An ancient activity
At Aigues-Mortes salt working goes back to Antiquity; the first salt pans are attributed to a Roman named Peccius, who gave his name to the Peccais marsh.
How salt is made
On perfectly flat ground, seawater flows in stages through five types of basins. Activity peaks in summer: salt crystallises through the combined action of sun and wind.
The Aigues-Mortes salt works
Formed into a company in 1856, they became the Compagnie des Salins du Midi in 1868. The site has been listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage since 1995.
Salin-de-Giraud
The village was founded in 1856 to supply salt to the Salindres chemical works; in 1895 Ernest Solvay set up a sodium carbonate factory here. The salt marshes produce about one million tonnes of salt a year.
Test yourself
Which Roman is credited with the first Aigues-Mortes salt pans?
- Peccius (answer)
- Camars
- Marius
What makes the salt crystallise?
- Sun and wind (answer)
- Cold
- A factory
How much salt do the Giraud salt works produce each year?
- About 10,000 t
- About 1 million t (answer)
- About 100 million t