Guests are greeted at a pre-designated meeting point, and transported to Saul Nomad at her mooring. After settling in you are invited to join the Captain and Crew for a Champagne Reception and cruise safety briefing. Enjoy your pre-dinner aperitifs during an early evening cruise before returning to the mooring for dinner. 

Aigues-Mortes no longer a dead town - being too easily approached from Montpellier or Nimes - is famous for it’s authentic medieval ramparts rising from the marshy flats (aquae mortuae, or eaux mortes) from which it was named. It owes its foundation to Louis IX, who required a Mediterranean port in which to assemble his crusading fleet, and most of the rest of the coast was held by untrustworthy vassals! He bought the site from the monks of Psalmody, erected the Tour de Constance and dug a channel to the sea at Le Grau-Louis (now known as Grau du Roi). From here he embarked for Cyprus (on the 7th Crusade) in 1248, and again on his fatal expedition to Tunis in 1270. Over the following centuries much blood was spilt here, as at one stage or another someone got it in the neck! In 1538 Emperor Charles V met François I here. Four years later Barbarossa anchored his fleet in the sheltered waters off Grau du Roi .

You can visit the colourful morning street market and enjoy the shopping, galleries and sightseeing, or take a 30 minute walk around the ramparts of this medieval town. You get fine views across the wetlands of the Grande Camargue and the Petit Camargue. The Camargue is a World Heritage Site covering 80,000 Hectares. Separated from the Mediterranean by a line of low dunes, it’s pastures nourish large herds of sheep, and black fighting bulls on their manades or ranches, and the small white horses of Arab type. 

You may wish visit Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer..in the heart of the Grand Camargue. It was here that according to legend that Mary, sister of the Virgin; Mary, the mother of the apostles John and James; and Mary Magdalen, were said to have landed in 40AD, in company with their Ethiopian servant Sarah, and Lazarus, Maximinus, and Sidonius, all of them having fled from persecution in the Holy Land. The Gypsy tribes still return here every few years to elect their ¨Queen¨, amidst much raucous behaviour. 

We cruise along the Canal du Rhone à Sete, through the inland lakes teeming with wild life, to Maguelone, an ancient settlement on a pine clad hill by the sea - its cathedral with parts dating back to the sixth Century. It was destroyed by Louis XIII in 1633 on account of its Protestant proclivities. It was restored in 1875. It is a fortified 12C building with a sculptured West portal (note St Peter grasping his keys), interesting capitals, bishop’s tombs (including the 6C sarcophagus), and 12C marble reredos. Its huge gallery served as the canons’ choir. We will return to Palavas-les-Flots , a charming Seaside town in the evening for a fine dinner.

Continuing along the Canal Rhone du Rhone à Sète, we pass Sète into the Etang du Thau, so large it is classified as « Sea ». Heading around the Oyster Beds we can make for the pretty lake-side port of Mezè. Thursday is market day in Mezè. Or we can visit the Noilly Pratt vermouth caves further up the Etang in Marseillan, and spend the evening back in one of the fine Restaurants in Bouzigues. If the lake is uncomfortably rough, we will forgo the Etang du Thau and make the Port of Sète. The second largest French port in the Mediterranean, it has a home fleet of fishing boats, and many visiting North African ships. Colour, teeming, quaint streets, modern ships excellent fish restaurants and as Ports go pretty presentable! Plenty of excursions are possible throughout the trip to Nimes, Pont du Gard, Arles....

Weather permitting this is 35Km Sea Passage across the Golfe du Lion to Grau du Roi. We get the seaward views of Palavas, Carnon, and La Grande Motte. View Barbarrossa’s 1542 anchorage. If the Sea is too rough we will return back up the more sheltered Canal du Rhone à Sète, giving you a chance to ensure that you have recorded all those memories of this truly unique part of the World.  On the last evening we invte you to a superb final dinner as guests of the Captain at one of the finest local restaurants, where the fishing boats arrive at 5pm - off load - and within a few hours samples of their their catch are deliciously spread before you! 

SATURDAY - Grau du Roi/Aigues Mortes. 

Time after breakfast for one last chance to sit on deck before your departure from Saul Nomad. Perhaps to write those Postcards, or bring that Diary up to date!