Via Aurelia day 2: who would have predicted this?

Maussane to Salon-de-Provence, 33.6km

I was so engrossed with the scenery today that I missed a turn and walked a kilometre in the wrong direction before realizing. The GR routes have identical red and white trail marks: the problem is that the current route is sometimes shared by more than one GR. While I was still following the red and white markers, I missed the unmerge for my trail. Admittedly I was distracted by the clouds of mosquitoes that erupted from a swampy area adjacent to the path, and by the wonderful reno being done to an old farmhouse and its out-buildings. Too bad they’ll never be able to sit outside in the evenings!

Tonight’s town, Salon, is a surprise package. Originally Roman, it was an important centre in the salt trade between the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Adriatic seas (The ‘Salon’ refers to salt). Canals also feature in the history, as a canal originally built for irrigation and city water in the late 16th century, was expanded and extended to the Rhone, providing cheap transportation and ensuring Salon’s prosperity.