The saltworks of Aigues-Mortes in the Gard department have existed since Antiquity. Back then, the pay of the Roman legionnaires partly consisted of salt and was called salarium, which gave the word salary. The saltworks of the region are known for producing Camargue's fleur de sel, a lightly scented salt crystal carefully harvested for generations. The powerful mistral wind and the significant sunshine in the region create ideal conditions conducive to the production of fleur de sel. The name Aigues-Mortes that the medieval city bears originates from the marshes and ponds that once surrounded the village. Aquae Mortuae in Latin or Aigas Mòrtas in Occitan indeed mean dead (or stagnant) waters.