Archived destinations
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The Camargue
Flamingos and more in Mediterranean France
The wild and beautiful marshes of the Camargue cover vast areas of the Rhône delta in the south of France. At the centre lies the large Étang de Vaccarès, where natural marshes and sand dunes provide a home for roaming herds of ’wild’ bulls and the exciting long-maned white horses so characteristic of the area.
Although the holiday industry is squeezing these marshes ever tighter, they still support a wealth of wildlife. There are sights on show at every turn: great flocks of flamingos, a host of heron and egret species, hawking bee-eaters and the ever present marsh harriers.
Where marshland gives way to flooded rice fields, breeding colonies of black-winged stilts occur and in places pratincoles are found. Many black kites and the occasional short-toed eagle hunt the drier edges, breeding areas for tawny pipits and crested larks.
East of the Camargue lies the stony ’desert’ of La Crau, originally the bed of the Durance river. Where parts of this old flood plain have not been cleared of stones and cultivated, stony herb-rich grassland provides breeding habitat for little bustards and pin-tailed sandgrouse. The scents of herbs, hunting Montagu’s harriers and the calls of stone-curlews make a memorable setting.
Farmland to the north, with fields of wild flowers and fan-tailed warblers in the ditches, gives way to the spectacular limestone foothills of Les Alpilles. Here cirl buntings and blue rock thrushes can be found on the slopes around the hidden town of Les Baux. Walking up to the radio station at La Caume provides wonderful views over the Rhône delta and a real chance of seeing soaring Egyptian vultures and Bonelli’s eagles. The limestone hills provide much to interest the botanist and scarce swallowtail butterflies can be common.
The heights of Mont Ventoux, if weather conditions permit, have alpine meadows giving way to pinewoods on the lower slopes of the mountain. In this area citril finches can be found along with crested tits and crossbills; rock buntings occur in the more stony areas. If the road to the summit is open, rock thrush and alpine accentor can be seen among what remains of the winter snows. Alternatively, at the spectacular ruins of the Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, the Gardon river plunges under the aqueduct, while above and under its arches alpine swifts and crag martins hunt for insects. Riverine forest is the home of the golden orioles, often providing excellent views.
Pont du Gard
To the west of the Camargue proper lies the Petite Camargue. Although on a less grand scale than the main area it too has its specialities. Areas of Salicornia support a small breeding population of spectacled warblers and some of the larger étangs with their islands hold gull-billed terns and slender-billed gulls. Close to the town of Saintes Maries-de-la-Mer, well known for its spring gypsy festival, a coastal path, the Digue, affords views over lagoons and the sea, just the place for terns and gulls.
We stay at the Hotel des Granges, a family run hotel on the edge of Arles, noted for its hospitality and its excellent food and wine.
Pictures on these Camargue pages by Honeyguider John Rumpus
The Camargue is famous for its cattle and white horses - below, with cattle egret
Bee-eaters
The stony wastes of La Crau, haunt of little bustards and stone-curlews (below, with asphodels)
