Staying on a pink pond at Salin d’Aigues-Mortes

Looking for unique lodging in the south of France? Are you a nature lover who enjoys quiet solitude and flamingos for company? Then staying on a pink salt pond at Salin d’Aigues-Mortes will be perfect for you!

What is Salin d’Aigues-Mortes?

Salin d’Aigues-Mortes is a flat, salty tidal marsh in the southwest corner of the Camargue, an expansive river delta spreading south of Aigues-Mortes city to the Mediterranean Sea. Over 10,000 flamingos live in the salt marsh, making this Europe’s largest reserve. Another 200 bird species and 278 different plants also call this region home. But it is primarily known for its salt, manufactured from the salt ponds.

 

Sea salt has been harvested at Salin d’Aigues-Mortes for thousands of years, since Roman occupation. Back in ancient times, this salt was as valuable as gold! In fact, Legionnaires received part of their wages in the form of salt, “salarium,” the origin of the word salary. Emperor Charlemagne ordered a tower (Matafére) built to protect the Benedict monks who harvested the salt from invaders in the 5th century. Years later, King Louis IX convinced the Benedictine Monks to move to another region so that he could establish a trade route to the Mediterranean Sea and a passage for his Crusaders. And, oversee the salt production.

Today over 500,000 tons of high-quality salt are mechanically harvested each year for food, industrial, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. But the most delicate crystals, Fleur de Sel de Camargue, used as a delicious finishing salt in culinary dishes, are harvested differently. Not by machinery, but by hand.

Ten male sauniers follow the age-old tradition of harvesting these crystals in late summer after the warm sun and powerful Mistral winds have evaporated the waters, exposing the salt crystals.

 

Visiting Salin d’Aigues-Mortes

Located a 5 minute drive south of Aigues-Mortes, off RD 979, the Salin is open to the public from March to November (see hours here). But access to the 8,000 acre reserve is highly restricted. And no pets are allowed.

Day visitors cannot drive into the park beyond the Visitor Center. To see the pink salt ponds you must join a guided tour. Tour options include riding a tiny tourist train to the Salt ‘Camel’ hill (13.5€, 1.25 hours), a walking tour (22€, 1.45 hr) or a bike tour (35€, 3 hrs). A seasonal Fleur de Sel Harvest tour (21€, 1.5 hrs, 7 pax) is offered Tue/Thur in late July or August depending on seasonal winds. Alternatively, you can walk 4km (9.5€) on your choice of two different signposted trails.

Summer can be insanely busy. Tours fill quickly. Without reserving tours online, in advance, chances may be slim you’ll get in. Especially in the afternoon. But as an overnight guest, you have access to this reserve at all hours. And can freely explore on your own.

 

Staying overnight at Salin d’Aigues-Mortes

Imagine settling in and relaxing here for a couple nights…

Just you. And maybe some flamingos.

Nuits Salines offers stays from two nights minimum from April to November. Choose from a trio of tiny glass cabins facing pink Du Roy pond like I did, or one of the 4 slightly larger cabins scattered elsewhere. Designed with a modern, minimalistic style these cabins sleep 1-2 adults. No kiddos/pets allowed. Rates start at 130€ a night.

Each cabin has hot showers, microwave, mini-fridge, kettle, enclosed bathroom, wonderful glass windows overlooking the pink salt pond and a spacious screened porch.

Blissfully quiet!

I stayed in Maia cabin, and loved my time here. Spent days walking around the empty salt flats, and lazy hours reading my Picasso novel in the screened porch while I sipped on the light tasting rose wine (made from local sands) they thoughtfully provide to all guests. So relaxing to unplug, pick up a book instead of a smartphone, and truly unwind. Flamingoes flying overhead sometimes landed in the water to hunt for tiny shrimp.

Became fascinated by the different textures and formations the salt crystals created. Nature’s salt art.

I also climbed the Salt Camel before the park opened and had the place to myself.

Was interesting to see how the pink color varied so much in a day, from barely visible to vivid bright depending on the position of the sun.

The ever-changing light was magical.

 

From the pale colors of twilight…

to the blueness of predawn…

to a glorious sunrise!

Have a family? You can rent one of 2 farmhouses, year round, that housed salt workers until the 1950’s. They managed the flow of Mediterranean sea water through the canals by operating valves during the tides.

 

Activities for overnight guests at Salin d’Aigues-Mortes

You can drive back to the Visitor Center to join a guided walking or biking tour offered to the public. Or wander along the 4km trail leading to the fortified Southern Rampart of the city.

There are endless unmarked places to explore on foot and miles of gravel roads to travel on. But as overnight guests you also have access to two special places.

Craving some beach time? Then you’ll want to drive 30 km to reach private Gracieuse beach, a sandy coast stretching ten miles with a rustic Robinson Crusoe hut.

Prefer taking relaxation to a whole new level? Enjoy an outdoor massage on a floating massage pavillion. Yes, please! 

This little pavillion was located a few minutes walk from my Maia cabin.

Eclae Spa masseuses use the antioxidant rich Dunaliella Salina (pink algae) and sea salt from the marsh to destress and detoxify your body. Rates begin at 95€.

Massages are my guilty pleasure when traveling–especially when it features local products like this one. I had reserved an appointment when I booked my cabin months in advance, paid in full, and re-confirmed with the reservation attendent who checked me in. So I was quite disappointed that on my appointed day, nobody showed up. Walking back, I asked a maid cleaning a nearby cabin to call and enquire for me to see if the time got mixed up. But alas, turns out my reservation wasn’t communicated to the spa. And they were fully booked elsewhere in town. Bummed. Lesson learned. Book directly with Eclae Spa.

 

Other Ideas…

Special Photo Tour opportunity if your timing is right

Local photographer Cecil Domens offers 2 photo shoots here at Salin d’Aigues-Mortes. One is a 3 hr nature landscape shoot (90€). The other is photographing the beautiful white Camargue horses in the pink salt marshes! This is offered at daybreak (1.5 hrs shooting, 180€) just 5x a year.

Her timing didn’t coincide with my visit. But I photographed the Camargue horses on a beach shoot in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer before driving here. Imagine how beautiful the pink contrast would be!

 

Explore the town of Aigues-Mortes

The fortified town of 9,000 residents dates from medieval times and has a turbulent history. Fully enclosed by a rectangular wall, the city has many restaurants and shops. Try to dine by 8:30pm as most of the restaurants tend to close up and not take any more guests.

The Northern Rampart once had a drawbridge moat. What an impressive castle-like entrance to town!

During the day, make time to walk the upper ramparts all around the town (8€, 10am-5pm). Distance is a mile, and takes about an hour to explore. Views from the Southern Rampart overlook the lagoon by the sea and the pink flats in the distance.

Was interesting to tuck into the niches, read about the history, spot gargoyles and see aerial views of town.

 

 

Visit Carbonnière watch tower

This 13^th c watch tower once protected the city of Aigues-Mortes. Travelers paid a toll to pass through the main gate on the only road to the city. Park in the adjacent lot and walk along the  boardwalk winding through the marsh to reach this stone tower.

You might see flamingos, egrets, spoonbills, heron or even Camargue bulls in the standing water. Once at the tower you can climb the spiral staircase to see 360 degree panoramic views of the Petite Camargue marsh. Free.

 

Tips for Driving around Salin d’Aigues-Mortes:

The cabins are located about a 15 min drive from the guarded entrance gate to Salin’d’Aigues-Mortes on gravel roads. You’ll be given a map to find your cabin. Just stay off the restricted roads as it is a working site.

A guarded, gated entrance allows you to come and go as you please at all hours. You’ll be given a code to enter that releases the gate. Tip: if re-entering late at night, there are 2 gates to release. Nobody told me this, and I kinda freaked out the first night until a security guard came out of hiding to help me!

Drive slow, look out for ruts and potholes to avoid puncturing a tire. Even though I drove far slower than the speed limit and took extreme care with a rental, I still got a flat tire on my early 5:30am departure to catch a train for Spain. But somehow miraculously made it in time.

Despite this mishap, I would still highly recommend staying in the Salin d’Aigues-Mortes. Such a tranquil setting. The experience of walking around the salt flats surrounded by silence, broken only by birds, inhaling fresh salty air, and watching the interplay of light color the pink salt ponds throughout the day–pure mesmerizing.

 

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