Palavas-les-flots to Aigues Mortes and then to Aramon

After we found ourselves stranded in Palavas-les-flots, our first goal was to head towards Aigues Mortes.

We arrived there on May 6, 2025, around 10:30 AM. The harbor was fully occupied, and we decided to travel a few more kilometers towards the Petit Rhône. There is a small dock in Gallician, about 13 km by bicycle from Aigues Mortes.

That was the plan, but upon arrival, the Seehond from the previous day was already at the dock. We hadn't properly secured our vessel yet when we were alerted to an incoming tourist boat. The Seehond set off for St Gilles, and we stayed back, hoping that this time we would be spared.

Far from it, around 8:30 PM, we were forcefully asked to make way for the steamer. About 3.5 km towards Sète, there was an open dock where we knew we could find a place to moor.

Our tip: Anyone planning to visit Aigues Mortes and spend the night at the harbor should definitely reserve a spot in advance.

We then quickly decided to continue towards the Rhône, heading to Aramon the next day.

We soon reached the Écluse de Saint-Gilles on May 7, 2025, and directly behind it, we entered the Petit Rhône, moving on to the large Rhône and further to Aramon. Along the way, we encountered another lock on the Rhône.

On the little Rhône, the current was barely noticeable, but on the big Rhône, it was quite different. After the river passed through the last lock at Vallabrègues towards the Mediterranean, it unleashed its power that had been restrained up until then and rushed towards the sea, where it would finally be lost. On the little Rhône, we had a SOG of 12 km/h at 1500/min; however, on the big Rhône, it suddenly dropped to only 7 km/h and a bit more. Now it was time for Gustav to show what he's made of 😊.

At the Écluse de Vallabrègues, we met the Seehond again along with another boat. We wanted to stay several days in Aramon, as various excursions and a bit of relaxation were on the agenda. Upon exiting the lock, we were at position 2; we wanted to reach Aramon first, as it is a small dock, and the experiences of the past days had somewhat dented our confidence.

The Seehond also inquired about our destination, Nachtijall… In Aramon, we received a warm welcome from the harbor master. A great spot, bicycle parking, trash bins within throwing distance, and heart, what more do you desire.

You did just reserve, didn’t you?

Yes, there was still space for the Seehond; later, two more boats arrived, and then the harbor was full.