Moulin Rouge and Arles Aqueduct at Barbegal
Descending through the steep streets of medieval Les Baux, we exited back to the highway and pointed the car toward Arles. But I had read in Rick Steves' guide about the windmill and Arles aqueduct between St. Remy and Arles, so we decided to try and locate them. Turning off the main highway from St. Remy to Fontvieille, we soon came upon the charming old windmill with the red roof. Just a short drive down the road was the crumbling remains of the major aqueduct that supplied Arles with water as well as operating a series of Roman mills.
Descending the steep streets in Les Baux
The antique wind mill
The Arles aqueduct
I found the aqueduct ruins particularly interesting, as you could walk through the original course, down a narrow tunnel, which suddenly opened into a stunning vista of fields (especially at sunset, when we arrived). Lining the hillside were the remains of 8 water mills with wheels, used to grind wheat into flour. Again, I found it very helpful to see a model of the original structure.
Model in the Arles archeological museum, recreating the water mill
