Pink flamingos, white horses, black bulls are not usually the first thing in mind when it comes to a trip to France.
It wasn’t on the top of my to-see list either, until JC told me that he went to le Camargue as a kid with his classmates, a popular destination for school excursion/outings.
While at the time I had never driven in France, I was intrigued enough to give my virgin drive in France a try and add la Camargue on the itinerary during my 3 weeks solo trip in the South of France.
The Camargue delta lies along the Mediterranean Sea between both mouths of the Rhône river. It covers 20,000 hectares of wetland, marshes, meadows and moors which continue to evolve due to the sediments from the Alps transported to Camargue by the Rhône river, forming a land rich in nutrients and natural diversity. It is the largest river delta in Europe, and has been designated by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve.
When to visit
The most popular times to visit the Camargue for tourists would be between the warmer months, April - September. However, if you want the space all to yourself, don’t mind a self-drive tour and are not troubled by the cold, then don’t shy away from the winter months. Even better, the colour of the pink flamingos are at their brightest during the cooler months.
If you want to take it easy and sit back and relax, then a tour might be for you.
There are plenty of companies operating 4 x 4 safaris tours but note that most of them will be closed from October until late March/ early April.
Some tour operators also have horseback riding and trekking tours through the Camargue during the warmer months but it is advised to avoid June - August as it can get very hot.
How to get there
Tour operators pick-up travellers from the major towns in the region, including Nimes, Arles, Montpellier and Avignon. It is also easy to drive from any of these towns.
I hired a car from Montpellier and spent a leisurely day stopping at Aigue-Morte to explore its beautiful fortified town, Sainte Marie de la Mer for lunch, then driving to the Camargue in the afternoon to enjoy the serenity as the sun softened.
If you’re here to see the flamingos, dusk would also be the best time to witness the spectacle as hundreds of flocks take off when the last light exits the horizon. Just picture that magic!
To-go list:
Aigue-Morte
A beautiful mediaeval town built by Louis IX as the embarkation port for his two crusades in the 13th century, with majestic city walls 8 to 9 metres high, comprising six prestigious towers, including the Constance Tower and ten gates, forming a rectangle about 800 by 400 metres.
The name Aigues-Morte comes from the latin word aquae mortuae, which means the “dead waters” due to the surrounding saline delta marshland. Sat has been harvested here since the Antiquity or 4th Century BC. When Peccius, a Roman engineer was tasked to organise salt production, 17 salt marshes were active in the Peccais enclosure belonging to different owners. After serious flooding, the owners decided to form a partnership with a merchant in Montepellier, where the Salin d’Aigues-mortes was established in 1856.
Till this day, they still produce the world-famous fleur de sel de Camargue - a handy souvenir to bring some good memories home and spice things up at your next dinner party.
You can also learn more about the salt harvesting process and book a tour via their website here https://www.visitesalinsdecamargue.com/
Picture source: https://www.visitesalinsdecamargue.com/4x4-recolte-fleur-de-sel
The friendly locals gathering in front of their house and sharing the freshly shucked oysters.
Parc ornithologique du Pont de Gau
It’s Heaven for bird lovers and flamingo admiration, especially at dusk to sunset.
The park offers a 6.4km trail through a network of small islands, salt marshes, ponds and lakes. It is one of the best places not only to see the flamingos but also many other migratory species like storks, Grey Herons, Black-winged Stilts, egrets depending on the time of the year. The admission fee enables you to spend the whole day in the park. You can get the tickets at the gate. Visit their website for more info: https://www.parcornithologique.com/
Sainte-Marie-de-la-Mer
Provincial folklore has it that the Marys, Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome and Mary Jacob were expelled after the crucifixion of Jesus around 45 AD. After drifting along on the Mediterranean, the Marys arrived in a small seaside village in the South of France, and were welcomed by the ‘Black Sarah’ who became their servant. It is believed that they have built an oratory devoted to the Virgin Mary. Mary Magdalene later went to Sainte-Baume, where Mary Salome, Mary Jacob and Sarah stayed behind.
Sainte-Marie-de-la-Mer, as its name suggests, has become a place of pilgrimage for 19 centuries. The church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer was built in the 9th century. Visitors can visit the church and take in the sweeping view of the seaside town. Its crypt is devoted to the Black Sara, or Saint Sara as known today who are worshipped by the Gypsies from all over Europe as their Patron Saint. The 24 May each year is devoted to Saint Sara and the usually-sleepy seaside town to live with the intense fervour of the Gypsies and pilgrims.
Throughout the year, you can taste many of the local specialties and produce. A popular dish here is the gardiane de taureau, a rich, slow-cooked bull stew, served with locally grown Camargue rice. It's a hearty, worker's dish to reward the hardwork of the Gardian - the Camargue cowboys.
Arles
Treasured by the Romans, Arles has many world-class archaeological sites such as the Arles Amphitheatre where you can stand on the sandy ground once stood the gladiators. While Arles has never been on the top ‘to-see’ places in France, it is indeed a must-see for those with strong curiosity and yearning to discover rich history and culture. Find out more about the hidden corners and enchanting scene that inspired as many as 200 of Van Gogh’s paintings here.
The South of France has so much to offer than the popular Nice, lavenders and sunflower fields.
We can’t wait to help you to uncover its hidden gems, locals’ favourites and much more.
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