.  It was actually quite a walk. Especially for little legs. Well especially if one has little legs attached to bodies that have to go to the bathroom - twice - during the walk - and there is only one bathroom back at the start (cough cough Aaron Ball cough cough)

Like most towns down south - it has Roman roots - but the city was really built up by Saint Louis in 1240 when he realized that he'd really like his kingdom to have access to the Mediterranean.

in front of the Tour de Constance

   
The walls were built up later by Philippe the Bold and then by Philippe the Fair. (note: I really need a title like that.  Perhaps "George the Well-Fed")




The town is also famous in that it was used as a prison during the religious wars that took place after Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685 which had allowed protestantism. Since it was then illegal to not be catholic, they rounded up the Huguenots who refused to convert -and imprisoned them - many in the Tour de Constance - and some of them for decades.


So there you go - and update on our trip last month and a brief refresher on 17th century history...now that's why you keep coming back here.