We leave Cabries and drive close to another aqueduct, aqueduct Roquefavour, this time not as old as Pont du Gard but fully functional as it brings water towards Marseilles. We decide to hike up to it and we climb a nice hiking trail to the forest and get close to the Canale de Marseille and view the aqueduct from a different viewpoint compared to most other passersby.
One interesting fact about the Roquefavour aqueduct is that it was built in the 19th century to resemble Pont du Gard so it is almost like going back in time and seeing Pont du Gard during its heyday.
In fact it is an active aqueduct still bringing water to Marseilles. As such the top is closed but we go as close as we can for a view of the top of the aqueduct.
We really liked the hike and the climb so after returning to the car we decide to also try to other side of the aqueduct. However as we get to our desired parking place there is a problem – there are a couple geese that are defending the area and are really loud and aggressive. Luckily they are also behind a fence so we can take pictures without being chased around by them.
We then park a bit further away so we can start hiking beneath the aqueduct towards its top. The trail is less structured and more difficult so we have to rest more and at one stop we actually see a bat beneath the aqueduct. There is also a nice view of the interior of the aqueduct it looks like an unending row of portals as the aqueduct stretches into the distance. As we get to the top we enjoy the view and walk a bit along the road on the top to find an excavated prehistoric village nearby – quite a fortunate find.
After enjoying the great views for a while it is time to leave this interesting location. After returning to the car we drive a bit further to a more secluded parking spot where we eat most of our provisions as we cannot take them with us to Morocco and then it is off to the Marseilles Airport. The parking spots in the long term parking space are really scarce we have to drive around for quite some time to find a parking spot and then it is a tough fit due to the small places. Then we check in and after some waiting we can finally board the plane and leave on our adventure.
