Camargue

La Camargue encompasses the Rhone River delta in the southeast of France. It is one of the best places in Europe for birdwatching; also great for biking and horse riding.

Landscape
The Carmargue is western Europe's largest river delta, with an area of 930 sq km. A vast plain of large brine lagoons (known locally as étangs), cut off from the sea by sandbars and surrounded by reed-covered marshes.

Flora and fauna
The Carmargue has over 400 species of birds. The brine ponds are a habitat of the greater flamango. Camargue horses (Camarguais) roam these marshlands, together with Camargue cattle.

Do
Drive around the marshes and stop at viewing platforms or side of the road to look for flamingos and other large seabirds. White horses and herds of bulls can also be seen, more likely by following the smaller side roads.

Bike along the Digue de Mer. There are also many beaches in the area but the roads are not paved and very rough (many potholes). Planning your route and taking enough water and food is vital as the distances can be substantial.

Local specialty foods
Specialty foods of the Camargue include:
 * Bouillabaisse
 * Anchoïade
 * Anguilles au four
 * Gardiane de Taureau
 * Salade Camarguaise
 * Aubergines aux anchois et aux capres
 * Barbouillade d'artichauts
 * Brandade de Morue
 * Canard aux figues
 * Moules en Brasucado
 * Hachis camarguais
 * Fougasse d'Aigues Mortes
 * La Broufado

Finding a good dinner
When staying in a touristy city like Saintes Maries de la Mer, it can be difficult to find a place for a good dinner with anything beyond fried chips and over-grilled meat.

However, if you have a car, here are some tips for finding a good place serving local cuisine. Internet connection can help in your research. You should look for:


 * Restaurants out of town, even in remote locations. Minus the convenience factor of an in-town location, many countryside restaurants rely on local customers and fidelity to regional cuisine which attracts enough clientele despite remote location.
 * Menu that lists mostly or exclusively local specialties (see the list above)
 * Ferme Auberge (farm inn), an official government program. Members usually show good fidelity to local cuisine, though limited menu selection.
 * Membership in Conservatoire des Cuisines de Camargue, society for the preservation of true Camargue cuisine
 * Table d'hote (guest table), a kind of intimate restaurant. Often a bed and breakfast which prepares dinner with advance reservation. Don't confuse it with table d'hotes in a regular restaurant in a big city where it is more for solo diners to share a communal table—and more common at lunch.
 * Ask at the local tourist information office. They are not allowed to give opinions, but you can ask what restaurants serve local dishes in the list above or if there are any table d'hote or ferme auberge in the region.

Here are some restaurants that look promising per above recommendations as of Sept 2010:

==== on the road to Saintes Maries de la Mer:

==== away from Saintes Maries de la Mer:

Sleep
There are numerous hotels on way from Arles to Saintes Maries de la Mer. Some of them worth considering include:

Further information
More information on the Camargue can be found on wikipedia -Camargue.

Go next

 * Arles
 * Aigues-Mortes
 * Saintes Maries de la Mer
 * Le Grau-du-Roi

Other National Parks including Calanques National Park.