Located on the Canal du Rhone a Sete, with its own 6-km canal to the Golfe du Lyon, the fortified city of Aigues-Mortes now lies 5 km from the sea. Its name is derived from “aquae mortuae”, or the “dead waters”, in reference to the salt marshes that lie outside the city walls. Built in the 13th century by Louis IX as an embarkation port for his two crusades, the walled town remains perfectly preserved. The Constance Tower, located in the NW corner of the city, offers an amazing view of the countryside, from the Mediterranean coast to the Cevennes mountains.