Camargue
The RhôNe Delta'S Wetlands Of Salt Pans, Marsh And Lagoons, A Regional Nature Park And UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Known For Flamingos, White Horses And Black Bulls · Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
The Camargue is the delta of the Rhône, a huge flat triangle of marsh, lagoons, reed beds, rice fields and salt pans between the two arms of the river and the Mediterranean. It is a regional nature park and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and the big central lagoon, the Étang de Vaccarès, is a strictly protected reserve. Greater flamingos live here all year in large numbers, alongside herons, egrets and many migrating birds. Semi-wild white Camargue horses and black bulls are raised on the marsh by the manadiers, the local ranchers, and the bulls are bred for the courses camarguaises. The main town, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, has a fortress church and hosts the Roma pilgrimage in May. To the west is the walled town of Aigues-Mortes; to the east, the salt works of Salin-de-Giraud and long wild beaches. Much of the delta is private land or closed reserve, so you see it from roads, dykes, marked trails, horseback and bird parks. In summer the mosquitoes can be severe.
Parc naturel régional de Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France
The Camargue is open country crossed by public roads, so you can drive through at any hour, but most of the land is private or reserved and access is on marked trails, dykes open to walkers and cyclists, and paying sites. The Parc ornithologique du Pont de Gau is open every day of the year with long hours in summer and shorter ones in winter; confirm the season's hours. The park's visitor centres and the reserve's information points keep shorter hours and may close one day a week or out of season. Riding stables and jeep safari operators work mostly from spring to autumn, and some close in winter; book ahead in July and August. The dyke along the sea, the Digue à la Mer, is closed to cars and open to walkers and cyclists. Access to the Beauduc and Piémanson beaches is on rough tracks that can be closed after storms or restricted in summer; check locally. The Roma pilgrimage in late May and the Baroncelli festivities fill Saintes-Maries, and roads jam on those days. Aigues-Mortes ramparts and the salt works tours have their own hours and seasons.